Kelsey Waldon is coming to Utrecht next week
Tue 20 Jan 2026Since joining John Prine’s Oh Boy Records six years ago, Kelsey Waldon has emerged as a singular voice in modern country, earning acclaim for songs marked by grit, grace, and lived-in truth. Lauded by Rolling Stone for her “self-penned compositions [with] the patina of authenticity,” Waldon’s latest album, Every Ghost, is her most searching work yet. Recorded in Memphis with her longtime band, The Muleskinners, the nine-track release finds Waldon facing addiction, loss, and inherited pain head-on — and arriving at a place of strength and self-acceptance.
Compassion runs throughout Every Ghost, shaping songs that refuse to flatten people into villains or heroes. From the self-reflection of “Ghost of Myself” to the raw honesty of “Falling Down” and the boundary-setting ache of “Comanche,” Waldon writes with empathy for those doing their best to survive. On “My Kin,” she looks inward and backward, embracing both the gifts and burdens passed down through generations in her rural Kentucky upbringing, while honoring the women in her family whose resilience helped shape her path.
That fearlessness has become a hallmark of Waldon’s career. Since becoming Oh Boy Records’ first new signing in 15 years, she has built a loyal audience through relentless touring, festival appearances, and support slots with artists including Tyler Childers, Charley Crockett, and Lucinda Williams. As Every Ghost continues to resonate with listeners, Waldon is taking its songs overseas as well, with a Dutch performance scheduled for the end of the month — another step forward for an artist who has learned to be grateful for her ghosts while moving confidently ahead.