It isn't every day that we come across music that echoes the stone cold country sounds popularized by the Ol Possum..As a matter of fact, some of the music that is packaged as Traditional Country nowadays has more in common with Neil Young than it does with George Jones.
Wyatt is a fine example of having much in common with the latter. This Indiana native is writing, and singing songs that ooze respect, and honor for the honky tonk pioneers of yesteryear. If Wyatt had been around in the 1950's, I have no doubt, he would have opened for Hank, Lefty,Patsy, and George.
Though he clearly loves them all, it is George Jones that shaped Wyatt's early love for Traditional Country. This is something I have in common with Wyatt as we both had early life experiences watching the possum perform.
You won't mistake Wyatt's voice for George or Keith Whitley, another hero. But you will hear their influence. You'll hear an honest empathy, and deep understanding of what hard country is all about. I sincerely hope Wyatt never has to go through some of the things he sings about, but if he does, he'll already know where to turn.
10 Things You Didn't Know About Wyatt Massingille
1. Wyatt’s number one influence is George Jones. No one delivers a song like George Jones. His father would play George Jones’s 2001’s album The Rock Stone Cold Country all the time during car trips when he was a kid. When Wyatt became older he began to truly appreciate the merits of the album, and it became one of his favorites.
2. The song Wyatt likes to perform the most is George Jones’s He Stopped Loving Her Today. He says it's one of his most requested songs. As a matter of fact, he could probably do a whole show just singing George Jones songs.
3. The title song of his EP "No Jones on the Jukebox" came when he was struggling with a writing slump around 3:30 AM. His mother was playing tunes on a jukebox, but there were no George Jones songs on the jukebox.
4. What country song would you share with someone, if you wanted to introduce them to country music for the first time? “He Stopped Loving Her Today” . The young singer says it is the epitome of what real country music should sound like from the lyrics, to the music, to the voice..
5. Is there a better way to describe country music other than “three chords and the truth?” Wyatt says no..
6. The Indiana native is a five-time North American Country Music International award winner.
7. When Wyatt was ten, he attended a George Jones show and sang every word of every song. That experience played a big role in making him want to be a country singer. George has been his idol ever since.
8. Lord It Sure is Drunk Tonight is a Keith Whitley song that Whitley wrote but never released. Wyatt is the first person to ever release the song.
9.Wyatt Massingille is an old soul. It's hard to believe he's accomplished so much, and is only 19 years old!
10. And lastly you might not know that Wyatt Massingille is featured in our New Traditionalist Podcast series where we take a closer look at promising talent 25 years and younger that are keeping it country!
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