Complete List Of Brett Kissel Songs From A to Z

Feature Photo: Matt Duboff, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Brett Kissel built his career from the cattle country of northeastern Alberta, carrying traditional western music into a modern Canadian country sound. Born in St. Paul, Alberta, and raised on his family’s ranch near Flat Lake, he began performing as a child and released his first album before he was old enough to drive.

Keepin’ It Country arrived in 2003 when Kissel was twelve. The album reflected the classic-country records that shaped his childhood through songs associated with Johnny Cash, Jim Reeves, Marty Robbins, Charley Pride, George Strait, and other foundational performers. By Request followed in 2004 with thirteen country and western standards.

Kissel continued developing as a singer, guitarist, and bandleader on Tried and True – A Canadian Tribute in 2006. The record included songs connected to Canadian writers and performers, with appearances by Corb Lund, Steve Fox, and Gary Fjellgaard. My Roots Run Deep followed in 2008 with western songs, instrumentals, and collaborations that remained closely tied to ranching culture.

After signing with Warner Music Canada, Kissel released Started with a Song in 2013. Its title track, “3-2-1,” “Raise Your Glass,” “Tough People Do,” and “Something You Just Don’t Forget” established him at Canadian country radio. His combination of traditional imagery, modern production, and energetic touring helped move him from regional success to a national audience.

Pick Me Up arrived in 2015 with “Airwaves,” “Cool with That,” “She’s Desire,” “I Can Play Guitar,” and “I Didn’t Fall in Love with Your Hair.” The album expanded Kissel’s commercial reach while maintaining the family, rural-life, and relationship themes that had shaped his earlier work.

The 2017 album We Were That Song included “Anthem,” “Guitars and Gasoline,” “Cecilia,” “God Made Daughters,” and its title track. Dave Mustaine appeared on “Damn!,” Charley Pride joined Kissel for “Burgers and Fries,” and Kissel’s grandfather appeared on “Nights in the Sun.”

Now or Never followed in 2020 with “Drink About Me,” “She Drives Me Crazy,” “A Few Good Stories,” “Coffee with Her,” and “That’s Country Music.” The album gave Kissel two additional number-one Canadian country singles through “Drink About Me” and “A Few Good Stories.”

What Is Life?, released in 2021, explored family, ambition, gratitude, and personal priorities through “Make a Life, Not a Living,” “Night in the Life,” “Kindness,” “From This Day Forward,” and three short interludes featuring his children. The album earned the Juno Award for Country Album of the Year.

Kissel’s four-part The Compass Project dominated 2023. The South Album emphasized contemporary country songs, the East Album used acoustic and reflective arrangements, and the West Album returned to western storytelling and classic-country influences. The North Album completed the project with thirteen live performances recorded in Summerside, Prince Edward Island.

Let Your Horses Run – The Album arrived in February 2025 with “Cowboys & Dreamers,” “Another One,” “Nowhere to Ride,” “Close to You,” and collaborations with Don Louis, Cooper Alan, Phil Vassar, and Morgan Klaiber. The deluxe edition expanded the album to sixteen tracks with “Heart to Forget,” a Dierks Bentley version of “Hurtin’ Songs,” and four alternate mixes.

Kissel closed 2025 with “Farmer,” a collaboration with Lee Brice honoring agricultural families and rural communities. By that stage of his career, he had earned twenty-three Canadian Country Music Association Awards, three Juno Awards, four number-one Canadian country singles, and twenty Top 10 radio hits.

Kissel married Cecilia Friesen in 2011, and family life became an important part of his songwriting and public image. The couple became parents of four children before publicly announcing their separation and divorce in late 2025. Kissel continued touring and recording while maintaining close ties to Alberta, agriculture, rodeo culture, and rural charitable causes.

