Easton Corbin is more than “A Little More Country Than That” he is “Pure Country”! Having grown up in rural Gilchrist Country, Florida, he spent a lot of his time working his grandparent’s cattle farm and lived about a mile from the Suwannee River. He loved working the farm and fishing the river as he grew up. He was a member of the FFA and 4-H and showed cattle at the local livestock fair every year.

Even though nobody in his family actually played an instrument he and his grandparents always watched the Opry, Hee Haw, and the Opry Backstage. When he was not watching music on the TV he would play country records for hours and loved Mel McDaniel. This led him to taking guitar lessons from a local musician, Pee Wee Melton, who was noted for playing on sessions in Nashville. Every day after school, Easton would practice for hours until his fingers were raw before he went out to help around the farm. When he eventually graduated to playing in local bands he had an impromptu audition at a local music store which gave him a place in the Suwannee River Jam, a local festival that attracted thousands in the audience and many national touring acts, including Janie Fricke and Mel McDaniel.

When he graduated from the College of Agriculture at the University of Florida, he took two very important steps – he married and moved to Nashville. Eventually a family member with Nashville contacts sent Easton’s music to booking agent James Yelich who invited him to play in person. Joe Fisher was also at the audition and signed him to the Universal Music Group label. Easton also met Carson Chamberlain and signed him on as his producer.

His album on Mercury Records, a subsidiary of the Universal Music Group, dropped March 2nd and is available in stores as well as digitally at most digital music stores. The songs are wonderfully country and Easton is a great singer. He is as professional in his singing as can be and a joy to listen to.

His debut single, “A Little More Country Than That” is about rural life and small town sensibilities. It’s a song about small towns, hound dogs, dirt roads and potholes and not being the two-timing game-playing type. He’s telling his girl what he is all about “under this ole hat” and making sure she understands just how country he is. I just love this song because it takes me way back out to the country small towns I’ve traveled so often and I swear I can smell the hay and alfalfa as he sings it!

“Don’t Ask Me About a Woman” has some great steel in it and is a lovely little story song, complete with mentions of front porches and sweet tea! He’s talking to his grandpa who’s been everywhere and has lots of stories to tell, but can’t tell him about women! Fun! His grandpa is about 80 years old and just says women are complicated stuff, not made to figure out, just made to love! What a cute song this is and so true!

My favorite on the album is “That’ll Make You Wanna Drink”. This song has a smoky bar, a mediocre band to dance to, neon lights and “bubbas” standing toe-to-toe about to get it on! There’s a country boy on the dance floor with mud on his boots straight from the barn and the mention of an older man with chains around his neck and a young gal on his arm and the probability of “little blue pills” in the mix – a new one for me in a country song! Now that’ll make `you want to drink and say what the heck! Throw down a cold one and throw down your paycheck! And while you are at it, throw down and pick up this wonderful CD of Easton’s – you will love his music, songs and voice! You’ll be hearing a lot from this talented young man!

You can listen to a few of his songs at www.eastoncorbin.com or www.myspace.com/eastoncorbin and find him on Twitter and Facebook.

Calamity Annie – CMTT Music Contributor
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