Often times, Nashville goes to great lengths to sell you on how ‘real’ an artist is. Sometimes they’re not quite as genuine as they are advertised to be…but then again, sometimes they really are.
When you see husband & wife duo Joey+Rory, you don’t need to be told that what they have is genuine. Just listen to their music or listen to them talk and you can tell that what they have is the real deal…not just as a musical duo, but as a couple. The deep connection they have doesn’t just shine through their music, it’s the reason their music shines.
Which is why their newest album, aptly titled Album Number Two, wasn’t born from the success of their 2008 debut. It’s actually the result of a night in Nashville ten years ago, when a gorgeously gifted singer named Joey walked into an ‘In The Round’ songwriters performance. Between finding her seat and the end of the show, she felt drawn to the man onstage simply through his songs. While she wasn’t able to meet him that night, she did two years later and over a cup of coffee, she told the songwriting single-dad exactly how she felt. A few short months later, she wasn’t just a singer named Joey anymore. She was Mrs. Rory Feek.
For the next 5 years, Joey and Rory lived a simple but glorious life reveling in their roles as husband & wife on the farm where they reside in Pottsville, TN. Joey fell right into place as Mom to Rory’s two daughters as she continued her quest for a solo career, eventually recording an album for Sony that was never released. Rory continued to build his status as a hit songwriter punching out chart-topping songs like Blake Shelton’s “Some Beach,” Clay Walker’s “The Chain of Love,” and most recently Easton Corbin’s #1 hit “A Little More Country Than That” along with cuts by Kenny Chesney, Randy Travis, Collin Raye, Reba and many others.
But in 2008, their quiet life changed after they reluctantly auditioned for a reality TV show, CMT’s Can You Duet Season I, at the urging of a co-writer.
“There was not an ounce of me that thought ‘Here is this beautiful woman and great singer in Joey, but throwing in her 42-year-old, overall-wearing husband will be the magic combination,’” Rory says with a laugh. But it was magic. Joey+Rory became fan favorites ultimately finishing 3rd and landing a record deal with Vanguard / Sugar Hill Records.
Their debut album The Life Of A Song quickly spawned a Top 30 hit with “Cheater Cheater” and in the blink of an eye, the duo was everywhere…touring coast-to-coast and overseas. Their success with radio/video airplay and album sales propelled them into several nominations for both industry and fan-voted awards, including winning the 2010 ACM Award for Top New Vocal Duo.
The quick success was not something the couple anticipated, as they hadn’t thought of their life together as extraordinarily compelling. Fans across the country thought differently. “The response to the first album has been amazing,” reflects Joey, “Now, I can’t wait for them to hear our new record.”
Album Number Two is built in much the same manner as The Life Of A Song not because it was a successful formula, but because those are the kind of songs these two like to hear. According to Rory, while he has had success writing songs for other artists, teaming up with Joey has allowed him the freedom to become a different kind of songwriter. At the same time, the pairing has unleashed Joey’s full potential as a singer as well.
“As a songwriter you have to imagine being somebody different every time you write a song, but the magic of being an artist is you get to be you, to write what you want to say…and I have never had the chance to do that before. I’m not sure Joey ever got to be herself either because there were always teams of people telling her how to dress, not to sing about this and so on. There is none of that anymore. We are 100% ourselves here.”
That freedom is paying off in spades for them. Rory is quick to point out that most of the decisions are led by Joey. In his eyes, “This is her dream,” he says, “I just get the best seat in the house to watch it happen!” As much as they are a duo both onstage and in life, he’s happy to be the man standing just outside the spotlight so that the world can focus on his songbird of a wife.
Led primarily by Joey’s honey-laden vocals, Album Number Two covers all the bases from their signature tongue-in-cheek style of the title cut to “That’s Important To Me,” a song that encapsulates the down-to-earth values that define Joey+Rory both as a couple and a duo alike. There are songs about love (“Born To Be Your Woman”), about cheating (“God Help My Man”), and about faith (“Where Jesus Is”). Songs about cowboys (“All You Need Is Me”), horses (“The Horse Nobody Could Ride”), and about fame (“Farm To Fame”). Most striking however, is the album’s lead single, a working man’s anthem and a tip of the hat to country music fans and concert-goers, “This Song’s For You” featuring the Zac Brown Band that Rory wrote on a tour bus with Zac Brown.
Not all of the songs on Album Number Two are newly written, which ironically is another product of having been turned loose of any inhibitions or corporate direction. A prime example is “My Ol’ Man,” a song resurrected from Rory’s files that is so powerful it punches you in the heart with little more than bare-knuckle lyrics and a lush piano.
Through a mixture of traditional country flavor and new millennium marketing, including corporate sponsorships, reality TV and a national ad campaign with Overstock.com, Joey+Rory have built an impressive fan base and won CMA & ACM nominations and awards their own way.
