Joshua Ray Walker - MerleFest 2023 - Photo by Willa Stein
Joshua Ray Walker has fit enough ups and downs for an entire lifetime into his 2023, it seems. In August he released a delightful album of covers, What Is It Even? (ND interview), and was booked to play one of its songs, Lizzo’s “Cuz I Love You,” on Jimmy Kimmel Live … but the performance was delayed by several months because of the SAG-AFTRA strike. (He finally performed on the show last week, and you can watch his segment here.) He was booked to open two shows for The Killers in Reno … but ended up playing the second show through the pain of a ruptured appendix, requiring a hospital stay afterward. He made the most of the experience, though, by releasing a live EP from the second night’s set titled I Opened for The Killers and All I Got Was Appendicitis. This morning Walker released a new song, “Thank You for Listening,” a love letter to fans and others who have supported his career so far. It’s a prelude to a new album coming next year that also will include acoustic versions of some of his previous songs … but it comes with some bad news too. In a social media post announcing the new song and upcoming album, Walker shared that doctors have found cancer in his colon, and he will undergo surgery early in the new year. A full recovery is likely, he says, “but I will need to take a few months off after the surgery to recover.” We’re wishing Walker well and looking forward to his next chapter, whenever he’s ready to start it.
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The Americana Music Association announced this week its Top 100 Americana Radio Airplay Charts (albums and singles) for 2023, which reflects data reported for the period between Jan. 10 and Dec. 12 of this year. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit figured prominently on both charts, with their new album, Weathervanes (ND review) topping the albums list and two of that album’s songs landing in the top 10 singles: “When We Were Close” at #1 and “Death Wish” at #3. Charley Crockett owns the #2 spot on both lists, for his 2022 album The Man From Waco (ND review) and its song “Trinity River.” You’ll find even more familiar names on the full Top 100 lists for albums and singles, and you can view participating stations — both terrestrial and online — in the airplay charts here.
Here at No Depression, we’re making a list of our own via our annual year-end Readers Poll. Today is the last day to tell us your favorite roots music albums of 2023, so head over to the ballot now to weigh in. We’ll count up all the votes and create a list of the year’s best albums, according to the best listeners and readers around — you!
WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO
Here’s a sampling of the songs, albums, bands, and sounds No Depression staffers have been into this week:
ND’s Best of November-December 2023 playlist
Hermanos Gutiérrez – “Blood Milk Moon”
Charm City Junction – “Prairie Fire,” from their new album, Salt Box, coming in February
Dave Grohl, The Storyteller (audiobook)
Esther Rose feat. The Deslondes – “Safe to Run”
Olivia Ellen Lloyd – “You”
Jade Bird – Jade Bird
Phoebe Bridgers – “Christmas Song”
Beth // James – “Marfa Christmas”
Not Wham!’s “Last Christmas,” out of respect for those still in contention for Whamageddon
Bahamas – “Sports Car”
