If you like sad country songs, today is your lucky day!

Maryland native and country songwriter Wes Ryce — with whom we’ve had the pleasure of crossing paths here in Nashville — has a whole lot of new music on tap for 2021. On New Year’s Day, he started off with “Empty,” a true heartbreaker in the vein of some of country’s biggest legends.

“I’m a fan of classic, sad country songs. The way the writers could paint the mental picture of sadness. The way (George) Jones, Merle (Haggard), Vern (Gosdin), and Conway (Twitty) could portray the sadness of a song, vocally,” Ryce said. “When those pieces combine, it takes you into the heart of the character and through the struggle with them. I’ve attempted to put this puzzle together for years. Finally, “Empty” felt right.”

“This is the most country song I’ve ever written in my opinion,” he continued. “I’d like to think even the late great Hank Cochran would be willing to give it a second spin.”

“Empty” is also a family affair for Ryce — his 15-year old daughter, Karlee, provides the vocal harmonies on the single, and has music of her own to be released later this year. Together, they carry forward a long-standing family tradition in music, dating back to when Ryce’s grandfather played with Roy Clark before his Hee Haw days.

In short, there’s a lot to love about this release, and we’ll give you a chance to do that below. Enjoy today’s Daily Spinn!