The release of “You, The Devil, and Me” is the beginning of a new music chapter for Court Taylor. Not only because it’s her first release since her debut EP last year, the Georgia native notes that her newest effort is her first release that feels truly her; laying the groundwork for the artist she wants to be moving forward.
Taylor’s new single blurs the lines between country, soul and bluegrass as she scorns small town gossip . Equipped with harmonica, an acoustic-driven melody and a rock solid vocal track, Taylor’s second musical chapter is off to quite a chart with “You, The Devil, and Me.”
We chatted with Court all about “You, The Devil, and Me,” as well as her musical roots, authenticity, her big plans for 2024 and more!
Pro Country: Your bio mentions falling in love with storytellers ranging from Hank Williams and Loretta Lynn to Brandy Clark and Miranda Lambert, among others. What was it about the storytelling aspect of country music that appealed to you as a listener?
Court Taylor: I just love music that makes you feel something and tells a story that really puts you in that place. Especially Brandy Clark. I think she does this so well. She released a song called “Tell Her You Don’t Love Her” recently. It really walks you through that feeling of having a friend that’s had her heart broken and pleading with the man that broke her heart to end it in a way that gives the girl no hope of hanging onto that relationship. I think this is something we’ve all been through; we’ve either been that person that’s had their heart broken, the friend that’s had to help them heal, or the one that’s done the heart breaking. That song just does such a great job of placing you in those moments and creates a visual that really allows you to feel the pain of it all. It’s such a moving song and a moving storyline that everyone can relate to one way or another. I try to emulate that in my music and hope that people feel the same way when they hear my stories.
PC: Your bio also mentions finding a passion for singing and songwriting while living in Tucson, Arizona in 2020 after singing for friends. Can you talk about what you were feeling as you were performing and what it was like to come to the realization that you had more than just a casual interest in music?
CT: I love telling this story; I could tell it over and over again. It was during the pandemic, and we really couldn’t go out or do anything, so my friends and I had a very small circle that would sit in each others’ backyards and do whatever we could to entertain ourselves. Ben Lodge, one of my very best Arizona friends, and I were sitting alone in his backyard while the rest of our group was inside. He had a guitar and was messing around a little bit on it. He asked if I could play, and I said “a little bit, but I really only know one song.” He handed me his guitar and said “let’s hear it.” I played him “Creep” by Radiohead. When I was done, he was kind of wiping tears from his eyes, and he just said “Damn, Court. I didn’t know you could sing like that.” And our friends inside came out, and he was like “you guys have to hear Court play this song,” so I played it for the group. I was nervous as hell, and when I was done, they told me I had something special: that I could really move people and they’d never heard that song like that before. My two friends Julie Grenier and Rachel Conway were then hellbent on making sure that I shared that with the rest of the world. So they went to a couple vineyards that we frequent and asked them to give me a chance, and they did. By the grace of God, and ever since then, it’s been my mission to share my stories with the rest of the world.
PC: When did you begin to realize music was something you wanted to, and actually could, pursue as a career?
CT: I think it really started when I was performing around Savannah, Georgia. I would play at the Jefferson Bar inside of The Grove, and a few of the other artists that had been playing around Savannah for a while heard me play, and said “damn. You’ve really got something special here.” And my audience started to grow. Then one day, a booking agent came in and he said “hey, I had someone drop out at the Kane Brown concert at Enmarket Arena. Would you be interested in playing?” From there, I realized I was starting to gain some big attention. There truly isn’t anything like performing your own music live; seeing people react and connect to it. It’s better than any drug out there. That’s when I knew this was for me and it was what I’m meant to do.
PC: You began performing consistently just last year. What have you been able to take away from more consistent reps on the stage as both an artist and performer?
CT: I think it’s helped me grow tremendously as an entertainer. I’m so comfortable on stages now. I’ve learned to work a crowd. I’ve learned which songs work and which ones don’t and how to keep a vibe and the energy up. I’ve learned how to move and work on a stage. It’s also helped me gain confidence in myself. I’ve never really been comfortable in my own skin, and it’s helped me with that a lot. I got to a point where I kind of quit focusing on what I look like and focusing more on how I make people feel. They’re going to connect with you based on the stories you can tell and the feeling you can bring with your music. They don’t care what you look like.
PC: That same year, you released your debut single, “Texas Broke My Heart,” as well as subsequent singles leading to your debut EP, Introducing Calamity Claire. What emotions were you feeling as you were releasing music for the first time, especially as someone who has such a deep appreciation for storytelling?
