Margo Price, following the success of her 2023 album Strays, has returned with a new single, “Too Stoned to Cry,” featuring acclaimed bluegrass guitarist Billy Strings. The track highlights a timeless, vintage country sound, driven by the unmistakable twang of pedal steel guitar, as Price and Strings blend their talents into a Southern-tinged masterpiece. Their collaboration is a testament to the growing resurgence of country music in 2024.
“Too Stoned to Cry” evokes imagery of the 1960s, weaving a dreamlike tapestry through both sound and lyrics. Written by Andrew Combs, the song conjures a nostalgic scene of a lone horseback rider surrounded by smoke rings, a metaphor for lingering emotions and heartache that even a “toked” haze can’t erase. The track’s introspective tone mirrors the essence of a classic cowboy ballad, laced with both melancholy and resilience.
Reflecting on the collaboration, Price shared her excitement about working with Strings. “It was such a joy to work with Billy on this song. He really nailed the vocals and laid down a beautiful lead. I’ve wanted to record this song for years now, ever since I heard Andrew Combs sing it,” she said. “My buddy Beau Bedford and I were in the studio working on an Orville Peck track, and I asked him to produce this single for me. He put together a great band—Beau and I, my husband Jeremy Ivey, Aksel Coe on drums, Misa Arriaga on bass, Russ Pahl on pedal steel, and Joey McClellan on electric guitar. Once we got Billy to add his guitar and vocals, I knew it was going to be special.”
The single release comes ahead of Price’s upcoming performances at Americana Fest and Farm Aid, where she will honor music legends Robbie Robertson and Mavis Staples. As she continues to evolve in her career, Price remains fiercely committed to her artistic vision.
“When I first came on the scene, I was a countryfied, hard-headed, whiskey-drinking nobody who was pissed off at the establishment. All of that’s still true, except for the whiskey-drinking part,” Price said, adding that her experiences within the music industry have only intensified her resolve. “Now that I’ve lived for a while inside the establishment, I’m even more pissed off. I’ve let some people go, I’m still fighting with others to let me be myself, but I know I’m going to make this next record the way I want to make it, no matter what it takes.”
Price’s new single, “Too Stoned to Cry,” solidifies her standing as one of country music’s boldest voices, merging the authenticity of vintage country with her own distinct, rebellious flair.
