When you begin to run out of accolades to receive, records to break, and precedents to set, that is when you know a song has reached an earth-shattering status, destined to be remembered by generations, and to define the era in which it was released. There have been some moments over the last few years in country music that threatened to do this. The Luke Combs version of “Fast Car” comes to mind, or maybe Oliver Anthony’s improbable “Rich Men North of Richmond.” “Cruise” did it for the Bro-Country era.
But you really have to go back to Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey” and its improbable moment at the 2015 CMA Awards to find a comparable song to Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas.” Interestingly, “Tennessee Whiskey” was never released as a proper single, let alone had a proper music video. This was how slow to adapt Music Row was back during that period. “Traveller” was Stapleton’s single at the time. It eventually went 3X Platinum. “Tennessee Whiskey” has gone Double Diamond, or 20X Platinum—one of the few songs to ever do so in history.
Ella Langley and her crew aren’t making that same mistake of misreading the moment. They’re doubling down on “Choosin’ Texas,” releasing an extended, live action video for the song on April 1st. And instead of soliciting the services of Nashville’s star power, authentic to the story of the song, they instead tapped Texas talent to round out the video’s cast.
Early on you see Texas artists Wade Bowen, Tanner Usrey, Casey Donahew, and Mike Ryan as patrons in the bar. Incidentally, Casey’s wife Melinda Donahew also plays the bartender. Miranda Lambert who both co-wrote, and co-produced “Choosin’ Texas” plays the bar’s performer. And then Kaitlin Butts (who officially is from Tulsa, not Texas, but close enough), plays one of the video’s villains, issuing a scathing line to Ella. In truth, the two are friends and touring buddies.
Playing the love interest is Luke Grimes, who isn’t originally from Texas (he’s from Ohio), but who is a more independent-oriented country music singer and songwriter when he’s not acting in the Yellowstone series or spinoffs. Ava Phillippe stars as the other woman. The video was shot in the Stagecoach Ballroom in Fort Worth.
Either you love videos like the new 7-minute extended “Choosin’ Texas” production, or they don’t do anything for you. But don’t discount the boost this video could give to some of the names involved due to the song’s continued popularity, especially Kaitlin Butts who’s featured so prominently. If listeners love the traditional, but accessible nature of “Choosin’ Texas,” the catalog of Kaitlin Butts is a great place to head next.
Even if some of the acting and scenarios seem a little forced—after all these are musicians as opposed to actors, save for Kayce Dutton—the intent was to keep the “Choosin’ Texas” video authentic, and include real deal country performers. The video also features rodeo legends JB Mauney, Dale Brisby, Shad Mayfield, Tyson Durfey, and Leighton Berry. It’s the traditional country nature of “Choosin’ Texas” that has resonated so deeply with audiences.
If nothing else, the video helps illustrate why “Choosin’ Texas” continues to do so well, beyond the alluring Palomino sound. In the interaction between Kaitlin Butts and Ella Langley, it exposes the emotion behind the song. We’ve all been in those social interactions where it feels like the world is turning against you, you feel small and insignificant. “Choosin’ Texas” encapsulates that cutting, devastating emotion.
Will anything on Ella Langley’s upcoming album Dandelion set for release on April 10th live up to the expectations set by “Choosin’ Texas”? At this point, it would be impossible to because of the overwhelming success of the song.
But irrespective of what happens for Ella moving forward, “Choosin’ Texas,” and this moment in country music is her’s, and forever. Yet through the new video, she chooses to also share that moment with others, including some very deserving performers.
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