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Nashville, TN (October 11, 2024) – Traditional country music artist Joe Rucker is set to release his highly anticipated new album, “Takin' A Walk (With Friends) The Duet Sessions,” on October 11, 2024. The album, which will be available through Heart of Texas Records and distributed by StarVista Music, showcases Rucker’s deep-rooted love for traditional country music, offering a collection of timeless duets. Stream “Takin’ A Walk (With Friends) The Duet Sessions” HERE.
“It's something that I've wanted to do really my whole career,” explains Rucker. “I've been blessed to work with a lot of legendary folks and already had five duets that I recorded over the years. So, I recorded nine new ones to make an entire album, enlisting some of my very talented friends.” The album includes duets with Tony Booth, Leon Everette, Jim Glaser, Hank Locklin, Hank Adam Locklin, Darrell McCall, Eddy Raven, Marty Raybon, Jeannie C. Riley, Margie Singleton and Justin Trevino.
The album is a celebration of the traditional sounds of Texas country music, with a twist of nostalgia. Rucker aims to preserve and reintroduce the rich history of country music through carefully curated songs and heartfelt collaborations with his close friends and fellow artists. “This is mostly a Texas music-flavored record,” Rucker adds, “but what we were trying to do is pick songs that you don't hear a lot of anymore. They might have been sizeable hits or album cuts from back in the day, but you won't see a lot of these songs on compilation records or projects of this kind today. Hidden gems, if you will.”
“Takin' A Walk (With Friends) The Duet Sessions” is for both longtime country music lovers and new listeners alike. “I hope hearing these songs will renew peoples’ love for traditional music or maybe give someone who has never really listened much to traditional country a chance to give it a listen with an open mind and an open heart,” Rucker continues.
About Joe Rucker: Joe Rucker is a popular traditional country music artist. Born in Texas and raised in Florida, Joe rose to prominence not long after moving to Nashville in the late 90s. He has had the honor of working alongside many legendary country artists and performing at iconic venues such as the Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree, Ryman Auditorium, Wheeling Jamboree, and the Heart of Texas Country Music Festival. Joe's music has resonated with audiences around the globe, cementing his status as a rising star in the traditional country music scene.
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“Takin’ a Walk” (Hank Adam Locklin)
I've gotten to know Hank Adam Locklin over the years and at one point he wrote this song for me when I was going through a personal rough patch many years ago and sent it to me on a cassette tape. I always knew that I was going to record this song one day and so I saved that cassette for a long time. When Tracy Pitcox (of Heart of Texas Records) and I were talking about the concept for this album I knew this would be the right time to record it. It took me about two weeks, but I finally found that cassette and lo and behold it became the title track. It’s got a good Texas sound and a great shuffle beat.
“It’s the Water” (Darrell McCall)
Darrell McCall is a Texas legend. I've worked with him for several years, he's always been a hero to me and this is my favorite Darrell song. It’s upbeat and I just love it.
“Happy Birthday to Me” (Justin Trevino)
“Happy Birthday to Me” was one of Hank Locklin's big hits back in the 60s. Bill Anderson wrote it for him and Justin Trevino actually suggested we record it. Justin produced most of the songs on this album, too.
“House of Blue Lovers” (Tony Booth)
Tony Booth has been a hero of mine ever since I first heard him sing on “Hee Haw” in the late 70s. I am so honored that he is my friend and did this song with me - we both love James O'Gwynn, who originally recorded it.
“Lonely Wine”
Two songs on the album aren’t duets, and “Lonely Wine” is one of them. A lot of folks did that song in the 60s. The person that I learned it from was Stan Hitchock, one of my close friends who passed away a little over a year ago. Had he been living I think would have done it as a duet for this album, so I recorded it as a way to honor him.
“Us” (Diane McCall)
Diane McCall recorded this song in 2012 as a solo (she co-wrote it with Justin ) and I always heard it as a duet in my head. So I went and approached her about it. She’s one of my favorite singers and I'm so grateful she decided to do with me.
“Shadows of My Mind” (Leon Everette)
My buddy Leon Everette flipped out when I asked him to record “Shadows in my Mind,” which was a hit for him back in the 70s. I've known him all these years, and he’s been a hero of mine since my childhood.
“Without You” (Jeannie C. Riley)
Jeannie C. Reilly is a lifelong friend of mine. She had quit recording completely but I was able to coerce her out of retirement long enough to record this song with me and I'm so grateful. It’s from one of her MGM albums and although it’s written in a romantic way, it also describes our friendship. She makes the sentiment of the song so powerful.
“Burning Brady Down”
This is the second of two songs on the album that aren’t duets. I wanted to write a song for the people of Brady as a way to say thank you. Heart of Texas Records is based there and the Museum is there. I promise you that it’s a totally fictional account. It grew out of a funny way I’d tell people I love Brady so much that I want to burn it down.
“Happy Hour Blues” (Jim Glaser)
I recorded “Happy Hour Blues” with the late Jim Glaser several years ago. I had been looking for something to do with him and “Happy Hour Blues” was one of his songs from a record back in the early 2000s. I still get chills when I listen to it because our voices blend so well together. The great Andy Reiss of the Time Jumpers produced it.
“Leaving Tracks on Your Mind” (Margie Singleton)
Margie Singleton is one of the closest friends I have in music. She's always been by my side and had my back. She's more than a hero, she's one of my best friends. I had recorded this great shuffle time song with her a while ago but it had never been released. Margie was the first person to do a full-blown duet album with George Jones and I am so grateful and honored that she would duet with me.
“For Just a Little While Tonight” (Hank Locklin)
Hank is the reason why I do what I do. My dad worked with Hank’s son-in-law at the Kennedy Space Cetner on the Space Shuttle and we all went the Locklin house in Florida when I was about 12. I had heard his songs around the house growing up and there he was, sitting on a couch beside me and singing. After that, I started going to garage sales and thrift stores to find traditional country records, really digging back into the roots of the music.
When I was working on my second album, I knew I wanted to include Hank. So I went looking for songs and found one that was written by Jim Reeves and Hank Locklin. I had no idea they had written a song together. It was recorded by a little-known group back in the 60s but no one else had touched it ever since. We made it in a Nashville studio with Jason Coleman (Floyd Cramer's grandson) whose slipnote piano style gave it that distinct Hank Locklin / Floyd Cramer sound.
“Bermuda Shorts” (Eddy Raven)
“Bermuda Shorts” is a fun, tongue-in-cheek song I did with Eddy Raven. I originally wrote it many years ago as a play on Bart Simpson’s famous line, “eat my shorts,” but added Eddy’s name in it as a tribute to his song about getting away to Mexico. Eddy just loved that.
“Mama’s Rockin’ Chair” (Marty Raybon)
I've known Marty since I was knee high to a grasshopper and wanted him to sing this song that my dad, Jerry Rucker, wrote. I think its lyrics are still relevant today because it's about a farmer who's losing his farm. Everything is being auctioned off and he is begging them not to sell his mama's chair. I’m so glad I got to do this with Marty.
