RJ Chesney – A Southern Man
This is Macon, Georgia’s RJ Chesney’s 4th album as he focuses on the American South, the courage to face ourselves & healing. The set has been 5 years in the making & encompasses many intense themes, topics & subjects. The approach is more rooted in old-fashioned country just shy of C&W. But there’s no corny country moonshine & shotgun wedding tunes in these. It’s serious business with a distinctive Chesney voice that resides in “Unforgiving Heart,” & with a snaking lead guitar well-expressed in the title tune the countrified movements of “A Southern Man” adorns the genre with some tidy country textures.
There’s a bit of different flavors in these numbers all tossed into the mix that is Chesney’s distinguished voice. The playing is mellow but proficient. Chesney (acoustic guitar) sounds like a blend of Guy Clark, Johnny Paycheck & Kris Kristofferson with a melodic splash of Mickey Newbury. There are many wonderfully constructed songs in A Southern Man (Drops Sept 25/Man of Straw Records/43:15) with the 10 pieces recorded in Los Angeles, CA & produced by Zachary Ross (electric & Resonator & slide guitars/nylon & acoustic guitars/bgv) & Jason Hiller (bass/upright bass/pump organ/bgv).
This showcase despite some lyrical clichés is fairly basic but it has many outstanding songs like “My Silent Storm.” Despite the same title of a Leonard Cohen song, the superb RJ Chesney tune written by Kyle McNeill “Suzanne” suggests Leonard Cohen dipped in Country. But is it the same girl? Nah.
With “My Silent Storm” in my mind’s eye I see a late-night rider out on the highway with an impending storm, lightning in the dark purple clouds. He can see the light on in the kitchen window of his house a few miles away in the distance – someone’s still up & waiting for him. He’s not alone, after all. But Chesney has lots of these little melodies that a listener can conjure with his own imagination. “Orphans of the Sky” has a loopy lead guitar that sets the tone for the tune. It’s intimate, the female voice is sugar in the tea, it’s mellow & there’s an RJ magnetism to it.
A Jesse Winchester tune “Biloxi” has a Townes van Zandt shading to it. It’s slow, sensitive & while some Country songs are sweet in the ear, others take our minds on a journey. Not all country-inflected music is about rhinestones, cowboy hats, pick-up trucks & beer. There’s a feeling of discovery in this…so, listen to RJ, he’s a Southern Man.
Highlights – “Unforgiving Heart,” “A Southern Man,” “Afraid of the Ball,” “Billy Please Come Home,” “My Silent Storm,” “Suzanne,” “Orphans of the Sky” & “Biloxi.”
Musicians – Deacon Marrquin & David Goodstein (drums/percussion), Chris Joyner (organ), Marty Rifkin (pedal steel/dobro), Maesa & Rosa Pullman & Marty Scholz (bgv), John J.T. Thomas (electric piano/piano/organ/accordion) & Anton Laplume (acoustic guitar).
Color image courtesy of RJ’s Facebook. CD @ Apple Music & https://www.rjchesney.com/
Song Premiere: https://americanahighways.org/2026/07/22/song-premiere-rj-chesney-a-southern-man/