NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) 鈥� Country singer-songwriter Ashley McBryde had a whole cast of colorful characters that lived in her songs, and her friends' songs, too, and now she has a town to let them flourish.
The award-winning singer from Arkansas and a posse of her songwriting buddies created Lindeville (LIN'-dee-vill), a nod to the late songwriter , who wrote quirky character-driven songs like 鈥淕oodbye Earl.鈥�
鈥淎shley McBryde Presents: Lindeville,鈥� out now, is a collaborative concept album that McBryde and her friends created to give a home to the small-town misfits and their sometimes intoxicated and half-naked escapades. In McBryde鈥檚 fictional town, there鈥檚 the Dandelion Diner, the Forkem Family Funeral Home, the Dennis Linde ballfield, Ronnie鈥檚 Pawnshop and of course, a Food City. And there鈥檚 songs about Pete, the Vietnam vet who takes care of the ballfield; Patti, who works at the strip club where they host a gospel night; and Tina, who caught her man, Marvin, cheating and is beating up that gal that works at Sun Tan City.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a fictional town, but it鈥檚 also every small town you鈥檝e ever been to,鈥� said McBryde. 鈥淲e have this really cool livestock trailer full of really interesting characters.鈥�
Her co-writers on the concept album include Aaron Raitiere, Connie Harrington, Brandy Clark, Benjy Davis and Nicolette Hayford, and features guest singers Brothers Osborne, Caylee Hammack and Pillbox Patti.
With nods to radio plays like 鈥淎 Prairie Home Companion,鈥� McBryde and crew created detail-rich storylines with a John Prine level of empathy and compassion. There are mysteries that leave listeners wondering, backstories that give people depth and redemption and killer one-liners that are both explicit and hilarious. The tattooed singer has earned a reputation as a creative risk-taker in country music and on 鈥淟indeville,鈥� she encouraged everyone on the project to take the songs wherever they needed to go, even if it was dark or different or not a fit for radio.
鈥淭here鈥檚 definitely a different level of freedom and a little bit of carefreeness because, No. 1, it鈥檚 a collab thing. It鈥檚 a community-driven thing where it requires multiple voices and multiple brains,鈥� said McBryde. 鈥淏ut also, we weren鈥檛 planning on working it to radio, which frees up a whole lot more, especially language-wise. Because sometimes, I mean, you have to use profane language to get the point across. And if that鈥檚 where the truth is, then that鈥檚 where it needs to be.鈥�
John Osborne, of the duo produced the album, which includes commercial jingles that McBryde sings for the various businesses in Lindeville. 鈥淲hen you meet your maker, we'll be your undertaker,鈥� McBryde sings about the town funeral home.
McBryde, says she felt inspired by the character-study concept albums that made in the 鈥�70s that became classics. 鈥淗aving love projects like this, they don鈥檛 happen very often in country music,鈥� McBryde said. 鈥淎nd so even though it鈥檚 not a big part of our country tradition, it鈥檚 a rare part. It鈥檚 one that I鈥檓 awful proud to keep the torch lit on.鈥�
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Kristin M. Hall, The Associated Press
