Chase Rice, fresh off the success of ‘I Hate Cowboys & All Dogs Go To Hell'—hailed by Billboard as “one of 2023’s most unexpected artistic pivots” and a top album of the year—and ‘Go Down Singin’, praised by Rolling Stone as an “excellent collection of poignant, often anthemic country,” has doubled down on his songwriter-first approach. Rice has just released ‘Fireside Sessions,' a surprise album featuring live, single-take versions of all 25 tracks from both records, performed with the cowriters who helped create them.
During his debut performance at Nashville’s iconic Bluebird Café, Rice unveiled the project to a live audience, marking the culmination of a transformative chapter in his music career. “The I Hate Cowboys and Go Down Singin’ records were the start of a whole new part of my life and career,” Rice shared. “It was no longer about chasing what’s popular, but writing songs that mattered to me, just like I started—on the guitar.” Joined by producer Oscar Charles and songwriters Blake Pendergrass, John Byron, and Jonathan Sherwood, Rice performed the album's songs in an intimate writers’ round setting, capturing the raw authenticity of the project.
The ‘Fireside Sessions' album cover unites the images from Rice’s previous records, symbolically bringing him and his late father together as grown men, a tribute to the heartfelt lyric in ‘You In ‘85': “So if I could have one thing it’d be us man to man / A couple Coors Banquets in hand.” Rice has been candid about how the loss of his father deeply influenced his musical shift toward stripped-back, emotionally charged songwriting.
Recorded at Rice’s farm outside Nashville, the album was created in the spirit of Music City’s famed writers’ rounds, featuring collaborations with Lori McKenna, Jackson Dean, Hunter Phelps, Randy Montana, and more. It serves as a heartfelt closing chapter to Rice’s multi-album tribute to his father, while also hinting at new music already in the works.
“I’ve always written songs like these but wasn’t inspired enough to release them,” Rice told The Tennessean. “Now I’m at a point where these records define my career. Come hell or high water, this is the kind of music I make now.”
For more on Fireside Sessions and upcoming projects, visit ChaseRice.com and follow Rice on social media: Facebook, Twitter/X, TikTok @ChaseRiceMusic, and Instagram @ChaseRice.
Track Highlights from Fireside Sessions:
- ‘Walk That Easy' (feat. William Reames, Barton Davies, Jonathan Sherwood, Oscar Charles)
- ‘All Dogs Go To Hell' (feat. John Byron)
- ‘Way Down Yonder' (feat. Hunter Phelps, John Byron, Blake Pendergrass)
- ‘That Word Don’t Work No More' (feat. Lori McKenna)
- ‘Oh Tennessee' (feat. Oscar Charles, Lori McKenna)
- ‘Fireside' (feat. Jonathan Sherwood, Jackson Dean, Oscar Charles)
- ‘Numbers' (feat. Ryan Tyndell, Jeff Hyde)
Stay tuned for more updates, including videos and photos from the Bluebird Café performance.
