mericana singer-songwriter Kevin Welch left his Oklahoma home at age 17 to pursue a life in music, settling in Nashville in 1978 after years of traveling. He soon signed on as a staff writer at Sony/Tree, over the decade to follow authoring songs for artists including Waylon Jennings, Roger Miller, Trisha Yearwood, Ricky Skaggs, and the Highwaymen.

Welch's self-titled solo debut finally appeared on Reprise in 1990, followed two years later by the acclaimed Western Beat. Country radio remaine...