Alabama native Kashus Culpepper arrives with a rare sense of purpose and perspective for a debut artist, shaped by a life lived well beyond the usual boundaries of the music industry. Set for release on January 23 via Big Loud Records, ‘Act 1' introduces a songwriter whose path to music began during an unexpected chapter: a Navy deployment to Rota, Spain, just weeks before the world shut down. With time on his hands and a borrowed guitar, Culpepper taught himself to play through YouTube tutorials, sharing cover songs around late-night bonfires at the barracks. Encouraged by fellow service members, that spark followed him home, where he began playing bars along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, quietly building a foundation rooted in connection and storytelling. Recorded in Muscle Shoals with producer Brian Elmquist, Act 1 draws from the region’s rich musical history and Culpepper’s wide-ranging influences, blending country, soul, blues, folk and rock across 18 textured tracks featuring banjo, pedal steel, cello, violin and harp.
Culpepper co-wrote every song on the album alongside collaborators including Jacob Durrett, Matt Warren and Natalie Hemby, with standout guest appearances from Sierra Ferrell on ‘Broken Wing Bird' and Marcus King on ‘Southern Man.' His choice to record in Muscle Shoals reflects both state pride and reverence for the artists who shaped him, from soul legends like Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett to the Allman Brothers. A former firefighter, EMT, Navy corpsman and cover band leader, Culpepper brings a lived-in authenticity to his writing and that honesty has already drawn extraordinary praise, with Elton John likening his sound to “if Bill Withers made country music,” and John Mayer calling him “as good as it gets.” ‘Act 1' feels less like a debut and more like the opening statement of an artist whose unconventional journey has given him something genuinely new to say.
‘Act 1' opens by firmly placing the listener in Kashus Culpepper’s world. The Intro functions as a scene-setter, using a radio broadcast to root the record deep in the American South before launching into ‘Southern Man,' a mission statement that lays Culpepper’s identity bare. A dirty, swaggering guitar riff kicks things off before drums and Culpepper’s voice lock into a groove that feels both timeless and alive. “Came up from the holler, ain’t got a dollar,” he declares, setting out his origins with pride and grit. The song sits comfortably between The Black Crowes and The Georgia Satellites, filtered through the unmistakable sheen of Muscle Shoals. Marcus King’s searing guitar solo raises the temperature further before Culpepper brings the track home, literally and figuratively, closing the opening chapter with purpose and confidence.
‘Alabama Beauty Queen' follows, slowing the pace while keeping the narrative firmly rooted in place. A haunting piano and Culpepper’s warm, soulful vocal paint a picture of small-town Saturdays and young love slipping away. “I know we were both born here but it ain’t no place to live,” he sings, watching a girl leave town on a Greyhound bound for New Orleans. The lyric lands with quiet devastation, underscored by evocative pedal steel and a smooth, soulful groove that leans heavily into Muscle Shoals R&B. ‘Woman' then shifts into something more intimate and nocturnal. A funky bass line and light, jazz-tinged percussion create a late-night hotel bar atmosphere, while Culpepper’s raw, unguarded vocal channels blues and R&B with an Amy Winehouse-like honesty that feels unfiltered and deeply personal.
‘Break Like Me' introduces one of the album’s most compelling sonic blends, sounding like a lost Muscle Shoals session filtered through a Fleetwood Mac lens. The groove is smooth yet urgent as Culpepper sings about toxic attraction, admitting, “No one can break me like you.” References to “Kentucky kryptonite” and prescription escapes hint at addiction and emotional dependency, giving the song real weight beneath its polished surface. That emotional depth carries into ‘Believe,' one of ‘Act 1'’s defining moments. Dark, downtuned, soaked in bayou soul and Mississippi blues, the song wrestles with loyalty and faith. “Sometimes your enemies come in the form of a friend,” Culpepper warns, before lifting the chorus with gospel-tinged hope and references to angels and darkest hours. His vocal here is rich and timeless, echoing the spirit of ‘Sitting on the Dock of the Bay' and ‘Wonderful World' while forging its own identity.
‘Stay' offers a softer turn, opening with sweeping strings before settling into a piano-and-bass groove steeped in Motown and Southern soul. Culpepper’s plea is simple and heartfelt as he asks the girl of his dreams to stay the night, wrapping longing in a timeless R&B ballad. ‘Mean to Me' pushes the album into more modern territory, driven by urgent percussion and a nimble guitar line. “What about them memories? What about Bourbon St?” he asks, clinging to shared history as rumours and doubt threaten to pull the relationship apart. The song balances contemporary R&B and pop-Americana with bluesy undertones, proving Culpepper can move fluidly between eras without losing his voice.
The emotional centre of the album arrives with ‘Broken Wing Bird,' a stripped-back duet with Sierra Ferrell that feels as though it could have been recorded in the 1950s. Over simple acoustic guitar, the two trade lines and harmonise with aching restraint, using the image of a broken-winged bird needing care until it can fly again as a metaphor for mutual healing. ‘Better Weather' keeps the instrumentation sparse, leaning into smooth jazz and soul textures that allow Culpepper’s voice and melody to take centre stage. ‘That’s the Feeling' then reintroduces the urgent groove heard earlier on ‘Break Like Me,' with Culpepper declaring, “Queen of my world, all American girl, I’d do anything for you,” over a rich, sexy arrangement that feels tailor-made for late-night listening.
‘Man of His Word' stands out as one of Act 1’s strongest statements. Dripping in soul, blues and gospel influence, Culpepper reflects on emotional reliability and trust. “She don’t need a man who keeps talking, she needs a man of his word,” he sings, positioning himself as someone offering consistency rather than empty promises. ‘Is It True?' shifts gears again, with Culpepper nearly rapping the verses in a Jelly Roll-meets-Mac Miller flow before the chorus explodes into melody over plaintive fiddle. “I’m dying to know,” he asks, wondering if his lover has already found someone new, despite bringing her home to Alabama to meet his mother.
The album’s closing stretch deepens the sense of reckoning. ‘After Me' uses gospel handclaps and swampy blues textures as Culpepper confesses, “We committed some deadly sins,” wandering through loss with preacher-like intensity. ‘Out of My Mind' adds a clever twist, pivoting mid-song into an unexpected banjo-and-fiddle breakdown that turns soulful heartbreak into a hoedown romp before circling back. ‘Cherry Rose' strips everything back, sitting in the quiet space between reflection and survival, while ‘House on a Hill' closes the record on a devastating note. “I’m writing you a letter that I’ll never send,” Culpepper sings, standing outside a home where his ex now lives, ruminating on what she is doing inside. ‘Act 1' is a remarkably mature debut, rich with Alabama soul, Muscle Shoals sheen and classic R&B spirit, balancing lush arrangements with raw, stripped-back honesty. It feels less like a first chapter and more like the work of an artist already fully formed.
Track list: 1. Intro 2. Southern Man (feat. Marcus King) 3. Alabama Beauty Queen 4. Woman 5. Break Me Like 6. Believe 7. Stay 8. Mean To Me 9. Broken Wing Bird (feat. Sierra Ferrell) 10. Better Weather 11. That's The Feeling12. Man Of His Word13. In Her Eyes 14. Is It True 15. After Me? 16. Out Of My Mind 17. Cherry Rose 18. House on A Hill Release Date: January 23rd Record Label: Big Loud Records Buy ‘Act 1' right here
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