‘Achey Breaky Heart’ was a scourge to the cause of contemporary country music. On that day in 1992 when Billy Ray Cyrus’s insidious plonker peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, all extant prejudices about country music were validated.
Luckily there is talent such as Charlie Worsham’s to put classic Americana back on track. From Jackson, Mississippi, Worsham was a young prodigy – at 14 being recognised for his musical talents by the Mississippi Senate.
His 2013 debut, Rubberband, is an exploration of the purview of modern country music. Each track feels entirely unique, yet there’s a consistency, a definite Worsham touch that binds all the tracks together in one complete package. The stand-out single, ‘Could It Be’, is an easy-going classic, recalling an intimate When Harry Met Sally-esque experience with a close female friend.
His live performance featured all the best moments of Rubberband, as well as some cover versions of country greats Keith Urban and Vince Gill, and a killer one of Ozzy Ozborne’s ‘Crazy Train’. This is Jackson’s golden child at work.
Neal Francis
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