We have been waiting years to hear new music from Jamey Johnson who was a leader in solid Country Music. The delay in new tunes from Johnson isn't due to lack of trying according to the In Color singer. He opened up to Kentucky Country Music recently and confessed a concussion is to blame.
"I’m in no hurry and no rush to get it done. I’m making progress on the creative parts of my brain. It’s been about 7 years ago, I got a concussion. I slipped on some ice coming out of the studio one night and I hit my head pretty hard. What I found out from a neuroscientist out in Scottsdale, Ariz., here recently is that ever since then, my brain has been locked in a hyper vigilant state, which it focuses on survival. Anything that isn’t directly relevant to survival, it just doesn’t focus on it all anymore.
So out went the songwriting, or the focus on songwriting, or even the openness to it even. I can still write. The craft is still there. The inspiration isn’t always there and even when it is, it isn’t very easy for me to focus on it the way that I once did. But it’s coming back little by little. So that’s one of the reasons for going so long.
The other would be that we have been touring so aggressively for the past ten or twelve years that it’s just not in harmony with what is required for me to be successful in the writing room. The only way I’ll be able to completely write out of sheer inspiration, I’d have to come off the road for a period of time for a good while. I’m not ready to do that yet. The truth is, I really love it. I love traveling. I love playing all of these shows for all of these folks. I love that they love it and I could do that for a long time. I don’t see me ever quitting it."
So in short it maybe a while before we get new music from Jamey Johnson. But even if we never do I could listen to his solid country songs over and over just like you can look at the same painting in your home for years to come. Or better yet, would you stop listening to Waylon and Johnny? Neither would I.