The Back Lounge

I'm back writing books again. My fifth one is a collection of stories behind the stories — all vibes with this one (Almost) Almost Famous: The Tall Tales Behind the Stories from a Lifetime Spent Chasing Roots Music drops April 1. Pre-order now backloungepublishing.bigcartel.com/category/almos…

Hello all. Josh here. I will leave this account up for its archive, but this will be my last post and interaction on X. I cannot be a of part a site that promotes harm to anyone in this manner. Twitter was once invaluable to Red Dirt. Wish it still was. rollingstone.com/culture/cultur…

Blaine Bailey is making powerful music while proudly advocating for his Native heritage. I wrote about it for @RollingStone rollingstone.com/music/music-fe…

Josh Ritter is spending less time following the muse and more time speaking directly to it. That's how last fall's I Believe in You, My Honeydew, happened. I caught up with him at the end of his tour and we talked about this. Story is up @RollingStone rollingstone.com/music/music-fe…

So @BleuEdmondson returned from a decade-long hiatus in 2025 with a six-song EP that was one of the best albums of the year. I talked to him about it, and to @WadeBowen about producing. It’s up at @RollingStone rollingstone.com/music/music-fe…

The year-in-review @HippiesCowboys fuckaround episode is live! Were you naughty or nice this year? Let's find out! patreon.com/posts/hippies-…

Here are my top 25 country and Americana albums of 2025. As the first person to ever make a list of the top songs of one genre for a year, I understand this might be jarring, so I included my favorite concerts of 2025 too. patreon.com/posts/top-25-c…

Wrote about Miles Miller and his 2025 album Mr. Runaway that should absolutely be on your best-of list this year. Story is up @RollingStone now. rollingstone.com/music/music-fe…

Wrote about @sierrahull, what Grammy nominations mean, and about losing her voice before a national tv taping and pivoting to instrumental bluegrass. It's up @RollingStone rollingstone.com/music/music-fe…

Today, @RollingStone named Never Say Never as one of the top books of 2025 in its Year in Music recap. Honored, elated, all of those things. If you don't have it, you can get it at the link in bio. And you can read the list here: rollingstone.com/music/music-li…

Just Announced! @robertearlkeen will be joining @timmytychilders on the Snipe Hunt & @mollytuttle will be joining us On The Road! Get your tickets here: tylerchildersmusic.com/pages/tour-dat…

The @RollingStone Country year-in-review episode dropped today and I kept it classy. Listen here: rollingstone.com/music/music-fe…

Red Dirt Unplugged was released one year ago last night! It was a life-changing book in thousands of ways, and if you missed out on these roots music tales, you can still remedy that in time for the holidays backloungepublishing.bigcartel.com/category/red-d…

Rolling Stone names Tyler Childers' 'Snipe Hunter' as the Best Country and Americana Album of 2025 👑 'Snipe Hunter' makes every risk feel natural, establishing Childers as arguably the most visionary artist in country music today.  FULL LIST: rollingstone.com/music/music-co…

Dropped the chapter list and featured artists in (Almost) Almost Famous today. Check it out and then pre-order now! backloungepublishing.com/almostalmostfa…

Here’s every single logical fallacy i found in Trigger’s fine piece of journalism. overall, the article is entirely formed in emotional persuasion and personal disdain rather than supported argumentation. much like another essay that went viral this week….

What in the name of Alabama has gotten into @HippiesCowboys lately? This week, the answer is Drayton Farley. patreon.com/posts/authenti…

Finish the year strong at crutchmer.com

Talked to Leon Majcen about songwriting and playing shows with Turnpike and Margo Price and releaseing music on Evan Honer’s label. It’s up @RollingStone rollingstone.com/music/music-fe…

How @TreatyOakMusic accidentally became the hottest band in country music (even before West Texas Degenerate dropped today) Story up — with a full band interview — at @RollingStone rollingstone.com/music/music-fe…

Happy Thanksgiving, y’all. May your turkey be tender and your relatives well-behaved. -REK