{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Where Country Grows | type = studio | artist = Ashton Shepherd | cover = WhereCountryGrows.jpg | alt = | released = {{Start date|2011|07|12}} | recorded = | studio = | genre = Country | length = *35:11 (standard edition) *48:29 (deluxe edition) | label = MCA Nashville | producer = Buddy Cannon | prev_title = Sounds So Good | prev_year = 2008 | next_title = This Is America | next_year = 2013 | misc = {{Singles | name = Where Country Grows | type = studio | single1 = Look It Up | single1date = January 3, 2011 | single2 = Where Country Grows | single2date = July 11, 2011 }} }} '''''Where Country Grows''''' is the second studio album by American country music artist Ashton Shepherd. It was released on July 12, 2011 via MCA Nashville.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Skates|first=Sarah|title=Ashton Shepherd Sets Sophomore Release|url=https://www.musicrow.com/2011/04/ashton-shepherd-sets-sophomore-release/|magazine=MusicRow|date=April 13, 2011|access-date=July 6, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110417004331/https://musicrow.com/2011/04/ashton-shepherd-sets-sophomore-release/|archive-date=April 17, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Rosen|first=Jody|author-link=Jody Rosen|title=Artist to Watch: Hard-Nosed Country Standout Ashton Shepherd|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/artist-to-watch-hard-nosed-country-standout-ashton-shepherd-20110622|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=June 22, 2011|access-date=July 6, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110624211435/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/artist-to-watch-hard-nosed-country-standout-ashton-shepherd-20110622|archive-date=June 24, 2011|url-status=usurped}}</ref> The album's first single, "Look It Up" reached the Top 20 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs chart.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hannaford|first=Jim|title=Home-grown country: Ashton Shepherd setting sights higher|url=https://www.al.com/entertainment-press-register/2011/05/home-grown_country_ashton_shep.html|newspaper=Press-Register|date=May 12, 2011|access-date=March 20, 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250815013542/https://www.al.com/entertainment-press-register/2011/05/home-grown_country_ashton_shep.html|archive-date=August 15, 2025|url-status=live}}</ref> The title track was released as the album's second single in July 2011.
==Critical reception== {{Music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref name="AM">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/where-country-grows-mw0002135787|title=''Where Country Grows'' - Ashton Shepherd|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=March 20, 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026094628/http://www.allmusic.com/album/where-country-grows-mw0002135787|archive-date=October 26, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> | rev2 = ''Boston Globe'' | rev2Score = Positive<ref name="Boston">{{cite news|url=http://articles.boston.com/2011-07-11/ae/29762013_1_ashton-shepherd-country-music-reba-mcentire|title=Review: Shepherd mixes contemporary sound on CD|last=McCall|first=Michael|newspaper=Boston Globe|access-date=July 23, 2011}}{{dead link|date=May 2026|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> | rev3 = ''Country Weekly'' | rev3Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref name="CW">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.countryweekly.com/reviews/where-country-grows-ashton-shepherd|title=''Where Country Grows'' by Ashton Shepherd|last=Phillips|first=Jessica|magazine=Country Weekly|access-date=July 17, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130426105430/http://www.countryweekly.com/reviews/where-country-grows-ashton-shepherd|archive-date=April 26, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> | rev4 = ''The New York Times'' | rev4Score = Positive<ref name="NYT">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/12/arts/music/new-cds-by-ashton-shepherd-and-currensy-review.html?_r=1|title=New Music by Currensy and Ashton Shepherd|last=Ratliff|first=Ben|author-link=Ben Ratliff|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 11, 2011|access-date=July 23, 2011|url-access=subscription|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160202091954/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/12/arts/music/new-cds-by-ashton-shepherd-and-currensy-review.html?