“Things ain’t what they used to be” is a staple of any genre, music or otherwise. It can be trite sometimes, a spot of “old man yelling at clouds” for the terminally online. Gretchen Wilson’s Outlaws and Renegades take a queue from Waylon Jennings’ Are you sure Hank done it this way? and criticises the (then) modern country scene of 2010.

Ms. Wilson, what are your thoughts on 2026 country?

I’m not a purist, and there are a couple of good acts right now, but the genre is struggling, just like rock and blues. Sign of the times, I guess. To be honest, all genres need to move on and try new things. Country with beats via Lil Nas X was cool, and for every Morgan Wallen you get a Lainey Wilson. Make that what you will.

Gretchen Wilson got a big boost with non-country listeners back when Heart were at the Rock Honours of 2007. She provided vocals while the remaining members of Alice in Chains jammed with her Barracuda, Heart’s rockiest song.

On 2010’s I got your country right here, Gretchen Wilson pays tribute to artists of old. The ones she and a whole generation grew up with, and nothing wrong with a good look at the past. But even back then, the country scene struggled. Sure, there are sell out tours, and artists making it big, but, and this is my old man yelling at clouds, it feels a bit hollow. Overproducing, autotune and overcompression affected country and it’s something technical that is affecting several genres. Even electronica artists get that “clipping white noise” you get from overcompressors.

Outlaws and Renegades longs for a time we can’t ever relive so the question is… where do we go from here?

-Sam J. Valdés López