Mix Together Some Andy Griffith and LL Cool J: Wheelhouse by Brad Paisley

Country music star Brad Paisley performs to more than 11,000 members of the Naval Station Mayport community.
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It’s here! It’s here! And it’s here for free download on Freegal. Brad Paisley’s highly-anticipated album Wheelhouse showed up this very day on Freegal. Entertainment Weekly says the album “includes some of his boldest—and funniest—work so far.”

This is the first time I’ve known the release date of an album and been able to check when it appears. Which means Freegal folks aren’t second-class citizens. We get to start as soon as everyone else. (We do have to be a little patient, of course, since most of us can only get 3 songs a week.)

Paisley has always been one of my favorite country artists. The fellow who wrote “American Saturday Night” isn’t afraid to broaden his horizons and talk about how all kinds of immigrants have helped this country.

He can play his humor broad—as when he proclaims “I’d like to check you for ticks” but he can also show a wry sense of humor with a song like “Alcohol.

I’m listening to 30-second samples of his album right now— did I just hear a riff from Roger Miller and Andy Griffith talking about Aunt Bea’s pie? And some whistling? And Eric Idle? And LL Cool J? And old-time radio? And Jeff Foxworthy?

You’ve got to hear this. He manages to bring it all together, to be serious and funny, but mostly he is showing that he is one heck of a musician.