Colton James releases new 7-song EP, America
Includes “Ring On Her Finger” and “I Miss America”
By Preshias Harris for Country Music News International Magazine
Country artist Colton James has a lot happening in his life right now, and for country music fans the big news is the January 2023 release of his new EP, titled America. I recently spoke with Colton about the EP and about some other exciting projects he is involved with.
The seven-song project includes “Ring On Her Finger,” a romantic ballad that will be a favorite at engagement parties and weddings for decades to come. The song was inspired by Colton’s first walk along the beach with Cassie in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. That is where Colton and Cassie first found that special connection that would lead them to their wedding day. Colton wrote the song with Kim Tribble who has written hits for artists such as Mindy McCready, Shania Twain, Gary Allan and Montgomery Gentry.
(See the official video for “Ring On Her Finger” here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vosc1dnJ6bQ.)
“’Ring On Her Finger’ was the very last song that me and Kim wrote together,” Colton recalled, “And it was the last time I saw him alive. I told that story at his Celebration of Life and Kim’s wife Patti wanted me to play it. I think about him every day. Not only were we writing buddies, we fished together, we hunted together, we hung out together. We talked almost every day for six years, I mean, we got really close. He was like family.”
Another track on the EP is “I Miss America,” a song that Colton wrote with Rick Dawson, owner of Rich Strike, the 80-1 outsider that came from behind to win the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby. They come from different backgrounds, but both Colton and Rick share a steadfast patriotism for the country they love.
“I guess one of my favorite things about the new EP is writing ‘I Miss America’ with Rick Dawson and how that whole story came about,” Colton told me. Colton and Rick met by chance at a charity event for veterans. “What with Rick being the owner of the 2022 Kentucky Derby winner, and him never having written a song in his life, his passion for this country and how this whole thing came together and starting a record company and on and on. But I tell everybody, there are crossroads in Life and God has definitely got his hands on it because we’re all doing this for a reason.”
See below for the full track listing and songwriter credits for Colton’s. new EP America.
The record company that Colton mentioned is RedSunset Entertainment, a multimedia company set to produce records, television and radio programming and more. Among the projects currently in development: Reel Water Cowboy, a show that will combine music, fishing and cuisine, as well as The Reel Water Cowboy Radio Show.
“At RedSunset Entertainment, we are going to do some different things with our artists. We’ve signed our very first artist, Janna Marie. She’s been working with some great writers. The steel guitar player Smith Curry has been setting her up with some great writes.”
In addition to RedSunset Entertainment, Colton and Rick are combining their energies and concern for the plight of military veterans in a project they have named Land4Heroes.
“Land4Heroes is going to be a 15,000 square foot lodge,” he explained. “It’s going to be placed on 130 beautiful acres in southeast Virginia. It’s very close to a lot of military bases and it’s going to be a place only a few hours away from Walter Reed Hospital.”
He explained what inspired them to launch the project.
We were taking these veterans hunting and fishing and getting them out, going up there and playing music for them and taking tee shirts for them at Walter Reed Hospital,” he said. “I could see when they just got away from that hospital, nobody said anything about problems, nobody talked about any issues. We had good food, we went fishing, we hung out, talked about kids and family and all that. It was camaraderie and other veterans being around each other, sharing stories. I said, well, there’s got to be something we can do on a bigger level where we can host this all the time and have a music aspect to it, where there’s no stress.”
Colton said that the vision that he and Rick Dawson share is a place where veterans can sit around a campfire or go into one of the game rooms; simply relax with no pressure. Music will definitely be part of Land4Heroes and there are plans for a stage with a state-of-the-art sound system. “I haven’t seen one veteran that didn’t like music!” he noted.
Thinking about his new music, the RedSunset project and Land4Heroes all happening in parallel, Colton said, “It just all happened so fast but you know what? When it’s on God’s time, it’s going to happen. God has definitely got His hands on it because we’re all doing this for a reason.”
Track Listing for Colton James new EP America:
- “I Miss America” – Colton James and Rick Dawson
- “Ring On Her Finger” – Colton James and Kim Tribble
- “47 Acre Farm” – Kendall Marvel, Greg Bates, and Shelly Skidmore
- “Richest Man Alive” – Colton James, Austin James, Rick Dawson, and Greg Crowe
- “Take This Country Back” – Colton James and Kim Tribble
- “Brave Men” – Colton James and John Banagas
- “American Farmer” – Colton James and Kim Tribble
Find music, news, videos and links to Spotify and Colton’s social media at his website https://coltonjames.com.
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