Search - Wrights :: Down This Road

It's true that husband-and-wife duos like George Jones and Tammy Wynette were once common, but in recent decades, they've been an endangered lot. One recent exception: Alan Jackson's nephew Adam Wright and his wife Shannon, who were responsible for two songs on Jackson's What I Do. For their first effort on Jackson's own label, assisted by his producer Keith Stegall and coproducer John Kelton, the Wrights' 12 modern traditional originals--like Jackson's best work--honor the past but stand solidly in the present. Some are duets like "Roller Coaster," which examine marriage's ups and downs. That exploration skews to the downside with "On the Rocks." On other numbers, one or the other takes the lead, as Adam does on the sardonic "Hard Time" and the blue-collar free-spender's lament "Hole in My Pocket." Shannon sings of higher romantic standards on "Butterflies," and Jackson joins in on the more spiritual "Leave a Light On." While they don't go overly deep here, these witty originals with their loose harmonies and relaxed, laid-back production values create an immensely likable debut. --Rich Kienzle