LIMEWIRE MUSIC BLOG

Top 10 Country Singles of 2009

4. Holly Williams – “Mama”
The daughter of Hank Williams Jr., one might wonder about her style. It’s definitely different from her father or her grandfather. However, she definitely has a voice of her own, as evidenced by this beautiful track about her mother, Becky. Just when you think all the good ideas are gone, one comes along that blows you away like this one.

Holly Williams, Here with Me (Mercury Nashville)
Intensely personal and intimate, yet buoyed by flashes of a wide-open and playful personality, Williams’ second album amps up the twang that comes natural to someone born into country music’s most mythic family. But her strengths come from the casual way she deals with the most human of subjects, be it her relationship with her parents, her spiritual renewal after a catastrophic accident or running away for a few hedonistic days with a new acquaintance.


AOL's THE BOOT - Top Country Albums of 2009

Narrowing down our list of top country albums of 2009 to just ten was nothing short of an excruciating task. Country music has flourished this year, with both newcomers and seasoned singers delivering attention-grabbing efforts that please from start-to-finish, without any fillers. The Boot presents (after hours of debating) our top ten albums of 2009 -- not just the biggest sellers or radio pleasers, but the albums that we believe made the biggest mark on this last year of the decade.

3. Holly Williams, 'Here With Me' (Standout Song: 'Alone')
Knowing she's the granddaughter of Hank Williams and that her dad is Hank Jr. won't tell you much about Holly Williams as a songwriter, except that you can assume (quite correctly) that she knows what she's doing when it comes to crafting real, close-to-the-heart slices of life that will stick with you after a single listen. Go ahead and try to get through 'Mama' or 'Without Jesus Here With Me' without tearing up -- we dare you.

THATNASHVILLESOUND.COM - Top Ten Albums of 2009

4. Holly Williams- Here With Me- It’s almost impossible to disconnect the Williams legacy from this new young artist. What she brings to the table is much of her grandfather’s touch with a song. Her voice, while beautiful, has a unique ability to convey the nuances of feeling including sadness, genuine hurt, joy and disappointment. It’s a very emotional sound- most notable through her slower and quieter songs. This emotive songstress channels the very best of her musical legacy on nearly every song- drawing the listener in with some of the best melancholy textured ballads released this year. Each song has roots to her soul.

PEOPLE MAGAZINE

Holly Williams, Here With Me - Her grandfather is Hank Williams and her dad is Hank Williams Jr.  It's a family legacy that this songer-songwriter does mighty proud on the year's finest country album. On songs like the spare ballad "Three Days In Bed," she makes the ache hurt so good.