First Country: New Music From Thomas Rhett, Midland, Charley Crockett & More

First Country is a compilation of the best new country songs, videos & albums that dropped this week.

Thomas Rhett feat. Tyler Hubbard and Russell Dickerson, “Death Row”

Rhett, Hubbard and Dickerson are all known for their pop-inflected, sometimes frothy tunes, but this gripping track is all guitars, grit, self-reflection and heart, inspired by a trip the three artist-writers took to perform for inmates in a men’s prison in Tennessee. The song offers a stark message of forgiveness, humanity, emotional transformation and commonality, as they recall meeting an inmate named Johnny who “ain’t touched the grass in 30 years,” and another who sings “Amazing Grace” with joy and abandon, “with one hand raised and one foot chained to the ground,” just days before he’s put to death.

Included on Rhett’s upcoming album Where We Started, this is likely one of the most impactful, real country songs you’ll hear this year.

Charley Crockett, “I Feel For You”

On the lead single from Crockett’s upcoming album Lil’ G.L. Presents: Jukebox Charley, he dusts off an album track from Jerry Reed’s 1966 debut The Unbelievable Guitar & Voice of Jerry Reed. Bolstered by subdued horns and haunting guitar, Crockett again proves he’s got an unmistakable voice of his own, as he retains the song’s moody intensity and bring up the tempo just slightly. His ragged voice channels the protagonist’s heartbreak, as he commiserates with the man his lover left him for, now that she’s left them both.

Kane Brown, “Leave You Alone”

Brown, who recently scored his seventh No. 1 on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart with “One Mississippi,” slows things down with this churning country-soul waltz. Lyrically, he compares his enduring love to everything from favorite, worn-in jeans, to wine stains on carpets. The lyrics are lifted by one of Brown’s best vocal deliveries yet.

Midland, “The Last Resort”

Midland does it just right yet again with ear-catching take on a well-worn country cliche about using the open road and some strong drinks as a heartbreak solution. With a nod to Keith Whitley on the lyric, “Miami, My Amy left me high and dry,” this song goes down smooth. The trio’s full-length project, The Last Resort: Greetings From, will release May 6 on Big Machine Records.

Dolly Parton, “Woman Up (And Take It Like a Man)”

In the vein of Parton’s own megahit feminist anthem “9 to 5,” this zippy, harmonica-laden uptempo track champions women of all ages and challenges them to keep fighting for their dreams. At 76, perhaps nobody embodies the indomitable drive and work ethic praised in the song’s lyrics more than Parton herself, and this song is filled with her signature bright optimism. “Woman Up” is from Parton’s latest album, a companion project to her novel Run, Rose, Run, which she wrote with author James Patterson. The book releases Monday, March 7, the same day Parton hosts the ACM Awards.

Michael Ray, “Holy Water”

Written by Ashley Gorley, Hunter Phelps, Ben Johnson and Michael Hardy, this track delves into the tale of a small-town church pastor who makes “Holy Water” (moonshine) in the church’s basement when he’s not behind the pulpit preaching. The song’s swampy vibe will no doubt bring to mind “Ol’ Red,” the song originally recorded by George Jones and later covered by Kenny Rogers but ultimately turned into a radio hit by Blake Shelton in 2002. Ray’s vocal veers more understated than gritty here, and gets nearly lost in the busy chorus, but he undoubtedly knows his way around a country song.

Johnny Dailey, “Bonnaroo”

After a weekend spent reveling in music and sun with a girl he just met at a Tennessee music festival, he’s not sure if their connection will float away like the last strains of a song, or find a permanent connection. His delivery and the accompanying instrumentation are delightfully wistful and hazy. A promising release from his debut EP Dillashaw, out Friday (March 4).

Alannah McCready feat. Will Gittens, “Can I Call”

This glistening duet with Will Gittens finds two lovers pining for one another in a long-distance relationship. Their voices glide together beautifully on this tender melody, floating above a sweetly pop production. They also co-wrote the track, along with Sterling “David” Gittens, Jr.