Brantley Gilbert and Lindsay Ell are the duo we didn’t know we needed, and have been absolutely blown away by. “What Happens in a Small Town” is one of Ell’s latest features, and Gilbert’s latest single.
Lindsay Ell, known for her kick-ass guitar riffs and rock-country vibe has featured with some pretty big names and toured with world-class acts in her career. Brantley Gilbert has defined his seat as a passionate rock-country artist. The pair are a match made in country heaven.
The song features each of their powerful voices sharing a track about the difficulty of moving on from breakups in a small town. For those who haven’t necessarily experienced a “small town,” your business is everyone’s business, including relationships and breakups. On top of that, it’s difficult to avoid someone when the town is so small you see them everywhere.
To add to the difficulty of having any privacy, everyone and everywhere is a reminder of relationships and it can be very hard to escape. It’s a story country artists have told time and time again- yet somehow the story is told so uniquely from many artists. What Happens in a Small Town is no exception.
Ell also has a guitar solo in the song, something she’s becoming well-known for all through North America. She’s been praised by Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, and now Brantley Gilbert for her unbelievable skill as a guitarist.
Gilbert first heard Ell playing at the Grand Ole Opry and her name was the first that popped into his head when asked who he’d like the song to feature, as it became apparent when writing that it would be a duet (The Bobby Bones Show). Lindsay noted on the song that her favourite duets are the ones she’d never expect to see paired together as performers.
What Happens In a Small Town is no exception. When I first heard it, I couldn’t believe how great the two artists sounded together, and on top of that how well their sounds really mesh. I’m sure we will be seeing this song climb the country charts in no time.
Lyrics to “What Happens in a Small Town” by Brantley Gilbert ft. Lindsay Ell
I can’t go for a ride to clear my head
‘Cause everything I pass puts you back in it
Yeah, we’re done, moving on
But you can’t be too far gone
Cause what happens in a small town stays in a small town
Every back road we’ve ever gone down
Friday night bleachers, Sunday pews
Ain’t a county line mile without a memory of you
Every whisper, every room I walk in
Every time the bartender fills it up again
Everybody knows why I’m here
And you ain’t around
Cause what happens in a small town stays in a small town
Oh, we said this goodbye was the last
I guess I could leave, I could run from the past
And from us, and from you
But this is where I belong, this is my home too
What happens in a small town stays in a small town
Every back road we’ve ever gone down
Friday night bleachers, Sunday pews
Ain’t a county line mile without a memory of you
Every whisper, every room I walk in
Every time the bartender fills it up again
Everybody knows why I’m here
And you ain’t around
Cause what happens in a small town stays in a small town
And I’m still here
And every time I see that little white jeep
Yeah, that hand-me-down Ford pulling down your street
I wonder if somebody’s in my seat
If you’re moving on, or you’re stuck like me
Cause what happens in a small town stays in a small town
Oh yeah
What happens in a small town stays in a small town
Every back road we’ve ever gone down
Friday night bleachers, Sunday pews
Ain’t a county line mile without a memory of you
Every whisper, every room I walk in
Every time the bartender fills it up again
Everybody knows why I’m here
And you ain’t around (you ain’t around)
Cause what happens in a small town stays in a small town
Stays in a small town
Stays in a small town
Now I’m still here
(What happens in a small town)
I’m still here
(Stays in a small town)
I’m still here
Yeah I’m still here
I’m still here
Listen to “What Happens in a Small Town” by Brantley Gilbert ft Lindsay Ell
In country music, the Front Porch has long been a place of reflection. A place where you can look at the life you have inside that front door. A place where time almost seems to stand still, where you can get away. It’s also a place where you can go to observe the world as it passes by you. To think about your place out there beyond the driveway.
