Loren Ryan, Corey Legge & Finnian Johnson: Highlights From This Week’s ‘Grass Roots’

Every week, ABC Country's Grass Roots program shines a light on the best independently released Australian country content. Selected from the hundreds of new tracks submitted, the one-hour program is now available on demand as well as premiering each Monday at 9pm on ABC Country, showing the health of Aussie country music across all its sub-genres. Here are four of this week's tracks you should have on your radar. 

Head here to have a listen to this week’s full episode of Grass Roots.

Loren Ryan – My Favourite Summer (ft. Nathan Lamont)

Loren Ryan – a 2024 Golden Guitar nominee for New Talent Of The Year – has at last released her debut EP, Homecoming. It’s a stirring five-track effort that produces strong positive emotions, sung from the heart and delivered in Ryan’s calling-card soulful influence. My Favourite Summer features another Indigenous voice on the rise: Nathan Lamont. Loren says, “I love this song so much, it could be one of the best songs I've written. I'm proud to have Nathan Lamont featuring on this song with me. Nathan is a childhood friend of mine and it's deadly to collaborate on a song after all these years.”

Corey Legge – West Coast

West Coast is the second single from Corey Legge’s forthcoming fourth studio album, and is sure to become an instant fa- favourite. Recorded with producer Nash Chambers and co-producer Syd Green, this country-pop track is “summer on repeat”, taking the listener back to simpler, easier times. Legge’s classy guitar licks are on full display, with smooth vocal melodies and laidback grooves setting the scene for a track best listened to whilst driving down the highway as the sun sets slowly over the ocean.

Finnian Johnson – I’m Doing Well

Rising country artist Finnian Johnson is launching into 2024 with a new release ahead of his appearance at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. I’m Doing Well is a powerful song poured straight from the heart. Its lyrics serve as a reminder that no matter what you may go through in life, you can always acknowledge that you are pushing through it.

“I’m Doing Well is the most special song I’ve ever written,” Johnson says, “coming straight from my heart for anyone to connect with”. Co-written with Golden Guitar winners Brooke McClymont and Adam Eckersley, and produced by Lewis Mitchell, I’m Doing Well is Johnson’s second original release and follows up on his exceptional 2023 debut Dishonest.

You can listen to the latest full episode of ABC Country’s Grass Roots here.

A cool little sidenote: if you’re heading to this year’s Tamworth Country Music Festival, ABC Country have put together the ultimate playlist of artists performing across the mammoth ten-day stint. Have a listen to that here, then head here to check out our very own guide to the 2024 TCMF.