Kaitlin Butts Releases 14-Track Honky-Tonk Album

Kaitlin Butts’ fourth studio album, Hello, Honky Tonk, is a theatrical country collection inspired by the bars she has played and the varied people she observes there. Butts describes the record as a love letter to honky-tonks, giving characters such as bartenders, lonely patrons, dancers and lovers their own songs; her background in musical theater also informs its storytelling. The album draws on theatrical and cinematic influences, and a new video for “The Bartender”—featuring TJ Osborne on backing vocals—introduces a planned mini-musical that expands the album’s barroom world. Reviews praise the project’s range, highlighting its mix of heartbreak, humor and upbeat country, while Butts has also discussed her Oklahoma roots and longstanding love of performing.