Dustin Lynch's 'Killed The Cowboy' offers emotional vocals, well-rounded honesty

Dustin Lynch has a myriad of first-world problems.

His Sept. 29-released sixth-studio album "Killed The Cowboy" doesn't solve any of them.

Fascinatingly, the project could solve issues stressing him that aren't squeezing in time between having boat parties with rap-rock superstars or figuring out where to take his next destination vacation.

"Dating is fun, but the late nights suck," says Lynch in a late-afternoon Music Row conversation with The Tennessean.

The album's title is in response to the "Small Town Boy" performer being at odds with the idea of him as an outlaw ladies' man or evolving into a warm-hearted guy who puts his family first.

"Killed The Cowboy" arrived to Lynch as a "statement" song written by Jordan Reynolds, Devin Dawson and Anderson East. The performer had a hand in writing roughly half of the album. However, the most significant victory of the project is in Lynch's awareness of marrying his ear and heart to Music City's brilliant musical and songwriting communities.

"As a guy who can't seem to stop getting his romantic hopes dashed, the title made sense," Lynch adds.

"It wasn’t the smoke / It wasn’t the drink / And I got the proof / If you wanna know what killed the cowboy / A girl like you," he sings.

It's a powerful, revealing performance.

The album also operates as something of a vision quest of how Lynch questions what lies ahead.

Songs entitled "George Strait, Jr.," plus "Chevrolet" (a song that samples Dobie Gray's 50-year-old classic "Drift Away" and features label-mate and fellow Tennessee native Jelly Roll), "Honky Tonk Heartbreaker," "If I Stop Drinkin'" and "Trouble With This Truck."

The last two of those songs respectively feature John Morgan (Jason Aldean's Carrie Underwood duet "If I Didn't Love You") and Ashley Gorley (NSAI's Songwriter of the Decade, over 60 No. 1 hits) as songwriters.

Lynch recalls sitting on his tractor and comparing his career to date to artists like Strait, whom he respects.

Finding a woman who "makes [him] want to ride off into the sunset to enjoy a life of golf and hunting (as Strait does)" is the artist's ideal existence.

Focusing more on developing his performance within the character's arc described in the track benefits Lynch's work on the album. Connecting characters with the same broad appeal as on songs like "Good Girl" with his more personal motivations yields "substantive" songs that can deliver success on the radio, via streaming and on barroom jukeboxes nationwide.

Working with Jelly Roll was the product of Lynch's burgeoning relationship with top-tier Nashville producer Zach Crowell, whose credits include many of the Antioch native's most successful recent hits.

"Working with Jelly brought a soulful realness out of my vocal that, when paired with a creative take on a song we all know, feels like a hit," Lynch states.

"This album isn't cheesy," Lynch continues. "It's the most refreshingly edgy thing I've tried to create.

Lynch is also a business-minded artist who is increasingly aware that the country music industry's longest (and most sustainable) income will arrive via live touring. Thus, emphasizing delivering more pure ballads to round out a live set that includes multiple homages to various elements of summertime parties is essential.

Bridging from red Solo cups and tequila shots to more deeply emotive material also showcases the maturity of sustainable career success developing in Lynch's life.

"Accepting what comes from being honest with yourself about your art requires understanding the line between what you know is best for yourself and what others can provide you in trying to be your best," Lynch says.

"I used to be a young artist afraid of being surrounded by success. 20 years later, I have achieved success of my own. Now I'm facing everything that's next."

"What's next" poses a significant question with a still unclear answer for the chart-topping artist.

"Family life outside the industry is a huge part of country music that I feel I'm missing out on. Would I love to have my wife and kids on tour with me? Sure. It'd be a blessing. But maybe I'm meant to have a career-focused existence with an epic single life. I don't know."

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Dustin Lynch's 'Killed The Cowboy' offers emotional vocals, well-rounded honesty