A proud traditionalist playing in a field that prizes the past, James Carothers kept the lean, sinewy sound of Waylon Jennings alive in the 2010s, adding a dose of pure honky tonk for good measure. The former could be heard on his 2017 debut album Relapse, the latter was emphasized on 2018's Still Country, Still King: A Tribute to George Jones, and the pair of records helped raise his profile in Nashville, leading to an opening gig for Alan Jackson in 2019.
James Carothers was born in Tennessee but it took him a while to return to his home and pursue a career in music. After...