BY ROGER SHARMAN

As 2024 has been such a good year musically, it’s been really tough for me to single out a best gig, album and single. I’ve mulled it over for a considerable length of time, and there have been some late contenders in the album of the year and the single of the year too. I’ve changed my mind and then changed it again now I’m ready, so here goes …..

Gig of the Year

The contenders were Red Clay Strays at Shepherd’s Bush Empire, simply because they are an absolutely phenomenal live band, Brandon’s vocals can sound like 3 different singers in one song and the band are just so tight. Having the incredibly talented Nolan Taylor warm up also helped take the focus away from a venue that is far from a favourite of mine, making it one helluva night.

Flatland Cavalry and Kaitlin Butts at KOKO. These two acts are both firm favourites of mine and they go together like strawberries and cream. Kaitlin’s set was outstanding and she joined hubby and the band on stage twice, for “In a Life Where we Work out’ and the Toby Keith tribute “Should’ve Been a Cowboy’.

Wyatt Flores was close to perfection in his first headline show in London at the Islington Assembly Hall. I highly recommend going to see him, full band show or not.

I’ll also give an honourable mention to Chris Stapleton and his All American Roadshow at the O2. The man is a living legend and he wowed the crowd with a wonderful set of banger after banger. 

I’ve made up my mind that the winner of this category is the peerless Shane Smith and the Saints show at Gorilla in Manchester. This was the fourth and best time I’ve seen them for a multitude of reasons, the set, the performance, the sheer relentless energy that they come with. The wonderful four part harmonies are a given. The spellbound audience packed into that smallish, hot and sweaty room all made it a night I’ll never forget. 

Album of the Year

Right at the very start of the year, Casper McWade released his finest work yet, he assembled a top band and production team consisting of members of Cody Jinks Tone Deaf Hippies, The Steel Woods and Jamey Johnson’s Pedal Steel legend Cowboy Eddie Long to give us the stunning ‘Something for the Pain’.

I’m not going to give Shane Smith and the Saints another accolade even though March saw the release of their most successful record to date ‘Norther’, which could easily have been the top record of the year for me. 

I am not going to select the welcome return of Sturgill Simpson as Johnny Blue Skies with  ‘Passage Du Desir’ even though in a lesser year it could easily have walked away with my choice as it’s a brilliant record that showcases Sturg’s mastery of the guitar just as much as his inimitable voice. 

Zach Top’s ‘Cold Beer and Country Music’ is my most played album of the year according to Spotify so that automatically includes it in the discussion and I still haven’t stopped playing it at least two or three times a week. 

Nor am I going to choose a very late contender in J.R Carroll’s early December release ‘Dark Cloud’ even though it’s a record that I absolutely adore for a number of reasons not least because of the contender for Single of the Year ‘Hometown Hero’.

Other honourable mentions are Cody Jinks and ‘Cody Jinks Sings Lefty Frizzell’, Muscadine Bloodlines ‘The Costal Plain’ and Red Clay Strays ‘Made By These Moments. All of these have graced my ears for a considerable amount of time this year. 

This years Album of the Year, is something that I’ve waited a very long time for and it was absolutely worth the wait. Jamey Johnson’s ‘Midnight Gasoline’ is my choice for album of the year. The beauty of this recording is obvious, the fact that for so long Jamey has struggled to write due to an accidental injury, has played a part in my choice. THAT voice plays a huge part in my selection, it’s amongst the greatest of all-time and his cover of Charlie Daniel’s ‘Trudy’ is out of this world. 

Single of the Year

I much prefer albums to singles. When artists release albums, it is my firm belief that this is how a record is meant to be listened to, it’s the artists entire expression of an idea or group of ideas. Sometimes it’s one long story in a group of different chapters or other times it’s a collection of different short stories. I like to hear the whole story and dive into the artists mind to learn where they’re at by consuming the entire sonic experience. That being said singles are the primary means that people consume their music these days. 

Choosing a single of the year is the hardest category for me to choose because I don’t listen to singles generally speaking.

Instantly a song that comes to mind is “Hometown Hero’ by J.R Carroll, because i just mentioned it. 

Chris Stapleton’s ‘White Horse’ won the CMA award and was probably the most deserving of all the nominations. 

Zac Top’s ‘Use Me’ was also a worthy nomination at the awards and Zach has had an incredible rise this year and most deservedly so. He’s an artist on the tip of everyone’s tongue right now and great things are destined to come in that young mans career. 

49 Winchesters ‘Fast Asleep’ is another big favourite of mine from 2024 from the fabulous ‘Leavin’ This Holler’ album. Isaac Gibson and the boys deserve a mention for having another incredible year.   

I’m plumping for Jesse Daniel feat. Ben Haggard and ‘Tomorrow’s Good Ol’ Days’. It’s country music the way country music should be in my opinion. I also love the idea of having a Haggard being involved in such a song and I think its pretty poignant for the times we are in.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everybody.