Raised on 150 East Tennessee acres, 19-year-old Hudson Macready is staking his claim as one of his generation’s most authentic country artists. He easily achieves what is often one of the most challenging aspects for a young artist–he writes songs with an honesty and maturity beyond what one would expect. No doubt, as he continues to observe life, his work will become even more profound.

Growing up listening to the music of Willie Nelson, Gary Clark Jr., Jason Isbell, and many others had a profound effect. He knew at an early age that his destiny was to share those concert stages. Well, with the release of his new EP—Thank God For The Dogs—he has earned the right to get those gigs that will eventually lead to his being a headliner. It’s a collection of songs that display his composing versatility and his focus on the country genre. Given his likeable persona and his obvious charisma, country music fans should support him in every way possible so that they don’t lose yet another young country star to the pop world.

The tracks on this EP are a blend of easygoing country, delivered with soul and modern sensibility. Throughout, the accompanying instrumentation is just right, the stories are well-told, and each song Hudson Macready smoothly sings survives the repeat-listening test. Macready harnesses music’s unique power to tell universal truths through personal experiences. There are lyrics that have appeared in other songs, but the care that he takes with words like “porch swing,” “drunk,” or “county lines” invest them with the pain or pleasure of a true memory. Macready is at his best when he is revealing his emotions one word and chord at a time.