Complete List Of Brett Kissel Songs From A to Z

A–E

“3-2-1” – Started with a Song (2013)
“3-2-1 (Live)” – The Compass Project – North Album (Live) (2023)
“Act Naturally” – By Request (2004)
“Ain’t the Same” – featuring 98 Degrees – The Compass Project – South Album (2023)
“Airwaves” – Pick Me Up (2015)
“Airwaves (Live)” – The Compass Project – North Album (Live) (2023)
“All I Ever Wanted” – The Compass Project – South Album (2023)
“All This Cowboy Needs” – with Morgan Klaiber – Let Your Horses Run – The Album (2025)
“Another One” – Let Your Horses Run – The Album (2025)
“Another One (Neat Mix)” – Let Your Horses Run – The Album (Deluxe Edition) (2025)
“Anthem” – We Were That Song (2017)
“Anthem (Live)” – The Compass Project – North Album (Live) (2023)
“The Auctioneer” – Keepin’ It Country (2003)
“Behind Closed Doors” – The Compass Project – West Album (2023)
“Better Bad Idea” – What Is Life? (2021)
“Between You and Me” – We Were That Song (2017)
“Big River” – Keepin’ It Country (2003)
“Black Eyed Susans” – The Compass Project – West Album (2023)
“Black Eyed Susans (2008 Version)” – My Roots Run Deep (2008)
“Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” – By Request (2004)
“Buck’s Polka” – By Request (2004)
“Buckin’ Horse Rider” – with Tim Hus – My Roots Run Deep (2008)
“Burgers and Fries” – featuring Charley Pride – We Were That Song (2017)
“Cadillac Ranch” – The Compass Project – South Album (2023)
“Calving Time” – My Roots Run Deep (2008)
“Canadian Kid” – Started with a Song (2013)
“Cec’s Breakdown” – Tried and True – A Canadian Tribute (2006)
“Cecilia” – We Were That Song (2017)
“Cecilia (Live)” – The Compass Project – North Album (Live) (2023)
“Chime Bells” – with Eli Barsi – My Roots Run Deep (2008)
“Close to You” – Let Your Horses Run – The Album (2025)
“Coastline” – The Compass Project – East Album (2023)
“Coffee with Her” – Now or Never (2020)
“Cool with That” – Pick Me Up (2015)
“Count on Me” – non-album single (2025)
“Country in My Blood” – Started with a Song (2013)
“Cowboys & Dreamers” – Let Your Horses Run – The Album (2025)
“The Crib Song” – The Compass Project – West Album (2023)
“Crystal Chandeliers” – By Request (2004)
“Damn!” – featuring Dave Mustaine – We Were That Song (2017)
“Deer Blind” – The Compass Project – West Album (2023)
“Die to Go Home” – What Is Life? (2021)
“Down to Earth” – What Is Life? (2021)
“Drink About Me” – Now or Never (2020)
“Drink About Me (Live)” – The Compass Project – North Album (Live) (2023)
“Drink, Cuss, or Fish” – We Were That Song (2017)
“Drive” – The Compass Project – East Album (2023)
“Everything in the Rearview” – What Is Life? (2021)

