Josh Turner Tributes His Musical Heroes On New Album, ‘Country State of Mind’

Josh Turner is paying tribute to some of his musical influences on his new album, Country State of Mind. Out…

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

June 18, 2020

Josh Turner; Photo by David McClister

Josh Turner is paying tribute to some of his musical influences on his new album, Country State of Mind.

Out August 21, the 12-track project finds Turner covering a number of country music icons, including Randy Travis, John Anderson, Johnny Cash, Vern Gosdin and Hank Williams.

“I’ve always said that any song you hear coming from my voice, you’re going to hear bits and pieces of those five guys,” Turner shared in a statement. “They taught me how to be Josh Turner.”

The record includes a few special guests, including Randy Travis on a new rendition of the iconic hit, “Forever and Ever, Amen.” This marks Travis’ first recording session since his 2013 stroke.

“Randy has always been my hero. He was the reason I wanted to become a country singer,” Turner explained. “He’s an inspiring figure, not just to me but to a lot of people, so to have him sing on this record is pretty special.”

Country State of Mind also includes appearances by John Anderson, Kris Kristofferson, Chris Janson, Runaway June and Maddie & Tae.

Country State of Mind Track Listing:

1. I’m No Stranger To The Rain
2. I’ve Got It Made (Duet with John Anderson)
3. Why Me (Duet with Kris Kristofferson)
4. Country State Of Mind (Duet with Chris Janson)
5. I Can Tell By The Way You Dance
6. Alone And Forsaken (Featuring Allison Moorer)
7. Forever And Ever, Amen (With Special Guest Randy Travis)
8. Midnight In Montgomery
9. Good Ol’ Boys
10. You Don’t Seem To Miss Me (Featuring Runaway June)
11. Desperately (Featuring Maddie & Tae)
12. The Caretaker

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.