Nashville by far has some of the best hidden gems when it comes to talented musicians. It is often sought out to be a country music only town, and in some cases, it unfortunately is. While it’s overwhelmingly pin-pointed as a die hard country music city, it makes it difficult for so many other artists and bands creating music outside of that genre to be overlooked and not receive the love they absolutely deserve. Wilby is an artist that I’ve absolutely fallen head over heels for. From her gentle vocals, to her divine songwriting, to her incredible story-telling, she’s an artist that without a doubt needs the attention she deserves. I’m pleased to present to you her brand new single, “Favorite Cowboy”.
The Nashville-based singer/songwriter, Maria Crawford, professionally known as Wilby, is a gifted composer paving her own path through the overly saturated indie rock industry. Her lyrics are an astute look into the human desire to be heard, the struggles of coming of age and the tongue-in-cheek sarcasm needed to survive it. With her unique vocals and prestigious songwriting ability, she puts it all out on the table with her new cinematic piece, “Favorite Cowboy”. A song pieced together during a time of reflection. Grieving the loss of her grandfather, she delivers a beautiful piece in remembrance of him and dedicates it to the impact he had on her life.
Wilby explains, “I wrote “Favorite Cowboy” as a way to grieve the loss of my grandfather. The premise of the song is fictional but helped me evoke the same emotions I was feeling at the time.”
The most beautiful part about this track is that she proves that the story does not have to be cohesive with what’s going on in your life in order to speak volumes to you. A certain track can paint a picture, or create a movie reel within your head about something so wildly different from the actual premise behind the lyrics. Music is about feeling. It has been, and always will be. Wilby creates an atmosphere within the track that purely focuses on her vocals and the story she’s telling. A calming presence fills the room when the track plays. A faint trumpet helps carry the track along to the finish line. Accompanied by some underlying bass and lead guitar, the orchestration falls perfectly in place without overpowering the most important part of the track, her voice. As an artist that just sort of popped into my life unexpectedly, she’s gained a huge fan and I’m thrilled to share it with future fans as well.
Check out Wilby’s latest track “Favorite Cowboy” below!
