Hot Country Knights dropped an epic collaboration with an artist whose vocal stylings hold an uncanny similarity to award-winning Bell Bottom Country star Lainey Wilson. The 90s-influenced, tongue in cheek group — “tallying 33 mostly wasted years and countless bad decisions” — unleashed two new tracks to kick off the weekend on Friday (May 26).

“Well, we simply couldn’t make you wait any longer. Our new two pack Midnight Rodeo is out now featuring future 2x platinum song ’Herassmeant’ with Darla McFarland,” Hot Country Knights announced on their social media channels on Friday, along with a snippet of the collaboration. Lead vocalist Doug Douglason and his former hometown flame, McFarland, teased the duet earlier this week, predicting an iconic duo as they associated Doug and Darla with Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill and Brooks and Dunn.

“The Knights are back, baby,” Douglason exclaimed a press release issued on Friday. “Being off the road since the Big V (virus) has really made us reflect on what we had taken for granted. When you have a chance to really get to the core of what these songs are about, it’s just a raw appreciation for the most satisfying parts of life. I don’t expect anyone to get it on the first six or seven listens, this is deep thinking stuff."

Matt Appleby