Bettie James Gold Edition is the second studio album by American country music singer Jimmie Allen. It was released on June 25, 2021, via BBR Music Group. Prior to the album's release, seven songs from the album were released in 2020 as an extended play titled Bettie James. Both the extended play and full album are entirely composed of collaborations with country, contemporary R&B, and pop music artists. The extended play and album have accounted for two singles: "This Is Us" featuring Noah Cyrus, and "Freedom Was a Highway" featuring Brad Paisley.
| Bettie James Gold Edition | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 25, 2021 | |||
| Genre | Country,[1] contemporary R&B[1] | |||
| Label | Stoney Creek | |||
| Producer |
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| Jimmie Allen chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Bettie James Gold Edition | ||||
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Content
editBettie James was originally issued as a seven-song extended play on July 10, 2020. The album's name comes from Allen's father, James Allen, and grandmother, Bettie Snead. Allen co-produced the EP with Ash Bowers, and recorded every track as a duet. Collaborators include Tim McGraw, Darius Rucker, Mickey Guyton, Charley Pride, and The Oak Ridge Boys. The extended play's lead single was "This Is Us", a duet with Noah Cyrus.[2]
In June 2021, BBR Music Group released Bettie James Gold Edition, which consists of all seven songs off the extended play plus nine more. Included in these was the project's second single, the Brad Paisley duet "Freedom Was a Highway". "Boy Gets a Truck" was previously recorded by Australian country singer Keith Urban on his 2016 album Ripcord.[3] Further collaborators in the full album include Monica, Babyface, and Pitbull. In collaboration with the album, Allen also began a publishing company also called Bettie James, to which his bass guitarist Tate Howell has been signed.[4]
Critical reception
editStephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic rated the extended play version three out of five stars, writing that "there are tips of the hat to his forefathers, a slight nod to hip-hop, some partying, a lot of ballads, and it's all unified by Allen's nimble navigating of the byways separating country, pop, and R&B."[1] Matt Bjorke of Roughstock gave the full album a positive review, writing that "It might be an unexpected turn to make for an artist making only their second full-length album, but it is an unexpected turn that actually cements what I’ve thought of Jimmie Allen since I first got a chance to hear and see him play: The man is a superstar."[5]
Bettie James (extended play) track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Featured artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Good Times Roll" |
| Nelly | 2:38 |
| 2. | "Drunk and I Miss You" |
| Mickey Guyton | 2:47 |
| 3. | "Made for These" |
| Tim McGraw | 3:45 |
| 4. | "Freedom Was a Highway" |
| Brad Paisley | 3:32 |
| 5. | "Why Things Happen" |
| Charley Pride and Darius Rucker | 3:16 |
| 6. | "When This Is Over" | Tauren Wells, Rita Wilson, and The Oak Ridge Boys | 3:41 | |
| 7. | "This Is Us" | Noah Cyrus | 3:25 |
Bettie James Gold Edition track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Featured Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Get Country" |
| LoCash | 03:54 |
| 2. | "Home Sweet Hometown" |
| Lanco | 03:50 |
| 3. | "Flavor" |
| Pitbull, Vikina, and Teamwork | 02:57 |
| 4. | "Somebody" |
| Breland and Lathan Warwick | 02:54 |
| 5. | "Pray" |
| Monica and Little Big Town | 03:34 |
| 6. | "Boy Gets a Truck" |
| Keith Urban | 03:43 |
| 7. | "Livin' Man" |
| Neon Union | 03:27 |
| 8. | "Tequila Talkin'" |
| Lindsay Ell and Teamwork | 03:19 |
| 9. | "Forever" |
| Babyface | 04:10 |
| 10. | "Good Times Roll" | Nelly | 02:39 | |
| 11. | "Drunk and I Miss You" | Mickey Guyton | 02:48 | |
| 12. | "Made for These" | Tim McGraw | 03:46 | |
| 13. | "Freedom Was a Highway" | Brad Paisley | 03:33 | |
| 14. | "Why Things Happen" | Charley Pride and Darius Rucker | 03:17 | |
| 15. | "When This Is Over" | Tauren Wells, Rita Wilson, and The Oak Ridge Boys | 03:42 | |
| 16. | "This Is Us" | Noah Cyrus | 03:26 |
References
edit- ^ a b c "Bettie James review". AllMusic. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
- ^ Jon Freeman (July 1, 2020). "Jimmie Allen Recruits Mickey Guyton, Tim McGraw for New 'Bettie James' EP". Rolling Stone Country. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
- ^ Billy Dukes (June 14, 2021). "Jimmie Allen extends 'Bettie James' EP with nine new collaborations". Taste of Country. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
- ^ Jessica Nicholson (June 25, 2021). "Jimmie Allen Broadens Country's Borders With 'Bettie James Gold Edition': 'Things Die When They Don't Grow'". Billboard. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
- ^ Matt Bjorke (February 23, 2022). "Bettie James review". Roughstock. Retrieved April 14, 2022.