CT: I was so nervous, especially coming from a small town where everyone knows you and people are so quick to give their opinions. I was nervous they would say “who does she think she is?” “she really thinks she can sing?” I was nervous to show people who I really was through my music. I touch on some real life experiences in all of my songs, and that’s always a vulnerable place to be, to really put your heart on your sleeve. But at the end of the day, I have a story to tell, and if my music can help someone and show them they aren’t alone in the world and their experiences, that’s all that matters.
PC: Why did you feel that your newest single, “You, The Devil, and Me” was the right follow up to the Introducing Calamity Claire EP and the right start to your next musical chapter?
CT: I think “You, The Devil, and Me” is as honest as you can get. It’s a very authentic story about life in a small town. There are so many situations that occur that really get that rumor mill turning, and I’ve lived that so many times. I think “You, The Devil, and Me,” was the right move, because I think country music is turning in a direction where people really just want to hear authenticity. They want to believe the stories you’re telling. I think this song was one of the first where I felt comfortable to come out and say “stop running your mouths and listen to the struggles people are going through, because we’ve all been in that place where we’re just trying to do the best we can.”
PC: You co-wrote “You, The Devil, and Me” with Michael Saleta, Mike Meiners and Kipper Lee. Can you take us in the room and talk about how the song came together?
CT: I want to give a shout out to my girl Bella Linville here. She saw me playing at The Grove in Savannah one night. She walked up to me and told me her dad was a songwriter and she called him right there in the bar, and Kipper and I booked a date right then. We wrote a song together and then he introduced me to the other guys. We had chemistry immediately, which is so funny, because I’m a 28 year-old girl and they’re all in their 50s and dads. We just live such different lives, but that shows you that music can connect any group of people. I brought this idea to them, because I had so many experiences where people around town were all in my business. I wanted to play on the southern saying when people are gossiping, they say “keep that between you, me, and the devil.” But we really couldn’t find a good word to rhyme our hook with devil, so we switched the phrase up a little bit. Then we just started building our storyline. Taking some general concepts that everyone has dealt with. Every town has had that girl who has a few kids and her life evolved into giving those kids the best life she could, even if it meant sacrificing her own dreams. And every town has had that person who had a promising future and then turned to drugs and couldn’t get out of that cycle, but they’re still a great person deep down. We just wanted to paint those pictures and present the message of opening your ears and lending a hand instead of passing judgement.
PC: You mentioned on social media that “You, The Devil, and Me” is the first song you’ve released that feels like “you.” What have you identified and captured in the sound of the song that you want listeners to expect from you moving forward?
CT: I think this song feels more like me, because I had full creative control on this one. My producer on it, Zachary Manno, really let me drive the process and input my thoughts and opinions. In the past, I didn’t have that control over the song, and they ended up evolving into something I’m not super proud of. They don’t sound or feel like I envisioned them. However, I’ve learned so much in the past two years that I’ve been doing this thing, and I was able to translate the sounds and feelings, and Zachary was able to pick it up and run with it. It has a more authentic tone. The instrumentation matches the feeling of the lyrics, and it’s that bluegrass/soul/country combo I’ve been searching for.
PC: Less than two months since its release, “You, The Devil, and Me” has already become your most-streamed release on Spotify. How encouraging was it to see the positive response out of the gate to the song, especially with how authentic the song is to you?
CT: It’s a dream. Truly. It still may not be the most streamed song on Spotify, and it still may not be a popular song, but for me, it’s been amazing to see the response. It’s really letting me know that I’m moving in the right direction. The more authentic you are to yourself and the more you put your heart out on the line, the more people are going to resonate with you, so it’s been so encouraging to see that people love this song as much as I do.
PC: With “You, The Devil, and Me” released, what do you have planned for the rest of 2023 and going into 2024?
CT: I’ve actually been in the studio this week recording more music, and it’s all music that really tells people who I am. The next song I’m working on, I can’t say too much right now, but it’s really an anthem song; a song that says “this is where I came from, and I’m proud of it.” I plan to release that song in early 2024. I’ve got a lineup of songs that are ready to go, so I hope to release those throughout 2024. I also plan to continue making a name for myself as a songwriter and artist around Nashville. My band and I are also planning on playing a few more festivals and fairs around the Southeast. I’m just really trying to share our music with as many people as we can.
PC: Is there anything you’d like to add?
CT: If there’s anything I hope people take away from my music, I hope it’s authenticity and realness. I want to show that you can be exactly who you are, regardless of what anyone else says or thinks. I’ve had a lot of people in my life tell me I can’t, and it just gives me all the more motivation to say “watch me.”
*”You The Devil, and Me” is featured on The Best of Pro Country playlist!*
Pro Country 
Leave a comment