_r=1|archive-date=February 2, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> | rev5 = ''Rolling Stone'' | rev5Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="RS">{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/where-country-grows-20110712|title=Where Country Grows|last=Rosen|first=Jody|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=March 20, 2026|url-access=subscription|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190920074933/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/where-country-grows-126708/|archive-date=September 20, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> }} ''Where Country Grows'' received positive reviews from music critics. Jessica Phillips of ''Country Weekly'' gave the album 3 and 1/2 stars out of 5, complimenting her songwriting and personality, while drawing comparisons to fellow country artists Miranda Lambert and Sunny Sweeney. She also stated that "Ashton's twangy songs are fearless, introspective and unabashedly country, which just might peg her as a new Loretta Lynn."<ref name="CW"/> In his review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine referred to Shepherd as "a powerhouse singer that there's never a relaxed moment on the record." He also went on to compliment the set as "mak[ing] considerable effort to brighten and broaden her sound, to bring in listeners who may not have been seduced by the late-night vibes of ''Sounds So Good''."<ref name="AM"/> Jody Rosen of ''Rolling Stone'' gave the album 4 stars out of 5, favoring Shepherd's voice, which she found "perfect for her wise, witty, tough-minded songs."<ref name="RS"/> ''Boston Globe'' reviewed the album positively as "merg[ing] her deep-country style with a contemporary country sound, setting a modern groove to her rural Alabama persona," while highlighting the song "I'm Good" as ranking among country classics by Tammy Wynette and Reba McEntire.<ref name="Boston"/> ''The New York Times'' favorably describing the record's biggest strength in Shepherd's accented vocals, and considered her vocal control a "real weapon."<ref name="NYT" />
==Track listing== {{track listing | total_length = 35:11 | title1 = Look It Up | note1 = edit | writer1 = {{hlist|Robert Ellis Orrall|Angaleena Presley}} | length1 = 2:59 | title2 = I'm Good | writer2 = {{hlist|Ashton Shepherd|Dean Dillon|Dale Dodson}} | length2 = 3:25 | title3 = Where Country Grows | writer3 = {{hlist|A. Shepherd|Bobby Pinson}} <!-- Use the initial, there is another Shepherd. --> | length3 = 3:12 | title4 = I'm Just a Woman | writer4 = A. Shepherd | length4 = 4:38 | title5 = More Cows Than People | writer5 = {{hlist|A. Shepherd|Pinson}} <!-- Use the initial, there is another Shepherd. --> | length5 = 2:41 | title6 = Beer On a Boat | writer6 = {{hlist|Rhett Akins|Marv Green|Ben Hayslip}} | length6 = 3:06 | title7 = While It Ain't Rainin' | writer7 = {{hlist|A. Shepherd|Troy Jones}} | length7 = 4:10 | title8 = Tryin' to Go to Church | writer8 = {{hlist|A. Shepherd|Brandy Clark|Shane McAnally}} <!-- Use the initial, there is another Shepherd. --> | length8 = 3:20 | title9 = That All Leads to One Thing | writer9 = A. Shepherd | length9 = 4:01 | title10 = Rory's Radio | writer10 = A. Shepherd | length10 = 3:39 }} {{track listing | total_length = 48:29 | headline = Deluxe edition bonus tracks | title11 = Look It Up | writer11 = {{hlist|Orrall|Presley}} | length11 = 2:59 | title12 = One Summer Gone | writer12 = {{hlist|A. Shepherd|Tara Shepherd}} | length12 = 3:40 | title13 = Keepin' It Rural | writer13 = {{hlist|Dallas Davidson|Hayslip|Jimmy Yeary}} | length13 = 3:01 | title14 = What If It Was | writer14 = A. Shepherd | length14 = 3:38 }}
==Personnel== * Wyatt Beard – background vocals * Mark Beckett – drums * Jim "Moose" Brown – Hammond B-3 organ, piano, Wurlitzer * Pat Buchanan – electric guitar * Melonie Cannon – background vocals * J.T. Corenflos – electric guitar * Dan Dugmore – steel guitar * Kevin "Swine" Grantt – bass guitar * Tony Creasman – drums, percussion * Kenny Greenberg – baritone guitar * Rob Hajacos – fiddle * John Hobbs – Hammond B-3 organ, piano, Wurlitzer * Mike Johnson – steel guitar * Randy McCormick – clavinet, Hammond B-3 organ, piano, synthesizer * Mickey Raphael – harmonica * John Wesley Ryles – background vocals * Ashton Shepherd – lead vocals * Joe Spivey – fiddle * Bobby Terry – acoustic guitar * Scott Vestal – banjo * Billy Joe Walker Jr. – acoustic guitar
==Chart performance== ===Album=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Chart (2011) ! Peak<br>position |- | US ''Billboard'' 200<ref name="Billboard">{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=ashton shepherd|chart=all}}|title=Chart listing for ''Where Country Grows''|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|access-date=July 21, 2011}}</ref> | align="center"| 37 |- | US ''Billboard'' Top Country Albums<ref name="Billboard" /> | align="center"| 11 |- |}
===Singles=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Single ! colspan="2"| Peak chart<br />positions |- style="font-size:smaller;" ! width="45"| US Country ! width="45"| US |- | rowspan="2"| 2011 | align="left"| "Look It Up" | 19 | 95 |- | align="left"| "Where Country Grows" | 42 | — |- | colspan="4" style="font-size:8pt"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart |- |}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Ashton Shepherd}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2011 albums Category:Ashton Shepherd albums Category:MCA Records albums Category:Albums produced by Buddy Cannon