Randy Houser's "How Country Feels" Album Now Available

Randy Houser showed the world How Country Feels Tuesday with the release of his new album now available in stores, on iTunes and everywhere music is sold. The 15-track release features seven songs co-written by Houser including the poignant ballad “Power Of A Song,” which Alanna Conaway of American Songwriter says “will knock a listener off their feet,” the biographical “Route 3 Box 250D” which showcases the singer’s childhood in Mississippi, and the first No. 1 smash hit of his career “How Country Feels,” which tops the charts this week on BDS/Billboard and Country Aircheck/Mediabase/USA Today.

 

Bill Friskics-Warren of the Washington Post notes, “He’s back with How Country Feels, a buoyant, hook-filled outing that seems to have the Mississippi native angling for Nashville’s softer, feel-good center,” and Brian Mansfield of USA Today adds, “Want to know how country feels? Listen past the title hit’s seven-gen heartland rock. When Houser sings about songs themselves, and why not all who love them can live them, his nuanced Mississippi drawl becomes part of the story.”

 

Echoing opinions in Music City, Country Weekly's Tammy Ragusa brings attention to Houser’s long-standing industry cred writing, “Nashville’s country music insiders have known for some time that Randy Houser is one of the finest male vocalists the community has ever welcomed.”

 

Houser has reached a new career high this week with his current single, “How Country Feels,” as it claims the No. 1 spot on the Mediabase/Country Aircheck/USA Today and BDS/Billboard country singles charts the same week his third studio album hits shelves. The single was featured Tuesday morning as the first song to be played on New York City’s newest country music station, Nash FM 94-7, which gave New Yorkers their first taste of terrestrial country radio in 17 years.

“We really weren’t greedy on this record,” discloses Houser. “The album begins with the song my buddy Dallas Davidson wrote [‘Runnin’ Outta Moonlight’], and 15 tracks later it ends with the most personal song I’ve ever written [‘Route 3 Box 250D’]. It means a lot to me to have this many songs on one record to share with the fans.”

 

How Country Feels was produced by Houser’s long-time friend, Derek George, who also hails from his homestate of Mississippi. “I told Derek when I first moved to town that if I ever had the chance to achieve a little bit of success, I’d make sure he produced one of my records. Having him on this project gave me the freedom to truly express who I am as both an artist and a person. Derek just ‘gets’ me, and he understands where I come from. He was able to bring to life all of my musical inspirations on one record… and I think my vision has never come across more accurately than it has on How Country Feels,” says Houser. 

 

In support of the release, Houser will make a series of national appearances over the next few weeks (full breakdown below).

 

TODAY Show Weekend

TBA, 8 a.m. EST/7 CST on NBC

 

Nightly News with Brian Williams

TBA, 6:30 p.m. EST/5:30 CST on NBC

 

Walmart “Soundcheck”

Walmart.com/soundcheck & in stores

Sirius XM’s “The Highway”

LIVE from NYC’s Mercury Lounge

Thursday, Jan. 24, Channel 16, 10 p.m. EST/9 CST

 

CMT Hot 20 Countdown

Saturday, Jan. 26, 11:30 a.m. EST/10:30 CST on CMT

 

CONAN

Tuesday, Feb. 5, 11 p.m. EST/10 CST on TBS

 

In a January 15 review, Great American Country’s Daryl Addison notes, “Randy takes over How Country Feels with a powerful voice that demands attention. From the loose opening notes of ‘Runnin’ Outta Moonlight,’ through the dynamic melodic shifts of the acoustic based ‘Top of the World,’ and high up into the bends of the power ballad, ‘Wherever Love Goes’ (a duet with Kristy Lee Cook), Randy shows off a voice that can do it all.”

 

Billboard’s Chuck Dauphin discloses, “Possibly the emotional showpiece of the album is the stunning ‘Power Of A Song.’” Houser told the magazine, "We all know that the right music makes us feel something. That's what we strive for artists, and as listeners - we just want to find music that moves us. That's what that song is about. It was written about ten years ago with Kent Blazy and Cory Batten. At the time I had moved here, I heard a song by Tammy Cochran called 'Life Happened,' and if you go back and listen to that song, you'll understand how that song moved me to go to Nashville. I was letting my life pass me by, and not doing what I should have with my music. That's what that song is about -- the power that music has to change your mood or change your mind. That's a very special thing to me."

 

Beginning April 18 in Syracuse, N.Y., Houser will join Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley on the Locked and Reloaded tour.

 

How Country Feels Track Listing:

Producer: Derek George

1. "Runnin’ Outta Moonlight" (3:14) (Dallas Davidson, Kelly Lovelace, Ashley Gorley)

2. "Growin’ Younger" (4:53) (Randy Houser, Justin Weaver, Brett James)

3. "Top Of The World" (3:17) (Jason Sellers, Rob Hatch, Lance Miller, Vicky McGehee)

4. "The Singer" (4:20) (Trent Willmon, Drew Smith)

5. "Power Of A Song" (3:41) (Randy Houser, Kent Blazy, Cory Batten)

6. "Absolutely Nothing" (3:02) (Lee Brice, Joe Leathers, Vicky McGehee)

7. "Wherever Love Goes" (with Kristy Lee Cook) (4:16) (Neil Thrasher, Paul Jenkins, Jason Sellers)

8. "Like A Cowboy" (4:21) (Randy Houser, Brice Long)

9. "How Country Feels" (3:05) (Wendell Mobley, Neil Thrasher, Vicky McGehee)

10. "Along For The Ride" (3:34) (Randy Houser, Zac Brown, Levi Lowrey)

11. "Sunshine On the Line" (3:20) (Randy Houser, Dallas Davidson

12. "Goodnight Kiss" (3:27) (Randy Houser, Rob Hatch, Jason Sellers)

13. "Let's Not Let It" (3:09) (Ash Bowers, Neil Thrasher, Lisa Hentrich)

14. "Shine" (4:56) (Neil Thrasher, Trent Summar, Wendell Mobley)

15. "Route 3 Box 250 D" (3:52) (Randy Houser, Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip

 

For a full list of stops, visit www.randyhouser.com and follow Houser on Twitter and Facebook.