| Acclaimed Southern crooner Kashus Culpepper is turning up the volume on his rock influences with today’s release of ‘In Her Eyes’ from his highly-anticipated debut album Act I due out January 23. The song’s official music video continues the visual series accompanying the album – Act I, Scene II is out now. In tandem with the release, Culpepper earns his first No. 1 at Americana radio this week with ‘Believe’, topping the US charts in just ten weeks. Amidst Culpepper’s signature layering of country, folk, soul and blues, ‘In Her Eyes’ reflects his most prominent Southern rock influences. Highlighting his “gravelly voice with his compelling songwriting” (Billboard), the new song was rightfully recorded in Muscle Shoals and written alongside Brent Cobb and Oscar Charles. The depth of influences in Culpepper’s musical rolodex is reflected within Act I’s 18 tracks and previously recognised by icons like Elton John who claimed the Alabama-born artist is, “if Bill Withers made country music,” [here] and John Mayer who shared Culpepper is “as good as it gets.” Country, soul, blues, folk and rock are all represented on the album – songs with banjo and pedal steel, cello, violin and harp too. A preview of what’s to come, recent ‘Mean To Me‘ was noted by Rolling Stone’s Music Now podcast as a one of “the five songs in country and Americana that you just need to hear this week.” Each song on the album was co-written by Culpepper, recorded in Muscle Shoals and produced by Brian Elmquist. With features from acclaimed collaborators Sierra Ferrell (‘Broken Wing Bird’) and Marcus King (‘Southern Man’), Act I includes career defining lyrical masterworks like ‘After Me?’, ‘Cherry Rose’ and ‘Alabama Beauty Queen’. The Alabama-native will continue to headline throughout the year following tours with Darius Rucker, Sierra Ferrell and Leon Bridges. He is set to open for Eric Church in 2026 and recently made his national television debut on CBS Saturday Morning, performing ‘After Me?‘, ‘Southern Man‘ and ‘Man Of His Word‘. Beginning his recording career just over a year ago, Culpepper has been recognised as one of GRAMMY.com’s 25 Artists to Watch in 2025, Apple Music Zane Lowe’s 25 Artists for ‘25, 2025 Variety Power of Young Hollywood Impact Report, Opry NextStage Class of 2025, Billboard’s February 2025 Country Rookie of the Month, 2025 Amazon Music Bonfire Artist to Watch, Apple Music’s February 2025 Country Riser of the Month, 2025 Pandora Country Artist to Watch and Martin Artist Showcase Class of 2025. Act I Tracklist - Intro (Kashus Culpepper, Jordan Dozzi, Jacob Durrett)
- Southern Man (feat. Marcus King) (Kashus Culpepper, Bear Rinehart)
- Alabama Beauty Queen (Kashus Culpepper, Luke Preston, Diego Urias)
- Woman (Kashus Culpepper, Anderson East)
- Break Me Like (Kashus Culpepper, Grady Block, Hank Compton)
- Believe (Kashus Culpepper, Foy Vance)
- Stay (Kashus Culpepper, Jordan Dozzi, Jacob Durrett)
- Mean To Me (Kashus Culpepper, Oscar Charles, Diego Urias, Matt Warren)
- Broken Wing Bird (feat. Sierra Ferrell) (Kashus Culpepper, Brian Elmquist)
- Better Weather (Kashus Culpepper, Luke Preston)
- That’s The Feeling (Kashus Culpepper, Brian Elmquist)
- Man Of His Word (Kashus Culpepper, Natalie Hemby)
- In Her Eyes (Kashus Culpepper, Brent Cobb, Oscar Charles)
- Is It True (Kashus Culpepper, Rhett Akins, Rocky Block)
- After Me? (Kashus Culpepper, Mark Addison Chandler)
- Out Of My Mind (Kashus Culpepper, Brian Elmquist)
- House On A Hill (Kashus Culpepper, Rhett Akins, Jimi Bell)
- Cherry Rose (Kashus Culpepper, Mikky Ekko, Brian Elmquist)
Italics indicate writing credits CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR KASHUS CULPEPPER: “…it’s obvious why his career has been fast-tracked. The handful of songs he’s released so far take a smart, often witty route… performed in a style he classifies as ‘southern sounds’…”
The Guardian “Culpepper offers up his organic sound with a brand of hard-earned, raw realness that can’t be feigned.”
Billboard“Kashus Culpepper is turning heads in roots music – and the mainstream.”
Good Country“…Culpepper has revived the melodic crooning of ‘80s and ‘90s country, buoyed by his blues influence…”
GRAMMY.com“I dare anybody with a pulse to listen to Culpepper’s vocal performance here without getting goosebumps…”
No Depression “His ragged-edged baritone growl could’ve transformed the Delta blues with Howlin’ Wolf in the ‘50s, or smoked a brisket with Tom Waits in the ‘70s, just as naturally as it fits with Marcus King’s slide guitar and Sierra Ferrell’s vocals featured on next year’s Act I”
Paste “…his hauntingly beautiful country-Americana-inspired sound, with a voice that harkens back to yesteryear and a perspective road-worn from gospel singing in his youth, military service as an adult and true-grit living throughout.”
PEOPLE “Culpepper’s style is measured and soulful, like the best blend of fury and sound.”
The Tennessean For more information, visit kashusculpepper.com. |
