Will Hoge visits his roots in "Small Town Dreams"

For Will Hoge’s latest album, Small Town Dreams, inspiration was found in the past.  Hoge, a Franklin, Tennessee native, paints a vivid picture of life growing up in his own small town.  For the album, Hoge was excited to work with producer Marshall Altman who was behind Frankie Ballard’s “Helluva Life” and Eric Paslay’s “Friday Night”.  The rocking first single, “Middle of America” features the sweet story of parents shaking their heads while their children make the same mistakes that they made in the past. 

Hoge has been writing and performing his own brand of country and rock since the 1990’s but has found a more stable home in country music as the genre continues to widen.  In an interview with Rolling Stone, Hoge shared, "At some point, country music became more inclusive.  People bust on country all the time — 'this bro-country thing, it's so bad, blah blah blah' — but there's a part of me that can't say that, because I feel like those artists have broadened the tent so much that it's given me a place to go. I don't have to do anything different. I still write my songs. I still do what I do. I haven't changed my formula at all, but all of a sudden, people are letting me go to that party."  

Hoge’s album catches you from the first note of “Growing Up Around Here” which paints a nostalgic picture of the small town that you can’t wait to leave growing up, but you can look back at with pride.  The rest of the album flows from a bittersweet breakup song in “Better Than You”, sweet love songs, and personal stories of growing up in his own small town.  The best thing about the album is that while no two songs sound alike, they call come together in a piece of vivid storytelling.  

At the Tortuga Music Festival this past weekend, Hoge drew a considerable crowd despite the early start time on Saturday.  Hoge’s voice can elicit thoughts of Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty but is decidedly his own.  Hoge played new songs off of Small Town Dreams including “Guitar or a Gun” and “Growing Up Around Here”.  The hour long set included Strong, dedicated to his sons Liam and George who had competed in their first karate tournament earlier in the day. 

Small Town Dreams Track Listing:

1. They Don’t Make ‘Em Like They Used To
2. Better Than You
3. Little Bitty Dreams
4. Guitar or a Gun
5. Middle of America
6. All I Want Is Us Tonight
7. Just Up The Road
8. The Last Thing I Needed
9. ‘Til I Do It Again
10. Better Than You
11. Growing Up Around Here

You can catch Will Hoge when he comes to Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT on Sunday, June 7th for a free show in the Wolf Den.  Check out http://www.willhoge.com/ for even more tour dates.