Rachel Holt, a strong summer release, "How Dare Me"

Rachel Holt, Courtesy of Adkins Entertainment

A couple of months ago, I spoke with Rachel Holt about her summer projects and her recent release, How Dare Me. Rachel is a talented, up-and-coming singer and songwriter from Milan, Indiana, which boasts as home to

the Hoosiers movie set. After graduating from high school, Rachel moved to Nashville to pursue her music career. Coming from a bluegrass musical family, she has shifted slightly from her roots, expanding her talents to country music. Rachel grabbed the attention and now the guidance of singer, songwriter, and producer Chris Wallin. Chris Wallin is well known for hit songs with Toby Keith, Trace Adkins, and Kenny Chesney. When she performs near her hometown, her family members often support as her band.

How Dare Me debuted at the end of May and was written by Andy Skib, Dan Tyminski, and Tom Finchum, with production by Chris Wallin. The song conveys a message of empowerment, focusing on taking ownership of one's mistakes and engaging in self-reflection.

Rachel Holt Instagram

Rachel Holt TikTok

Thank you, Rachel, for your time chatting about your music and upcoming plans, In A Country Minute.

Off The Record Live Acoustic by Charly Reynolds

Charly Reynolds released a stripped-down version of her 2024 Off The Record album, Live Acoustic (Off The Record Live Acoustic), in March. Every two weeks, a song was released from the reimagined album. Charly admitted that during the overlap of promoting each song, it became somewhat mind-boggling. We agreed that the hard part of promoting music is keeping track of what is coming up versus what is already out.

The album was recorded in one day, expecting that recording it all in one day would be the easiest way to complete it. Halfway through, Charly realized it was a lot to accomplish in that short time frame, but her team completed the project as planned, and on most songs, it took only one or two takes. Reimagining the Off the Record Album in this way highlighted details in each song, bringing them to a deeper level.

Track List

Another Man Will

Off The Record

People Think

Shade of Blue

Love You Long

Freedom Ain't Free

Visiting Hours

Hurt People Hurt

Word on The Street

Somebody in Love

I Will Survive

Blame It On My Boots

Seventeen

Charly Reynolds enjoys playing in smaller venues, such as coffee shops and dive bars. She said she likes to give her audience a more intimate experience. Off The Record Live Acoustic gives you the feeling that you are sitting in a front row seat at those intimate shows. Charly has been touring with her friend, Belles Music, which she admitted makes traveling seem like a friend adventure as much as a working tour. Her fall tour is taking her to Europe before returning and heading to Texas. Follow her on her socials and website buttoned below to keep up.

Charly Reynolds Instagram

Charly Reynolds TikTok

Charly Reynolds Facebook

Kimberly Reynolds Weir and Charly Reynolds, courtesy of AristoMedia

Charly shared a surprise with me that has since been released.

Charly and her mom, Kimberly, sang a duet of Super Trouper by ABBA from the Mama Mia soundtrack.

Charly showed off her mom's skills as a drama teacher by also having her play a part in the music video.

Charly still had to remind her mom to relax, not pay attention to the cameras, and to just have fun. Being fans of the movie and its soundtrack inspired them to perform it, allowing them to enjoy that musical experience together.

Thank you, Charly Reynolds, for your time and for sharing your music with me In A Country Minute, it was a pleasure to talk to you!

Alannah McCready discussed the backstory of "I'm Just Fine."

Alannah McCready opened up with me about her song, I’m Just Fine, released in March 2025. After having a health scare, she decided to write about her emotional experiences to encourage others through her lyrics, “because we all go through things”. The first verse is mainly about herself, the struggles she was facing, putting on a smile, convincing herself and others that she was ok, while facing the struggle. The second verse is written about situations people she is close to have been through, with the understanding that everyone has things life has tossed them, they've had to fight through. Will Gittens and Alannah McCready co-wrote I'm Just Fine, because of their collaborative history and friendship; the lyrics came together quickly. Will Gittens and Alannah also collaborated on Alannah's single, Can I Call which also featured Will as her duet partner.

Alannah McCready explained that this single is the most personal song she has released, partially because of the private lifestyle she maintains while working in a public atmosphere. Alannah said that maintaining that privacy is mostly difficult in writing rooms and in conversations, “once you open that door, it is hard to close.” Alannah said learning how much to talk about and who to talk about those things with was difficult. People ask questions, and in the age of social media and available content, remaining vigilant on privacy is a must. Alannah thought the hardest part of releasing this song would be the questions that would follow, but it has proved to be emotionally freeing instead of the difficulty she had imagined.

Alannah McCready and I share Minnesota roots, besides our love of music. Alannah is a University of Wisconsin graduate with an NCAA National Hockey title to brag to her friends and fans about. She dipped her toes in NFL public relations after college before following her passion to become a full-time artist and relocating to Nashville to fulfill her music dreams. Alannah loves that she can count on her friends, family, and writing partners to provide real notes and edits when they hear her songs in progress, and to offer her constructive criticism.

Alannah McCready, courtesy of AristoMedia

[Having other people listen to and critique your music and lyrics] "keeps you from having that one word or phrase that you can trip over while completing songs."

Painting a picture with her songs is Alannah McCready's writing goal; she wants the song to become visual in the listener's mind, connecting them to the song.

This is the second time I've spoken with Alannah McCready; her growth as an artist and a writer has been a pleasure to witness. Thank you for taking the time to talk about all the things and update me on all the doings. I appreciate you.

Keep up with Alannah McCready through her social media linked through the buttons below.

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