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 he wrapped up school, he settled in New Mexico, working as a technician at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. As he entered his early thirties, he got the itch to perform country music professionally. He released the Honky Tonk Land EP in 2014, then headed to Nashville when he was 35. Carothers landed a steady gig at The George Jones, hired by the Possum's widow Nancy herself. Using this as an anchor, he also played shows at other downtown Nashville venues, including Dierks Bentley's Whiskey Row, while hitting the road whenever the opportunity arose. The single "Lonesome Road" appeared in 2016, followed by the full-length Relapse in 2017. Relapse performed well enough to snag Carothers a nomination for Outlaw Male at the Ameripolitan Awards in early 2018. He continued to gain momentum in 2018, racking up plays on streaming services, playing at Tumbleweed, debuting at the Grand Ole Opry, and releasing the album Still Country, Still King: A Tribute to George Jones. In January 2019, he released the single "Crazy Man" -- the first installment in his plan to release a new song every month of the year. Once this project was underway, Carothers opened for Alan Jackson on his highest-profile gig to date. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine