Where Country Grows

Where Country Grows
Studio album by Ashton Shepherd
Released July 12, 2011
Genre Country
Length 35:11
Label MCA Nashville
Producer Buddy Cannon
Ashton Shepherd chronology

Sounds So Good
(2008)		 Where Country Grows
(2011)		 This Is America
(2013)
Singles from Where Country Grows
  1. "Look It Up"
    Released: January 3, 2011
  2. "Where Country Grows"
    Released: July 11, 2011

Where Country Grows is the second studio album by American country music artist Ashton Shepherd. It was released on July 12, 2011 via MCA Nashville.[1][2] The album's first single, "Look It Up" reached the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.[3] The title track was released as the album's second single in July 2011.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [4]
Boston Globe Positive[5]
Country Weekly [6]
The New York Times Positive[7]
Rolling Stone [8]

Where Country Grows received positive reviews from music critics. Jessica Phillips of Country Weekly gave the album 3 and 1/2 stars out of 5, complimenting her songwriting and personality, while drawing comparisons to fellow country artists Miranda Lambert and Sunny Sweeney. She also stated that "Ashton’s twangy songs are fearless, introspective and unabashedly country, which just might peg her as a new Loretta Lynn."[6] In his review for Allmusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine referred to Shepherd as "a powerhouse singer that there’s never a relaxed moment on the record." He also went on to compliment the set as "mak[ing] considerable effort to brighten and broaden her sound, to bring in listeners who may not have been seduced by the late-night vibes of Sounds So Good."[4] Judy Rosen of Rolling Stone gave the album 4 stars out of 5, favoring Shepherd's voice, which she found "perfect for her wise, witty, tough-minded songs."[8] Boston Globe reviewed the album positively as "merg[ing] her deep-country style with a contemporary country sound, setting a modern groove to her rural Alabama persona," while highlighting the song "I'm Good" as ranking among country classics by Tammy Wynette and Reba McEntire.[5] The New York Times favorably describing the record's biggest strength in Shepherd's accented vocals, and considered her vocal control a "real weapon."[7]

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Look It Up" (edit)Angeleena Presley, Robert Ellis Orrall 2:59
2. "I'm Good"  Dean Dillon, Dale Dodson, Ashton Shepherd 3:25
3. "Where Country Grows"  Bobby Pinson, Shepherd 3:12
4. "I'm Just a Woman"  Shepherd 4:38
5. "More Cows Than People"  Pinson, Shepherd 2:41
6. "Beer On a Boat"  Rhett Akins, Marv Green, Ben Hayslip 3:05
7. "While It Ain't Rainin'"  Troy Jones, Shepherd 4:10
8. "Tryin' to Go to Church"  Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally, Shepherd 3:20
9. "That All Leads to One Thing"  Shepherd 4:00
10. "Rory's Radio"  Shepherd 3:39

Chart performance

Album

Chart (2011) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[9] 37
US Billboard Top Country Albums[9] 11

Singles

Year Single Peak chart
positions
US Country US
2011 "Look It Up" 19 95
"Where Country Grows" 42 —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

References

  1. ↑ Skates, Sarah (April 13, 2011). "Ashton Shepherd Sets Sophomore Release". Music Row. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  2. ↑ Rosen, Jody (June 22, 2011). "Artist to Watch: Hard-Nosed Country Standout Ashton Shepherd". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  3. ↑ Hannaford, Jim (May 12, 2011). "Home-grown country: Ashton Shepherd setting sights higher". Press-Register. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Where Country Grows review". Allmusic. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 McCall, Michael. "Review: Shepherd mixes contemporary sound on CD". Boston Globe. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Phillips, Jessica. "Where Country Grows by Ashton Shepherd". Country Weekly. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Ratliff, Ben (July 11, 2011). "New Music by Currensy and Ashton Shepherd". The New York Times. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Where Country Grows review on Rolling Stone". Retrieved July 12, 2011.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Chart listing for Where Country Grows". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 21, 2011.