Cory Branan

Born in Memphis in 1974 and raised in Southaven, Mississippi, Cory Branan developed a songwriting voice rooted in the American South, at the crossroads of alt-country, rock and folk. As a teenager he played in both hard rock and metal bands as well as country outfits — a blend that has left a lasting mark on his style, between narrative songs, gritty guitars and melodies drawn from the Americana tradition. Based in Memphis, Branan began performing his own material on stage in the early 2000s after the Daily Planet open mics, then released The Hell You Say in 2002 and 12 Songs in 2006. After signing with Bloodshot Records he broadened his range with Mutt (2012), The No-Hit Wonder (2014) and Adios (2017), records that place him within the American indie circuit between alt-country, folk rock and more direct songwriting. Several albums feature collaborators from that scene, including Jason Isbell, Amanda Shires and Craig Finn. Later moving to Blue Élan Records, he released When I Go I Ghost in 2022, continuing a path between Memphis, Nashville and the Americana stages where storytelling remains at the heart of his songs.