Grand Ole Opry® member Jeannie Seely just released her latest song to radio. “If You Could Call It That” appears on her latest album An American Classic.
The song has a unique story behind its creation. Dottie West wrote part of it and its lyrics remained in her notebook after she died in 1991. Bobby Tomberlin and award-winning singer/songwriter/storyteller Steve Wariner, who toured with Dottie, finished the song and invited Seely to record it.
Warnier shared, “I am elated more fans will hear ‘If You Could Call It That’ through country radio. Jeannie Seely is a country legend, and she’s been reunited with her longtime friend Dottie West through the writing process of this song. I am extremely honored and humbled to be a part of this.”
Tomberlin also commented on how he feels about the song’s release to radio. “Being a part of this song has been one of the highlights of my career. I didn’t know Dottie West, so when given the opportunity to work on a song that she started, I reached out to Steve, who had a long history with Dottie, to help finish it. Then, to have Dottie’s friend, Jeannie, record the song was just icing on the cake. How cool to have a new Dottie West song out there!”
“I simply don’t know how I would have stood it to hear someone else do this song,” exclaimed Seely. “I am so grateful they allowed me to record it. There were times in the studio I could almost feel Dottie’s presence, certainly I could hear her voice, and I think I just sang it for her.”
The song’s lyrics are extremely relatable for those of us who feel stuck in the same endless routine.
Five o’clock it rolls around
I meet up with some friends
I fake some smiles and all the while
It’s just pretend
Another glass of wine
A few more jokes
I’m having a blast
I just go on living if you could call it that …”
Digital downloads, streaming and physical copies of An American Classic are available on all digital music platforms here and can be downloaded for airplay from MPE.