Claude Carmichael takes Tennessee Hill to WoodSongs before Franklin release show

Emmy-winning singer-songwriter Claude Carmichael performed songs from his solo debut, Tennessee Hill, on WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour in Lexington, Kentucky, ahead of a release show Oct. 27 at Stable Reserve Distillery in Franklin, Tennessee. The appearance put his first solo album in front of a national and international audience on a long-running roots-music platform.

Why it matters: - Carmichael is using a nationally syndicated roots-music stage to build momentum for his solo debut, Tennessee Hill. - The WoodSongs appearance gave the album exposure on public radio, PBS affiliates, RFD-TV and the American Forces Radio Network in 177 nations. - The Franklin release show gives Tennessee audiences a local chance to hear the album with a full band.

What happened: - On Monday, Oct. 19, Emmy-winning singer-songwriter Claude Carmichael appeared on WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour in Lexington, Kentucky. - Carmichael joined host Michael Johnathon, announcer Dorothy Edwards and guest artist Teni Rane for episode 1,190. - Carmichael performed “Bottom of a Well,” “Instead of Me,” “Sonia Lee” and “Too Many Yankees (Bless Their Hearts)” from Tennessee Hill. - Carmichael said on air that the album helped him reconnect with old friends and turn that experience into music. - Carmichael will celebrate the album release on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Stable Reserve Distillery in Franklin, Tennessee.

The details: - WoodSongs is known for live, folk-rooted performances and interviews. - Carmichael discussed working with producer Phil Ramone on Billy Joel’s The Stranger. - Carmichael also talked about soundtrack work, his work with the National Audubon Society and his collaboration with Kenny Loggins on the Emmy-winning This Island Earth. - The Franklin show will feature a full band with Julian Carmichael, Will Falkner, Mike Swope, Audrey Swank, Michelle Murray and friends. - The release show is timed as Tennessee Hill moves from broadcast promotion to a live hometown performance.

Between the lines: - A WoodSongs slot signals credibility in the American roots and folk space. - Johnathon praised the album as “the soundtrack of rural America” and called Carmichael “a wonderful songwriter with a massive résumé to back him up.” - Reviewers have also responded to the album’s focus on memory, family, belonging and home. - Medium’s Colin Jordan wrote that the album sounds fresh in songs about those themes. - Michael Rand of Mobangeles said the record’s appeal is closer to home than Carmichael’s biography suggests.

What’s next: - Carmichael’s immediate next milestone is the Oct. 27 release show in Franklin. - The combination of broadcast exposure and a live local event is designed to push Tennessee Hill into its release week audience. - Carmichael says the album’s rollout has also become a way to reconnect with people from earlier parts of his life.

The bottom line: - Tennessee Hill is launching with both national reach and a personal hometown moment, giving Carmichael’s solo debut a strong start.