Country-Soul troubadour Drake White creates the kind of fiercely life-affirming music that could only come from confronting real hardship and heartbreak. On his new albumLow Country High Road, the Alabama-bred artist speaks an unabashed truth about the pivotal moments that have radically altered his world, including a near-death experience and the birth of his son Hawk after he and his wife battled infertility for seven years. In a testament to the one-of-a-kind character of his songwriting, White matches that unflinching honesty with the wildly joyful energy he’s brought to the stage for more than a decade—an element that’s found the consummate road warrior traveling the globe and steadily amassing a passionate fanbase. Steeped in a gritty authenticity that’s deeply tied to his upbringing in the Appalachian foothills, the result is the most powerful work yet from a truly essential songwriter and undeniable force of nature.