Major label material.
Though mainstream country and country radio as a whole has failed to give female artist the time and attention they so desperately deserve, the independent and alt. country scene has been nothing short of thriving off of the hard work and talent of women in the genre. From Sierra Ferrell and Molly Tuttle to Noeline Hofmann and Willow Avalon, you don’t have to look far to find stellar acts.
Recently, none other than Kaitlin Butts has become one of buzziest female stars in the genre, thanks in part to the virality of her 2024 single, “You Ain’t Gotta Die (To Be Dead To Me).” And today, she’s riding the highs of her new-found popularity all the way to her first major label record deal with Republic Records.
With the deal, Butts joins the likes of music giants, Taylor Swift, Drake, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd and Pearl Jam, as well as fellow country stars, Miranda Lambert, Jelly Roll, Shania Twain and Marcus King, all of whom are currently signed with Republic.
Known primarily for her feature on Flatland Cavalry’s certified-gold hit, “A Life Where We Work Out,” Butts has proven time and time again that she brings a whole lot more to the table than simply being a collaborator with her husband’s Texas band. Her 2022 project, What Else Can She Do, was downright phenomenal (#3 on our 2022 Albums of the Year list), and she followed it up with, in my opinion, her best work to date last year on Roadrunner!
Though the record was filled top-to-bottom with stellar tracks such as “Wild Juanita’s Cactus Juice,” the Vince Gill collaboration, “Come Rest Your Head (On My Pillow)” and the heartbreaking closer, “Elsa,” none caught the attention of those online quite like “You Ain’t Gotta Die (To Be Dead To Me).” Simply put, the song was a viral sensation and finally put the Oklahoma native on the map on a broader scale.
Butts would reference the virality of “You Ain’t Gotta Die (To Be Dead To Me)” in her Instagram caption, noting the whirlwind the past year has been and the hard work that lead to the signing of her deal.
“I SIGNED A RECORD DEAL WITH REPUBLIC RECORDS Y’ALL!! I’ve kept my head down and done the work for so long, I finally stopped to look around and see that the work that I’ve put in has brought me to where I’ve always wanted to be.
From releasing my album over a year ago as an independent artist, to having a viral song, to now signing a record deal with such a prestigious label like Republic Records, the journey has felt nothing short of surreal. I’m so inspired by the team and how their vision for me aligns with the dreams that I’ve always had for myself.
YEE FREAKING HAW!”
In an interview with Variety, the “White River” singer would note that she received a plethora of different offers from labels over the past year.
However, for Butts, Republic felt like the best fit due to their vision for her as an artist and her relationship with executive, Mary Catherine Kinney, who Butts described as a “big cheerleader” for her music.
“After I had my viral moment with ‘You Ain’t Gotta Die,’ I had so many labels reaching out, and it was really the craziest moment for me, as someone who’s worked at this for a really long time, to have people sniffing around like that. I originally connected with (label executive) Mary Catherine Kinney, who recently started working over there and has always been a big cheerleader in my corner, just as a friend and someone who likes music.
I feel very connected to Republic because I feel like their vision for me aligns with the dreams that I’ve always had for myself. And it just really feels good to work with a team that is so champing at the bit to get to work, and they seem to want to work just as hard as I have been for a long time, so I’m excited to get to work with them.”
If you thought Butts was going to lay low after the huge record deal announcement, you’d be dead wrong. In addition to the deal, Butts is also releasing a five-song cover EP, featuring her highly-anticipated cover of Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle,” on Friday, November 14. Per Variety, the EP, titled Weehaw Sessions, will also include covers of Chappell Roan’s “Red Wine Supernova,” The Chicks’ “Sin Wagon,” Don Williams’ “Tulsa Time” and a reprise of “You Ain’t Gotta Die (To Be Dead To Me).”
Yeehaw Sessions Tracklist
- “The Middle” (Jimmy Eat World)
- “Red Wine Supernova” (Chappell Roan)
- “Sin Wagon” (The Chicks)
- “Tulsa Time” (Don Williams)
- “You Ain’t Gotta Die (To Be Dead To Me)” (Reprise)
Additionally, Butts will release her highly-anticipated cover of “The Middle,” tonight at midnight as a preview to the rest the Yeehaw Sessions have to offer.
Kaitlin Butts Tour Dates
October 31 – Starkville, Mississippi – Rick’s Cafe Outdoor
November 1 – Woodlands, Texas – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
November 14 – Fort Worth, Texas – Billy Bob’s Texas
November 15 – Fredericksburg, Texas – Luckenbach TX
November 22 – Nashville, Tennessee – Ryman Auditorium
December 6 – San Diego, California – House of Blues San Diego
December 7 – Santa Barbara, California- Arlington Theatre
December 10 – Tucson, Arizona – Rialto Theatre
December 11 – Los Angeles, California – The Fonda Theatre
December 12 – Fresno, California – Tower Theatre
December 13 – San Francisco, California – The Fillmore
