Where Country Grows
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. The album's first single, "Look It Up" reached the Top 20 on the "Billboard" Hot Country Songs chart. The title track was released as the album's second single in July 2011. Critical reception. "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." 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"." Judy 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." "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. "The New York Times" favorably describing the record's biggest strength in Shepherd's accented vocals, and considered her vocal control a "real weapon."