Jamey Johnson photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.
April 29, 2009 — Ever since Jamey Johnson launched "In Color" and the album That Lonesome Song, he’s discovered a growing audience of fans who appreciate his rough and rowdy approach. How those fans have found him, however, remains a bit of a mystery.
"I’m not sure if there is even a way to tell how much comes from the live shows and how much comes from the album or from word of mouth or what," he told Pollstar. "We’re not gonna go out there with a questionnaire and try to figure out where our people are coming from. We don’t have time for that."
Jamey’s first album, The Dollar, earned some attention but nothing like what he’s experienced with That Lonesome Song, which he originally released on his own without the benefit of a record label. In fact, his manager toted the project to labels all around Nashville, and Mercury Records was the only place where executives thought it would connect with the public.
"I never thought we’d see the day where, if you came out with a traditional country song, you’re not just in the minority but you’re almost shunned for having done it," Jamey said.
Fortunately, Jamey’s been embraced over the long haul. "In Color" won Song of the Year at this month’s Academy of Country Music Awards. The album went gold two weeks ago.
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