Aaron Watson: ‘Cover Girl’ – Album Review

Aaron Watson shares his new album, Cover Girl, out now, October 27th, on all streaming platforms. Listen to the new music below.

Born out of sharing iconic songs with his young daughter, Jolee Kate, Aaron Watson’s Cover Girl, out now, is a passion project of epic proportions. In addition to re-recording a wide range of classic songs, the Texas native enlisted a host of rising independent female country stars to join him, including Jenna Paulette, Kimberly Kelly, Bri Bagwell, Morgan Myrles, Kylie Frey, and more.

“I’ve gotten the chance to share the stage with a number of incredibly talented female artists who are hustling the independent game just like I am,” Watson shared. “When I decided to do the Cover Girl record, I knew I wanted to find females that I believed in and knew would be an asset to the song.”

The LP opens with Watson and Paulette joining forces on a classy cover of the Rosanne Cash classic, “Seven Year Ache.” Melodically, it stays true to the original but the duo still manages to modernize a song that’s over 30 years old. That theme works its way throughout the LP, as Watson and his duet partners consistently add a new flair to tried and true classics.

“9 To 5” features 2023 America’s Got Talent Semi-Finalist Frey and stays true to the original, in a good way. While it’s musically very similar to the original, it’s unique to hear a male voice on the classic, which adds a new element in a way that doesn’t sound like karaoke. Likewise, Kimberly Kelly lends her voice to the classic “You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma,” while Courtney Patton shines on The Judds’ “Grandpa (Tell Me About the Good Old Days).”

Watson manages to put a new Texan spin on Lady Gaga’s “Million Reasons,” alongside Morgan Myles. The Gaga cover allows the pair to harmonize beautifully, their voices blending on the building crescendos of the powerful song which truly allow Myles to shine for a special moment on the LP.

UK export Twinnie joins Watson on “Back on the Train Gang,” adding a bit of twang to the Pretenders classic, a song written after the band’s guitarist died from a drug overdose. The pair manage to make the familiar track sound like it was always meant to be a country tune. Likewise, Jamie Lin Wilson sounds right at home on the stirring “Love at the Five and Dime,” while Bri Bagwell breathes different life into Sheryl Crow’s “Can’t Cry Anymore.” Alyssa Micaela’s raspy rock-leaning voice also adds an unexpected layer to the Emmylou Harris classic, “Two More Bottles of Wine.”

“All Through the Night” is another clear highlight, beautifully pairing Watson with Leigh Nash, best known for her days with Sixpence None the Richer. On the Cyndi Lauper classic, Nash’s voice is the star, shining in a haunting yet powerful way, her rich yet airy tone perfectly complimenting Watson.

Watson’s cover of Taylor Swift’s “Never Grow Up” is especially poignant, as it features vocals from the singer’s young daughter, who inspired the whole project. “If you’re going to sing someone else’s song, it has to be a song that you believe in,” He shared. “I was listening to (‘Never Grow Up’), and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, you could totally sing this to your kids from a dad’s perspective to his daughter.’” 

“My daughter, like most teenage girls and women on the face of the earth, is obsessed with Taylor Swift. She was insistent that I did a Taylor Swift song on this project and who can argue with that?,” Watson revealed in a recent interview. “I told her that if I covered Taylor she would have to sing with me on it! Then we had to choose the right song, right? …We did think about covering one of Tayor’s upbeat, popular songs but then we found ‘Never Grow Up’ and it made for a perfect daddy/daughter moment. It’s such a sweet song and a song that I can listen to years in the future and hear Jolee at 13 on too.”

On Cover Girl, Aaron Watson and his eleven unique duet partners take classic songs and reimagine them in new and different ways. From Taylor Swift to Rosanne Cash to the Pretenders, there’s something for every music fan here.

Cover Girl Tracklist:

1. Seven Year Ache ft. Jenna Paulette
2. Million Reasons ft. Morgan Myles
3. Back on the Chain Gang ft. Twinnie
4. Love At The Five And Dime ft. Jamie Lin Wilson
5. Can’t Cry Anymore ft. Bri Bagwell
6. All Through The Night ft. Leigh Nash
7. 9 to 5 ft. Kylie Frey
8. You’re The Reason God Made Oklahoma ft. Kimberly Kelly
9. Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout The Good Old Days) ft. Courtney Patton
10. Two More Bottles Of Wine ft. Alyssa Micaela
11. Never Grow Up ft. Joel Kate Watson

Country Swag Picks:

1. Million Reasons
2. Never Grow Up
3. All Through the Night
4. Seven Year Ache

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Cover Girl is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.