Singer-songwriter and former America’s Got Talent star Marty Brown is preparing some new music for release. One of his newest tracks is “American Highway,” just in time for Independence Day.
The song by the Kentucky country singer captures images of small-town America. Below, Brown performs “American Highway” on WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour. Check it out.
Brown has been working on a new album, which will feature “American Highway.” The new songs feature lyrics written by Brown and music written by Jon Tiven, who also plays guitar on the album.
This video gem captures country singer-songwriter Marty Brown performing several songs in 1992, long before he became a fan favorite on America’s Got Talent. The show is from an appearance at Longhorn Dance Hall in Calgary, AB, Canada.
Brown sings songs such as “Don’t Worry Baby,” “My Wildest Dreams,” “Your Daddy’s Long Gone,” Hank Williams’s “Honky Tonkin’,” and “Honey I Ain’t No Fool” (one of my favorites, starting at the 13:26 mark).
[2018 Update: Unfortunately, the Calgary show is no longer available on YouTube. So, below is a clip from the same year of Brown singing “I Had a Dream.”]
To promote the new song, Brown released a new video. In the video, Brown gets a call while fishing. Then, he must make his way to his wife and his fans along various country roads.
“Country Girls” is another solid country hit from the writer of the wonderful “Whatever Makes You Smile.” Check out “Country Girls.”
For more information, check out Marty Brown’s website. Leave your two cents in the comments.
On Frank Black’s 2006 Nashville album Fast Man Raider Man, a hidden gem features singer-songwriter Marty Brown joining Black on Ewan MacColl‘s classic “Dirty Old Town.” The duet combines two singers known for different types of music. But the rock sound of the former front man of the Pixies blends well with the Kentucky twang of Marty Brown on the English song.
MacColl originally wrote “Dirty Old Town” for a 1949 play Landscape with Chimneys. Yet, the song about Salford, Greater Manchester, England, has become something of a standard in its own right. In addition to MacColl’s own recording, the song has been covered by such folks as the Dubliners, the Pogues, Rod Stewart, and Townes Van Zandt.
The gritty recording of “Dirty Old Town” by Frank Black and Marty Brown makes me wish they had done more work together. Brown contributed in other ways to Black’s album Fast Man Raider Man, where Brown also played bass and provided backing vocals. They could have named their band “Black & Brown.”
Ewan MacColl, the folk singer and songwriter behind “Dirty Old Town,” wrote a number of songs including “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face.” He passed away in October 1989. But the song about his dirty old home town lives on.
What is your favorite version of “Dirty Old Town”? Leave your two cents in the comments.
Singer-songwriter Marty Brown was recently profiled on “Kentucky Life” on television channel KET. In the video profile, Brown discusses what inspires his music while his wife Shellie Brown discusses his groundbreaking performance on America’s Got Talent.
On Frank Black’s 2006 Nashville album 
, a hidden gem features singer-songwriter 