Recorded January 17-23 and 27-31, 2026 in Nashville, TN at Sound Emporium Engineered by Brandon Bell Assisted by Skyler Chuckry Debras Waltz recorded January 12, 2026 in Nashville, TN at Third Man Studios Engineered by Brandon Bell Assisted by Bill Skibbe and Hanford Pittman Additional recording February 21, 2026 in Nashville, TN at Belair Engineered by Brandon Bell Edited by Michael Piersante, Eddie Roberts and Brandon Bell Mixed by Michael Piersante in Los Angeles, CA at The Village Mastered by Gavin Lurssen in Los Angeles, CA at Lurssen Mastering Vinyl Mastering by Jeff Powell in Memphis, TN at Take Out Vinyl Produced by T Bone Burnett and Billy Strings Executive Producer Bill Orner Original Artwork by Debra Apostol Photography and Graphic Design by Dana Trippe Concept by Billy Strings Design and Layout by Bill Orner and Logan Fox If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough When you get knocked down, you gotta get back up I ain't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I know enough, to know If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough I lit my brain with rotgut whiskey 'Til my pain was chicken fried And I had dudes with badges frisk me And teach me how to swallow pride I took advice no fool would take I got some habits I can't shake I ain't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I know enough to know If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough When you get knocked down, you gotta get back up That's the way it is in life and love If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough I've been up and down and down and out I've been left and right and wrong Well, I walked the walk and I ran my mouth I've been on the short end for too long But if they gave medals for honky-tonk wars Hell, I'd keep mine in my chest of drawers With my IRS bills and divorce papers and all that stuff If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough When you get knocked down, you gotta get back up I ain't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I know enough to know If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough Recorded at Sound Emporium, Nashville, TN on March 2, 2026 Recording Engineer: Skyler Chuckry Assistant Engineer: Joanna Finley Mastered by: Patricia Sullivan at Bernie Grundman Mastering Produced by Billy Strings Written by Roger Alan Wade Produced by Billy Strings Billy Strings: Guitar / Vocals Royal Masat: Bass Jarrod Walker: Mandolin Russ Carson: Banjo Jerry Douglas: Dobro Jamie Dick: Drums Billy Strings - Guitar, Vocals Alex Hargreaves - Fiddle Billy Failing - Banjo, Vocals Jarrod Walker- Mandolin, Vocals Royal Masat - Bass Nat Smith - Cello Jamie Dick - Drums Recording/Tracking Engineer: Chris Montgomery Stereo Mixing: Brandon Bell Stereo Mastering: Patricia Sullivan Spatial Mixing: Chris Montgomery Spatial Mastering: Chris Montgomery Recorded April 7, 2024 at American Legion Inglewood Post 82 in Nashville, TN Engineered by Simon Kemp Recorded by Brandon Bell Mixed by Brandon Bell Mastered by Patricia Sullivan at Bernie Grundman Mastering Produced by Billy Strings and Bryan Sutton Billy Strings: Guitar / Vocals Bryan Sutton: Guitar / Vocals Photography by Joshua Black Wilkins Design, Layout and Concept by Billy Strings, Bill Orner and Logan Fox Escanaba, Seven Weeks in County, Be Your Man, Gone a Long Time, My Alice and Leadfoot Recorded June 28 - July 10, 2023 in Los Angeles, CA at East West Studios Engineered by Greg Koller, Assisted by Chaz Sexton and Joe Caldwell Leaning on a Travelin Song, In the Clear, Gild the Lily, Stratosphere Blues, I Believe in You, Cabin Song, Dont Be Calling Me(at 4am), Malfunction Junction, Seney Stretch, MORBUD4ME, Happy Hollow, It Ain't Before, The Beginning of the End and Richard Petty Recorded January 22 - 28, February 6 - 10 and March 6, 2024 in Nashville, TN Engineered by Brandon Bell, Assisted by Jason Tobias Catch and Release Recorded January 31, 2021 at Sound Emporium in Nashville, TN Engineered by Gary Paczosa, Assisted by Sklyer Chuckry Additional recording June 9, 2024 in Burbank, CA at Apex Studio Edited by Eric Caudieux Mixed by Greg Koller Mastered by Patricia Sullivan at Bernie Grundman Mastering Produced by Billy Strings and Jon Brion Additional Production by Brandon Bell Photography by Dana Trippe Design, Layout and Concept by Billy Strings and Bill Orner Produced by Billy Strings Executive Producer Bill Orner Archival research by Nick Confino & Bill Orner Recording Engineer Andy Lytle Mixed by Brandon Bell / assisted by Annie Petrik Mastered by Gavin Lurssen at Lurssen Mastering Artwork by Alex Tenta Design by Bill Orner Photography by Jesse Faatz & Andy Tennille Recorded Live March 4, 2023 Recorded at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, NC Recording Engineer Andy Lytle Mixed by Brandon Bell Mastered by Gavin Lurssen at Lurssen Mastering Executive Producer Bill Orner Billy Strings - Guitar / Vocals Billy Failing - Banjo Alex Hargreaves - Fiddle Royal Masat - Bass Jarrod Walker - Mandolin Artwork by Alex Tenta Design by Bill Orner Photography by Jesse Faatz Written by William Apostol (Apostol Publishing, BMI), Aaron Allen (Joy Zone, ASCAP), and Jon Weisberger (Use Your Words Music, BMI and Asheville Music Publishing BMI) Well I used to like to ramble with my good-time friends and neighbors now I find Id rather lie awake in bed And I dont get to acting mean when I keep my buzzes clean and keep the hard stuff and the whiskey from my head Well I guess thats just the trouble when youre always seeing double and the lines are getting twice as hard to see Ive had years I dont recall but Im told I had a ball At least someone did who looked a lot like me Well Im California sober as they say Lately I can find no other way I cant stay out and party like I did back in the day So Im California sober as they say I learned out in the hills they have pills to get their thrills and they love their liquor down in New Orleans Maybe for a New York minute Sugarcane will fit the bill But in no time flat youre out of what you need The old crew dont get together anymore these days much ever After some went straight and some went straight to jail Now theyre busy posting vids and just trying to raise their kids Instead of raising holy hell and posting bail I was California Sober till I thought the world was over now Im sitting on the roadside once again And when that wagon passes by, I dont even bat an eye because the devil on my shoulder always wins Because the devil on my shoulder always wins Written by Billy Strings (Apostol Publishing, BMI
NIDA 2012)
In terms of mean property taxes paid, Connecticut ranked second highest when compared to neighboring states
Drops of water on the leaves, earthy note underneath and a slightly charred toned down edge of lovely dry tobacco
