GET READY. In an industry that truly never rests, Colby Acuff has proven time and time again that he’s not only one of the most talented songwriters flying out of the independent scene today but also one of the most proficient. Since his debut in 2020 with Life of a Rolling Stone, the “If I Were the Devil” singer has proceeded to drop an album each and every year since then. Despite the incredibly high volume of musical output, much like his contemporaries, Zach Bryan and Charley Crockett, it seems as if the Idaho native has simply gotten better with every release. After releasing the beautiful ode to his home state of Idaho in 2023 on Western White Pines, Acuff followed it up in 2024 with arguably his best work to date on American Son, a record chalked full of important tracks touching on everything from anxiety, depression and, as the title suggests, the fear of war in the current state of our country. Last year, he released Enjoy the Ride, which not only captured the number five spot on the Whiskey Riff Top 40 Albums of the Year list. but also provided one of the most unique and rich album listening experiences, with all 11 songs comprised solely from interviewing 40 separate people off the street and having a conversation with them. In case you thought Acuff showed any signs of slowing down in 2026, he’s been proving yet again why he’s one of the hardest-working artist in the genre today. After getting ball rolling back in March with the release of the defiant “WHITE FLAG,” he’d pull off what can only be described as the greatest Cinderella runs of all time during our very own Whiskey Riff Madness tournament coinciding with the NCAA’s March Madness. Taking down the likes Chris Stapleton, Dierks Bentley, The Red Clay Strays, Whiskey Myers, Shane Smith & the Saints and finally the Turnpike Troubadours, Acuff waged one of the most brilliant meme wars of all time, released his very own t-shirt to celebrate the run and won the entire tournament as a #16 seed, gaining the most votes in the history of our nearly decade-long event. View this post on Instagram Now that the dust has settled on the tournament win and the “Dying Breed” singer is nearing the end of his Handmade Horsepower Tour, which kicked off back in March, he’s readying the next era of his music career. In tandem with the release of his brand new single, “LONG WAY FROM THE BOTTOM,” Acuff has officially announced his seventh studio album, HANDMADE HORSEPOWER, which is set to release independently on Friday, June 2nd. Produced once again by Eddie Spear, who has produced his last three records along with the likes of Zach Bryan’s American Heartbreak, Sierra Ferrell’s Trail of Flowers, Sam Barber’s Restless Mind and more, HANDMADE HORSEPOWER will contain 11 tracks. Of these 11, the previously-released “WHITE FLAG” and “LIPSTICK ON A PIG,” as well as a bonus track titled “MEANING TO LIFE,” will all make appearances. As for today’s new release, “LONG WAY FROM THE BOTTOM,” it’s becoming abundantly clear that Acuff is going to continue to lean into a southern rock-inspired sound that has been present on his recent releases. Here, he takes a very classic, early Sturgill Simpson-esque approach, leaning into a slightly bluesy style. “They thought they could kill me But I found higher ground And damn whoever said I’s dead Well look who’s laughing now And it kills me in the daylight When I’m tore up and whiskey bound I’m a long way from the bottom But I’ll see you on the way down” If the first three pre-released singles are any indication of the rest of HANDMADE HORSEPOWER, it’s looking like we have yet another killer album on the way from the Idaho native. Clearly diverging away from his tried and true Americana-inspired sound that was present on his first six records, it’s paying dividends so far. I’m sure some long-time fans may be a bit hesitant to embrace the sonic change present here, but it’s more than welcomed. As time passes, it’s become abundantly clear that Acuff has never been satisfied with sticking to the status quo from album to album, and HANDMADE HORSEPOWER is looking to do that once again come June 2nd. HANDMADE HORSEPOWER Tracklist “LONG WAY FROM THE BOTTOM” “MATTER OF TIME” “DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES” “GONE AS GONE GETS” “DEEDS I DONE” “LONG HAULING BLUES” “PLAY FOR KEEPS” “LIPSTICK ON A PIG” “LET YOU GO” “WHITE FLAG” “MEANING TO LIFE” (Bonus Track)” “LONG WAY FROM THE BOTTOM” Handmade Horsepower Tour Dates May 2 – Port Neches, Texas – Port Neches Riverfront Park May 8 – Nashville, Tennessee – The Basement East May 9 – Decatur, Georgia – Eddie’s Attic May 28 – Cambridge, Massachusetts- The Sinclair May 29 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania- MilkBoyThe post Colby Acuff Announces Seventh Studio Album, ‘Handmade Horsepower,’ Drops New Single, “Long Way From The Bottom” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.