Star-studded.
In a vibrant country-rock scene that seemingly gets more crowded by the day, it’s hard to point to just who’s made the biggest impact over the years. Is it Cross Canadian Ragweed and their seemingly omnipresent nature in the Red Dirt scene coming out of Oklahoma? Is it Treaty Oak Revival and their patented southern grunge sound that’s sweeping the nation? Is it Whiskey Myers who continually pushes the envelope towards hard rock with each release? Or is it Koe Wetzel who has experienced the most mainstream success over the past year?
While all of those names are important pieces when talking about today’s country-rock landscape, for my money, Southall is the band that deserves just as much, if not more attention. With four albums worth of what can only be described as solid country-rock gold and influences on the likes of Wetzel and plenty others, the Oklahoma-based band has proven time and time again that they are a serious force to be reckoned with.
Of course, it all started with the release of the now-iconic “Six String Sorrow” back in 2015, first released under frontman Read Southall’s name. For a decade, the debut album has remained a key piece of the lore of independent country, up there with the likes of Zach Bryan’s DeAnn, Tyler Childers’ Purgatory and Turnpike Troubadour’s Diamonds & Gasoline.
Throughout the year, Southall has been touring behind the tenth anniversary of “Six String Sorrow” to great success, adding a second and third leg to the set of shows due to overwhelming demand. If you thought that extended tour dates were all Read and Co. had in store for the anniversary, however, you’d be wrong.
In celebration of “Six String Sorrow’s” tenth anniversary, Southall is releasing a brand-new version of the record THIS Friday, October 10, The Six String Sorrow Sessions, which features re-recordings of seven of the album’s original nine songs.
Just in case the prospect of hearing remastered versions of the record’s beloved songs wasn’t enough, Southall is bringing along a star-studded cast with him as features with Koe Wetzel, Josh Meloy, Hudson Westbrook, Sam Canty (of Treaty Oak Revival) and John Jeffers (of Whiskey Myers) all making appearances on various tracks.
Discussing the re-recording, Southall said that he wanted to capture the feel of the original recordings in the re-release, noting that he originally produced the album for $300 in a storage building.
“The first time I recorded it [Six String Sorrow], it was 300 bucks and in a storage building. But that’s not the way it was sung every night, it was sung more like this [The Six String Sorrow Sessions],and this is what made it popular.”
Wetzel, who appears on “Gunshy,” gave his stamp of approval to the project, saying that the record has a little something for everyone who’s enjoyed the band’s evolution over the past decade.
“What I like about it is [that] it got every aspect of the last 10 years to it, the little things y’all have added to it. But it still has the feel of the OG that people f****** love. I think it’s great that it’s got a little something for everybody that y’all have gathered as fans over the last 10 years.”
It should go without saying that Six String Sorrow remains one of the best records released in the alt. country scene over the past decade. Throw in the likes of Wetzel, Meloy, Canty, Jeffers and Westbrook, all of whom are key members in today’s push away from mainstream country, and you have the recipe for what can only be described as an all-time collaborative album from a plethora of Red Dirt giants. You’re not going to want to miss this one.
You can presave the album here.
The Six String Sorrow Sessions Tracklist
- “Gunshy – Rerecorded” Feat. Koe Wetzel
- “Own Worst Enemy – Rerecorded”
- “Aero-Plane – Rerecorded” Feat. Josh Meloy
- “Daddy’s Hand – Rerecorded” Feat. John Jeffers of Whiskey Myers
- “Empty Hole – Rerecorded” Feat. Hudson Westbrook
- “Poison – Rerecorded”
- “Moon and Back – Rerecorded” Feat. Sam Canty of Treaty Oak Revival