“TV exposure is unique,” notes Joey. “Not only do people hear our voices, they get to look into our eyes and see who we really are, on a deeper level. A lot of our fan base comes from people who seem to relate to our story and how we interact.
“It’s such a blessing to get to play music and travel and see things we’ve never been able to see before. But the highlight of it all is being able to do it together.”
With Album Number Two tucked firmly under their arms, Joey+Rory are headed out with the same intent they had the first time around.
“Our plan is the same as it’s always been - to show up, do what we do and hope that magic will happen,” says Rory. “As hard as we work, we ultimately know that God’s plans are a lot bigger and better than we can make ourselves. Just having the chance to record and release ALBUM NUMBER TWO is proof of that!”
Sweet Emmylou
Joey + Rory Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I blew the dust off you
Your the only one who
Knows what I'm going through
And like the hickory wind
He's gone again
Sweet Emmylou
As the needle run through you
The way the pain shines through
Well I know you've been there too
Those sad melodies
Oh how they comfort me
Sweet Emmylou
Chorus
And I hate to bother you again
Last time you helped
My poor heart mend
When he came along
So I put your records all away
Thought happy songs
Was all I'd play
But I was wrong
Oh I was wrong
Sweet Emmylou
What are we gonna do
It's only been a week or two
And he's found someone new
Looks like it's gonna be
Another night with you and me
Sweet Emmylou
Repeat Chorus
Sweet Emmylou
Sweet Emmylou
Sweet Emmylou
The song "Sweet Emmylou" by Joey + Rory is a heartfelt tribute to Emmylou Harris and the power of music to soothe the soul. The lyrics speak to the pain of lost love, and how the singer finds solace in Emmylou's music. The metaphor of the dusty record is used to represent the ways in which we can rediscover old comforts when life gets tough. The singer sings to Emmylou as though she is a friend, thanking her for her support in the past and hoping that her music will continue to help her through her latest heartache.
The first verse sets the tone for the song as the singer blows the dust off an old record of Emmylou's. The lyrics suggest that Emmylou is the only one who truly understands what the singer is going through. The second verse continues the theme, with the singer finding comfort in the pain that shines through in Emmylou's voice. The chorus speaks to the singer's hesitance to rely on Emmylou again, having already leaned on her in the past. She worries that she is being a burden, and hopes that she can find a way to cope on her own.
The third verse reveals that the singer's fears were justified, as her lover has left her for someone else. Once again, she turns to Emmylou for comfort, acknowledging that it will be another night of heartache and music. The song ends with a repetition of Emmylou's name, emphasizing her importance as a source of comfort and strength.
Line by Line Meaning
Sweet Emmylou
Addressing the inanimate object as a trusted confidant and friend
I blew the dust off you
Dusting off a record symbolizes reopening oneself to past memories and emotions associated with the music
Your the only one who
Emmylou is the only one that the singer is comfortable sharing their feelings with
Knows what I'm going through
Emmylou represents the artist's shared experiences and understanding of heartbreak and loss
And like the hickory wind
A reference to a country song that conveys the fleeting nature of love and life
He's gone again
The singer's love interest has left them once more
As the needle run through you
The physical act of playing a record adds to the emotional catharsis of the music
The way the pain shines through
The music captures the depth of the artist's heartache
Well I know you've been there too
The artist finds solace in the idea that Emmylou has also experienced heartbreak and understands their pain
Those sad melodies
The sad songs on the record help the artist process their emotions
Oh how they comfort me
The music provides a source of comfort and healing for the singer
And I hate to bother you again
The artist is hesitant to rely on Emmylou once more for comfort, but cannot resist turning to the music for solace
Last time you helped
Emmylou provided the singer with emotional support during a previous heartbreak
My poor heart mend
The music, represented by Emmylou, helped the singer heal emotionally
When he came along
The singer's love interest caused them to put aside the sad records and try to focus on happy music instead
So I put your records all away
The artist tried to avoid the sadness of their previous heartbreak by avoiding the music that reminded them of it
Thought happy songs
The artist believed that only listening to positive, upbeat music would help them move on from their heartbreak
Was all I'd play
The singer limited their music choices to only happy songs
But I was wrong
The singer now realizes that avoiding sad music did not help them heal and is now turning to Emmylou once more for comfort
What are we gonna do
The artist is seeking comfort and guidance from Emmylou with their current heartbreak
It's only been a week or two
The artist's current heartbreak is still fresh and they are still processing their emotions
And he's found someone new
The artist's love interest has already moved on, causing the artist emotional pain
Looks like it's gonna be
The singer realizes that they will probably be spending another night alone with their sad music
Another night with you and me
Emmylou will once again be the artist's emotional support and only companion through their heartbreak
Sweet Emmylou
Repeating the song's title as a comforting refrain
Contributed by Isaac J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.