New Release by Michigan Country Music Singer-Songwriter Delivers Timeless, Country Sound

In the shadow of all the great genres of music that Detroit has become known for, it’s tempting to gloss over the region’s contribution to country music – unless of course you’re a country music fan.

“People don’t typically think of country music when they think of Detroit because there are so many other types of music that we’re known for,” says multi-award winning singer, songwriter Julianne Ankley. “But Michigan is a great place to be a country-music performer because fans here are very devoted to the music.”
Ankley should know. Since her debut album in 2009, she’s been growing her following with recordings and performances that feature her signature soulful country style. Her 2019 single, “Why,” was so well received it garnered five Detroit Music Award nominations in 2020, and four wins: Outstanding Country Songwriter, Outstanding Country Vocalist, Outstanding Country Recording and Outstanding Artist/Group.
Now the popular tune is featured on Ankley’s fourth album, the recently released “With Love from Lake Huron.”
Expressive, heartfelt lyrics delivered soulfully and electrically, Ankley’s songwriting and performances have never been stronger than they are on “With Love from Lake Huron.” Whether penned by Ankley alone or with one of her multiple writing partners, the tunes cover a lot of emotional ground. Among the list of top-notch collaborators Ankley brought in to successfully create an amazingly varied yet cohesive album are industry-veteran songwriters Mike Dekle (Kenny Rogers, Brantley Gilbert and others) and Dave Gibson (Alabama, Tanya Tucker, Conway Twitty and others). Ankley also enlists the talents of Michigan Emmy-winner Michelle Chenard and the Gasoline Gypsies’ Caleb Malooley, both of whom are fellow Michigan artists.
Recorded in Nashville, the record is Ankley’s first as producer. While there is a fluidity to the mood from one track to the next, Ankley’s thumbprint is one of a timeless country flavor. Her tunes often have a bluesy sway, but they feel more timeless than retro.
The celebrated single “Why” is a fantastic demonstration of Ankley’s rock-solid songwriting abilities. This was one she wrote without a collaborator. Inspired by the waltz-like rhythm of the pavement while driving through the hills of Pennsylvania on a rainy day, the song bursts with an irresistible kind of “let it go” country blues – the kind that stays with you with the tenacity of a heartbreak. You can tell by Ankley’s all-in vocal performance, this is the type of musical space she thrives in.
Another of the record’s tracks that may prove to have a long shelf life is “Paint a Beautiful Life,” which Ankley co-wrote with songwriter Jon D’Agostino. A perfect wedding-night first dance, the writing is as colorful and visual as it is tender. Ankley’s performance is elevated even further by the arrangement, which features pedal steel guitar and back up vocals by Nashville singer Perry Coleman together lend a captivatingly romantic element.
The only tune on the record that was not written or cowritten by Ankley was Leon Zarski’s “How Do I Know.” A Grammy Award-winner in the 60s and 70s, Zarski had written but never released a number of songs that he intended for the country-music genre. “How Do I Know” was written over five decades ago. Ankley’s treatment of the song was to pair it down to simply guitar and vocals. What we’re left with is nothing less than a beautiful acoustic love song – classic, timeless.
 “With Love from Lake Huron” is being sold digitally, in CD form, and on a stunning blue vinyl album. The fact that the first half of the album is upbeat and energetic and the second half is mellow was a deliberate choice.
“The listener gets to decide,” says Ankley. “It depends on what they feel like hearing.”

For more information about upcoming performances or buying “With Love from Lake Huron,”  visit https://www.julianneankley.com/.
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UPDATE:  “With Love from Lake Huron” has won the 2021 Detroit Music Award for Outstanding Country Recording.  Julianne also won the Detroit Music Award for Outstanding Country Vocalist.