Today, Country hitmaker Ashley Cooke shares two all-new songs from her upcoming self-titled sophomore album: the witty but confessional “famous to frances” and the gorgeously melancholy “johnny ‘n june.” With the LP’s release just weeks away, each track explores heartbreak from a distinct angle, together embodying the raw emotional truth at the heart of ashley cooke (due out via Big Loud Records/Back Blocks Music on August 14). Go here to listen to “famous to frances,” and check out “johnny ‘n june” here.
Written by Cooke, Johnny Clawson, and Kyle Sturrock, “famous to frances” arrives as an all-too-real portrait of modern romance (from the first verse: “we’re somewhere between love and a ‘you up’ situation”). With its title lyric referring to her real-life therapist, the impossibly catchy slow-burner reflects on a relationship that’s nearly invisible in her everyday life but dominates her inner world, including her biweekly therapy sessions (“you’re famous to frances / I tell her about you / on every other wednesday 2:30 pm…she thinks you’re the worst / and I hate to admit / that I still kinda think you’re the best / but we’re workin’ on it”). A powerful testament to her storytelling instincts, “famous to frances” reveals Cooke’s rare talent for turning complex emotion into songs both disarmingly funny and deeply affecting.
The next song on ashley cooke’s tracklist, “johnny ‘n june” drifts into a wistful mood as Cooke captures the lingering grief of a relationship left undefined. Despite its nod to one of music’s most iconic love stories, the hauntingly stark track documents a much more intimate experience: falling for someone named Johnny in the month of June. Penned by Cooke, Lauren Hungate, Emily Weisband, and Will Weatherly, “johnny ‘n june” brings its bittersweet recollection to life by way of its beautifully rendered sensory details (e.g., summer rain, cheap wine, thunderstorms, moonlight). As she observes the changing seasons with an aching nostalgia, Cooke ultimately voices her fear of never finding that same spark again: “they say lightning don’t strike twice / I’ll be lookin’ my whole life / for somethin’ that makes me feel alive like / johnny ‘n june.”
Both produced by the legendary Dann Huff (Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift), “famous to frances” and “johnny ‘n june” add to an assured and ambitious album stacked with standouts like Cooke’s current Country radio hit “baby blues” — a longtime fan favorite that climbed to the No. 1 spot on SiriusXM The Highway’s Hot 30 Countdown earlier this year. Featuring co-writes with luminaries like Liz Rose, Lori McKenna, Ashley Gorley, and Hillary Lindsey and GRAMMY-nominated singer/songwriter JP Saxe, ashley cooke also includes her recent Country radio smash “the hell you are,” “xs” (a March release that inspired Country Swag to hail Cooke as “one of the most exciting rising artists in the genre today”), and “high school sweetheart” (a self-possessed takedown of someone stuck in teenage gossip mode).
A bold evolution of her acclaimed debut album shot in the dark (a 2023 LP featuring the GOLD-certified “never til now” and Country radio No. 1 hit “your place”), ashley cooke drops a month before she embarks on the baby blues world tour — a global headline run launching on September 17 at Globe Iron in Cleveland. With dates currently scheduled through February 25 at the legendary Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, the 28-date trek includes stops in major cities throughout the US and UK. For more info on Cooke’s upcoming tour dates, visit ashleycooke.com.
