With AM Country Heaven and The Time Jumpers topping my Best Country Albums of 2012 list, it’s fair to say that I found 2012 a pretty great year for real country music. Still, you can’t cram everything into a finite number of slots. So here’s an addendum of other recordings that didn’t land within my Top 20 but should be to the liking of folks whose tastes, like mine, tend to run toward the more traditional side of things.
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- Alan Jackson – Thirty Miles West
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- Andy Vaughan & The Driveline – Searching for the Song
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- Chuck Mead & His Grassy Knoll Boys – Back at the Quonset Hut
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- Clinton Gregory – Too Much Ain’t Enough
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- Don Williams – And So It Goes
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- Eric Strickland & the B Sides – Honky Tonk Till I Die
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- Gene Watson – Best of the Best
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- James Hand – Mighty Lonesome Man
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- Joey + Rory – His and Hers
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- JP Harris and the Tough Choices – I’ll Keep Calling
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- Junior Brown – Volume Ten
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- Lindi Ortega – Cigarettes and Truckstops
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- Marley’s Ghost – Jubilee
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- Michael and the Lonesome Playboys – Last of the Honky Tonks
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- Moot Davis – Man About Town
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- Sweethearts of the Rodeo – Restless
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- Teea Goans – That’s Just Me
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- The Little Willies – For the Good Times
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- Tilford Sellers & the Wagon Burners – Heartaches, Lies and Cheating Songs
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- Tim Culpepper – Pourin’ Whiskey on Pain
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- Willie Nelson – Heroes
Investigate them further on Amazon:
- Alan Jackson – Thirty Miles West
- Andy Vaughan and The Driveline – Searching for the Song
- Chuck Mead & His Grassy Knoll Boys – Back at the Quonset Hut
- Clinton Gregory – Too Much Ain’t Enough
- Don Williams – And So It Goes
- Eric Strickland & the B Sides – Honky Tonk Till I Die
- Gene Watson – Best of the Best
- James Hand – Mighty Lonesome Man
- Joey + Rory – His and Hers
- JP Harris & the Tough Choices – I’ll Keep Calling
- Junior Brown – Volume Ten
- Lindi Ortega – Cigarettes & Truckstops
- Marley’s Ghost – Jubilee
- Michael and the Lonesome Playboys – Last of the Honky Tonks
- Moot Davis – Man About Town
- Sweethearts of the Rodeo – Restless
- Teea Goans – That’s Just Me
- The Little Willies – For the Good Times
- Tilford Sellers & the Wagon Burners – Heartaches, Lies and Cheating Songs
- Tim Culpepper – Pourin’ Whiskey on Pain
- Willie Nelson – Heroes
Prime Cuts: January 2012
Prime Cuts: May 2011
Prime Cuts: July 2012
11 Modern-Era Country Albums Everyone Should Hear
A freelance writer and humorist with an abiding love of country music, C.M. Wilcox's cutting, clear-eyed take on the genre has drawn the attention of Country Weekly, The Washington Post, and The Tennessean in the years since this site began. He lives near Sacramento and can be reached by email at CMW (at) countrycalifornia.com.
Nice list!
Thanks for this handy post, C.M. I only own six of these albums, so I have some catching up to do.
Now this is my king of list! Well except for that fingernails on the chalkboard voice of Lindi Ortega anyway…(lol)
Michael Ubaldini will get a kick out of making it onto this list! There is a new batch of talented honky tonkers happening in Los Angeles these days and Michael and His Lonesome Playboys are right at the heart of this movement. I don’t know if it will pick up any steam, but I’ve got my fingers crossed! (lol)
Hey hey, everyone at team Moot Davis appreciate your including us in the best of 2012…Thanks a bunch!!