Ward Davis

Ward Davis naturally embodies an outlaw country vibe. Originally from Monticello, Arkansas, he tried for a while to fit in the commercial Nashville scene as a professional songwriter, with songs recorded by Trace Adkins, Wade Hayes, Sammy Kershaw and more. But after Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard recorded his “Unfair Weather Friend” for their 2015 album, Django and Jimmie, Davis took a cue from the original outlaws and realized he’s better being who he is than trying to conform. That same year, he released his debut album, 15 Years in a 10 Year Town, which No Depression called “an honest collection of songs that you can tell truly came from the heart (not just the pen) with Davis’ vocals being just as deep and emotive as contemporaries Jamey Johnson and Whitey Morgan.” In 2020, Davis finally released his sophomore album, Black Cats and Crows, which one reviewer called a “muscly country-rock record filled with murderous story songs, heartbreaking vulnerability, and that unmistakable voice — Davis’s weathered croon, barrel-aged then left out in the sun.”