Josh Turner's next album is set to drop on August 21st, and it's one that will pay tribute to his country music heroes: Randy Travis, John Anderson, Johnny Cash, Vern Gosdin, and Hank Williams.
“I’ve always said that any song you hear coming from my voice, you’re going to hear bits and pieces of those five guys,” shares Josh in a statement from his label. “They taught me how to be Josh Turner.”
Josh got the idea for the project during a performance with Chris Janson, who sings the title track with him.
"I had known Chris Janson for a little while, and then he and I ended up on a radio show in Augusta, Georgia," he recalls. "That night, Chris broke into ‘Country State of Mind,’ and usually when I’m doing a guitar pull type of show like that, I don’t sing along with other artists unless they ask me to. But that night, I couldn’t help myself.
"When he started singing ‘Country State of Mind,’ I was sitting right next to him and I just chimed in. I started singing harmony on it. He looked over like, ‘Holy crap. Let’s keep doing this.’ He was loving it, and the crowd went nuts. And I never forgot that, and so when I ended up deciding to do this song on the record, I was like I’ve got to have Chris come in and sing on this, you know? It’s just two good ‘ol country boys singing on a country song and having a good time. You know, that’s about all there is to it.”
The twelve-song project also includes a remade version of Randy Travis's "Forever and Ever Amen," which marks the iconic country singer's first recording session since his stroke in 2013.
“Randy has always been my hero," Josh adds. "He was the reason I wanted to become a country singer.. He’s an inspiring figure, not just to me but to a lot of people, so to have him sing on this record is pretty special.”
Other legends joining Josh on the re-worked versions of their songs include John Anderson on "I've Got It Made," and Kris Kristofferson on "Why Me."
In addition to the title track with Chris Janson (originally a hit for Hank Williams, Jr. in 1986), several other contemporary artists have also contributed to the album. Maddie & Tae join him on "Desperately" (written by Bruce Robison and recorded by George Strait), and Runaway June guests on George Jones & Patty Loveless's "You Don't Seem to Miss Me".
Other songs include Johnny Cash's "The Caretaker" and Hank Williams' "Alone and Forsaken."