Porter Howell Chris Bandi Midland

Porter Howell – one of the founding members of Little Texas – took advantage of the downtime caused by the pandemic to focus on his songwriting.

“I probably wrote 40 songs by myself in 2020 alone,” Howell acknowledges. “Initially I was saving them for other people,” he explains, either with a cowriter in mind to help finish them or for a particular artist to record. But with some encouragement from his longtime partner and family, Howell slowly started making demos, “and I came to realize there was a personal angle to this particular group of songs.”

That particular group of songs became This Town Was, Howell’s first side project as a singer/songwriter. In a review for Billboard.com, Jessica Nicholson tabbed the title track “an ode to the ever-changing ways of Nashville”. The video and single have just been released ahead of the 10-track album. Anyone who knows Nashville’s history will be drawn to the authenticity of the heartfelt lyrics as Howell soulfully sings about how the town he grew up in professionally has changed so much. Song News:

Breakout singer/songwriter and RECORDS Nashville artist Chris Bandi released a brand-new song “Carolina Blue,” in March. Written by Bandi along with Matt Willis and Jason Massey, the nostalgic tune is available across all platforms at https://chrisbandi.lnk. to/CarolinaBlue.

“‘Carolina Blue’ was one of the first writes that we did over Zoom after the world shut down,” shares Bandi. “There are very few things in life that can take you back to a certain place or time. It could be a song that brings you back to 18 hanging out with your best friends or a white Jeep that reminds you of an ex. This song is about seeing that certain shade of blue that always brings back the memory of a flame that burnt out too soon.” Produced by Ash Bowers and Bandi, the track follows recently released “Probably At A Bar” and follows the touching musical tribute to his late grandfather, “Would Have Loved Her.” Chris Bandi is poised for his breakthrough in country music. Check chrisbandi.com/ for information and follow him on social media @chrisbandi.

Trio News:

Having released an EP last summer, Midland’s Cameron Duddy, Mark Wystrach and Jess Carson are on the verge of arriving at their ultimate destination with The Last Resort: Greetings From on May 6 via Big Machine Records. The trio spent the pandemic exploring their creative depths, from progressive