Joshua Ray Walker's new acoustic compilation

March 10, 2024 5:04 AM

Thank You For Listening is an intimate and sometimes harrowing gift from Joshua Ray Walker, one of the finest voices of any generation in country music. The stories he tells are familiar, relatable, and when he starts singing it's a revelation. If you listen to nothing else, check out Dumpster Diving.

There's another song on there called Voices (CW: depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation) that haunts me, the story he tells and the song are so personal and as someone who has struggled with thoughts of suicide since elementary school it was cathartic for me to listen to, but I understand if anyone stops short after reading this.

But don't let that stop you from listening to his cover album of pop hits by women artists, What Is It Even?, including songs by Lizzo, Whitney Houston (it's so good! Soooo good!), Cher and Beyonce. No really, it's the best workout album ever.

Then check out his regular studio albums because he's really that good.

posted by Ice Cream Socialist (11 comments total)

This cover album is delightful. Thanks for posting!
posted by knile at 5:46 AM on March 10 [1 favorite]

Yes, it's all excellent, thanks!

The Ottoman Turks are also worth a listen, methinks. Here's 35 to Life
posted by chavenet at 6:51 AM on March 10 [1 favorite]

That voice!

CW about Voices, yes; but you'll miss something raw and beautiful. I lost my childhood best friend to vehicular suicide. I cried my eyes out.
posted by scruss at 5:16 PM on March 10

Joshua has been having a hard time health-wise lately, and is currently undergoing chemo treatment for stage 3 colon cancer. Sending a lot of love his way. I was lucky enough to hear him at The End in Nashville last year and he really is one of the greatest talents in country music right now, both as singer and songwriter.
posted by verstegan at 5:59 PM on March 10 [4 favorites]

Thank you, verstegen. I hope they can knock that cancer into remission. Love in abundance sent his way indeed.
posted by Ice Cream Socialist at 1:14 AM on March 11

This is wonderful! Thanks very much!
posted by james33 at 6:27 AM on March 11

My favorite original by him is Sexy After Dark , besides all those great covers of pop hits.
posted by The_Vegetables at 3:11 PM on March 11 [1 favorite]

He has a live album called I Opened for the Killers and All I Got Was Appendicitis that ends with a great performance of that song, The_Vegetables.
posted by Ice Cream Socialist at 5:01 PM on March 11

I saw him a few years ago, opening for Old 97s, and had probably the most profound "Holy shit who is THIS guy and why is he not a household name??" experience of my life. A terrfic, indelible, singular talent. Both rigidly classical and honstly revolutionary. I heartily recommend seeing him if you get the chance.

Also, I hadn't heard about his health issues and so chalk me up as another fan sending love and pulling for the best possible outcome.
posted by dirtdirt at 9:30 AM on March 12 [2 favorites]

Just to add, his latest health update was pretty upbeat:

There are many reasons to be optimistic. My doctors say that post-surgery there is a 70% chance I wouldn’t have a reoccurrence of cancer, without the chemo. With the chemo, that number goes up to 90%. In cancer terms, that’s pretty great news! We want to be aggressive here and try to hit this hard. That last 10% can be monitored with regular tests and scans. I’m lucky to have access to great doctors, and they have a plan to keep me around for a long time.

Here's Canyon from the Nashville show last year. I think the person yelling 'Shut the fuck up!' at an over-talkative audience member might be Tyler Mahan Coe, who mentioned on Twitter that he nearly had to fight the room.
posted by verstegan at 1:48 AM on March 13 [1 favorite]

Delightfully, Tyler Mahan Coe has apparently been reading this thread (hi, Tyler, if you're reading this!) and has now confirmed on Twitter that it was indeed him shouting 'Shut the fuck up!'
posted by verstegan at 2:12 PM on March 14