The Kody Norris Show

Artist Information

As the world continues its endless tug of war with one another, The Kody Norris Show proudly steps in with Spirit Of America ––an album that cuts through the noise and reminds us of what still connects us.

And that’s music.

A self-proclaimed project of passion, Spirit Of America finds the reigning SPBGMA Entertainers of the Year leaning fully into their roots—delivering high-energy bluegrass, sharp musicianship, and lyrics grounded not in division, but in unity.

In doing so, the album offers listeners a reprieve from the chaos –– serving up the perfect musical backdrop for old-fashioned parades and backyard barbecues. And while many might assume those simpler days are long gone, The Kody Norris Show believes they can return…with the right soundtrack.

But those simpler days didn’t come without sacrifice –– and it’s that truth that sits at the very core of Spirit Of America, the band’s first concept album.

For band member Mary Rachel Nalley-Norris, that understanding is deeply personal –– her brother was a proud member of the U.S. Army who served extended time in Iraq. Kody Norris was likewise shaped by great uncles who served in World War II –– at a time when the flag was respected, manners were upheld and pride was worn daily.

Sort of like The Kody Norris Show.

Beyond that, the band has traveled not only across the country, but around the world. And it’s during those travels that they are reminded of their insatiable love for home and the goodness that continues to surround it –– despite what one might see on the evening news.

We still have something special here.

And The Kody Norris Show not only knows it –– they celebrate it.

Featuring for the first time the talents of a 14-year-old banjo player Hayden “Jim” Hensley –– whom Kody Norris first met backstage at the Ralph Stanley Hills of Home Bluegrass Festival in Colburn, Virginia –– Spirit Of America showcases a band who not only honors tradition but also pushes it forward.

Take their reimagining of the classic song “The Bible on the Table and the Flag Upon the Wall.” Originally released in 1949 by Gene Autry, the song now serves as both a striking visual memory of life before artificial intelligence and social media and a timely reminder of what truly matters most.

And then there is “Back in the Country,” which pulls listeners back to the small town of Mountain City, Tennessee, where Kody was raised –– and to countless towns just like it, where people still gather to watch fireworks and celebrate the Fourth of July the same way that those before them once did.

From the longing of “A Purple Heart” to the edge of “United We Stand” to the message at the heart of “Do Unto Others,” Spirit Of America is a patriotic collection of the greatest proportions, one that reminds us of who we are –– and who we can still be.

It’s this pride that The Kody Norris Show has always lived –– woven into their music, their rhinestones, their fringe, and those signature overly starched shirts. But most of all –– their deep love of country.

Love your family. Love one another. Love yourself.

For The Kody Norris Show, it’s really that simple.

What appears simple can often be the most difficult to live out. Take “Declaration of Independence,” the album’s seventh track and the band’s first fully instrumental piece. Written over four years ago and first played at a Fourth of July show in Pennsylvania, the song stands as a quiet but powerful declaration that sometimes, the strongest statements are the ones that don’t need to be spoken at all.

Throughout Spirit Of America, there is an undercurrent of the band’s collective yearning for better days –– but never a loud declaration as to how to get back there. Instead, they sing, they play, and they let the music serve as the great uniter.

Spirit Of America captures the American spirit…just in the nick of time.

The album also serves as the perfect musical backdrop to the America250 celebration. The song “Spirit of America” has quickly become a rallying cry during the band’s live shows – a tribute to farmers, EMS workers, police officers, coal miners, and all those who have earned the quiet reward of a day’s hard work.

All in all, Spirit Of America is a celebration of what we were and what we can still be. And in the trajectory of The Kody Norris Show, it stands not just as a reset or evolution,  but a timeless reminder of the American spirit—and the power to find it again.