Fourteen years. That’s how long fans of Jamey Johnson have been waiting for Midnight Gasoline, his first solo studio album since 2010’s critically acclaimed The Guitar Song. For a decade and a half, Johnson’s legacy as a modern country legend has only grown, and the new album might just put him up there with some of the genre’s greats.

Midnight Gasoline also marks the beginning of Johnson’s ambitious Cash Cabin Series, a collection of albums recorded at the historic Hendersonville, TN studio once owned by Johnny and June Carter Cash. For Johnson, the setting wasn’t just a backdrop, it was his muse. “There’s a presence there,” he reflects. “Maybe it’s from Johnny and June or the countless artists who’ve come through, but it feels like home to me.” To fully immerse himself, Johnson parked his tour bus outside the cabin and spent three weeks recording over 30 songs, 12 of which made the final cut.

With echoes of his previous albums, That Lonesome Song and The Guitar Song, Midnight Gasoline strikes a balance between reflection and revival. “There isn’t an overt theme,” Johnson says of the album. “These are glimpses of my life, funny stories, and deeply personal moments.” Songs like “What A View” and “Sober” showcase his ability to mix the personal with the universal.

Collaboration is what really fuels the album’s soul. The first half, produced by the Kent Hardly Playboys, features contributions from longtime friends and bandmates, while the second half reunites Johnson with Dave Cobb, the producer behind his earlier hits. Together, they’ve come up with some special moments like “Saturday Night In New Orleans” and “No Time Like The Past.” You can feel Johnson’s reverence for tradition throughout the album, but he’s not bound by it. By recording at the Cash Cabin, he’s paying homage to the past while putting his own stamp on the place. “These songs come from a higher power,” he says. “My job is to deliver them with joy in my heart.”