F–J

“The Falcon and the Cowboy” – My Roots Run Deep (2008)
“Farmer” – featuring Lee Brice – non-album single (2025)
“The Farmer’s Song” – By Request (2004)
“Feet Back on the Ground” – Pick Me Up (2015)
“A Few Good Stories” – Now or Never (2020)
“A Few Good Stories (Live)” – The Compass Project – North Album (Live) (2023)
“A Few Good Stories (with Walk Off the Earth)” – non-album alternate version (2020)
“First Place” – The Compass Project – South Album (2023)
“Fox on the Run” – with Steve Fox – Tried and True – A Canadian Tribute (2006)
“From Aria (Interlude) (featuring Aria Kissel)” – What Is Life? (2021)
“From Leo (Interlude) (featuring Leo Kissel)” – What Is Life? (2021)
“From Mila (Interlude) (featuring Mila Kissel)” – What Is Life? (2021)
“From This Day Forward” – What Is Life? (2021)
“Frosty the Snowman” – non-album Christmas single (2020)
“Get the Hell Out of This Town” – with Don Louis – Let Your Horses Run – The Album (2025)
“Girl in a Cowboy Hat” – Started with a Song (2013)
“God Made Daughters” – We Were That Song (2017)
“God Must Be a Cowboy” – By Request (2004)
“Guitars and Gasoline” – We Were That Song (2017)
“Happy Go Lucky Guitar” – Keepin’ It Country (2003)
“He’ll Have to Go” – Keepin’ It Country (2003)
“Heart to Forget” – Let Your Horses Run – The Album (Deluxe Edition) (2025)
“Heartaches by the Number” – By Request (2004)
“Here’s Hoping There’ll (Always Be a Cowboy)” – The Compass Project – West Album (2023)
“Heroes” – with Gary Fjellgaard – My Roots Run Deep (2008)
“Hockey, Please Come Back” – non-album single (2012)
“Hummingbird” – Now or Never (2020)
“Hurtin’ Songs” – Let Your Horses Run – The Album (2025)
“Hurtin’ Songs (with Dierks Bentley)” – Let Your Horses Run – The Album (Deluxe Edition) (2025)
“I Call You Cowboy” – My Roots Run Deep (2008)
“I Can Play Guitar” – featuring Hunter Hayes – Pick Me Up (2015)
“I Didn’t Fall in Love with Your Hair” – with Carolyn Dawn Johnson – Pick Me Up (2015)
“I Didn’t Fall in Love with Your Hair (Live)” – The Compass Project – North Album (Live) (2023)
“I Hope It’s Me” – Pick Me Up (2015)
“I Just Want to Dance with You” – Keepin’ It Country (2003)
“I Still Miss Someone” – By Request (2004)
“I Want a Massey Ferguson for Christmas” – non-album Christmas single (2023)
“I’m Not Him, I’m Not Her” – featuring Christina Taylor – Now or Never (2020)
“I’ve Been Everywhere (2003 Version)” – Keepin’ It Country (2003)
“I’ve Been Everywhere (2006 Version)” – Tried and True – A Canadian Tribute (2006)

K–O

“Kindness” – What Is Life? (2021)
“Kiss an Angel Good Morning” – Keepin’ It Country (2003)
“Legacy” – The Compass Project – West Album (2023)
“Let Your Horses Run” – Let Your Horses Run – The Album (2025)
“Let Your Horses Run (Acoustic Mix)” – Let Your Horses Run – The Album (Deluxe Edition) (2025)
“Let Your Horses Run (Mezcal Club Mix)” – Let Your Horses Run – The Album (Deluxe Edition) (2025)
“Line in the Sand” – The Compass Project – South Album (2023)
“Long Hot Summer” – Started with a Song (2013)
“Love Them a Little” – non-album single (2018)
“Made It” – The Compass Project – East Album (2023)
“Make a Life, Not a Living” – What Is Life? (2021)
“Make a Life, Not a Living (Live)” – The Compass Project – North Album (Live) (2023)
“The Man I Am” – Started with a Song (2013)
“Mansion Over the Hilltop” – Keepin’ It Country (2003)
“Meet Me in Vegas” – The Compass Project – East Album (2023)
“Missin’ You in San Antone” – The Compass Project – West Album (2023)
“The Money and the Buckle” – My Roots Run Deep (2008)
“My Cowgirl” – Started with a Song (2013)
“Navajo Rug” – with Corb Lund – Tried and True – A Canadian Tribute (2006)
“Never Have I Ever” – The Compass Project – South Album (2023)
“Night in the Life” – What Is Life? (2021)
“Nights in the Sun” – featuring Grandpa Bear – We Were That Song (2017)
“No Trespassing” – Tried and True – A Canadian Tribute (2006)
“Northern Man” – My Roots Run Deep (2008)
“Not So Perfect Christmas” – non-album Christmas single (2010)
“Nowhere” – The Compass Project – East Album (2023)
“Nowhere to Ride” – Let Your Horses Run – The Album (2025)
“Oh Lonesome Me” – Keepin’ It Country (2003)
“Oil and Cattle” – featuring George Canyon, Don Amero, and Brad Johner – The Compass Project – West Album (2023)
“Our Home” – The Compass Project – South Album (2023)

P–T

“Paper Rosie” – Tried and True – A Canadian Tribute (2006)
“Pick Me Up” – Pick Me Up (2015)
“Port Colborne” – The Compass Project – East Album (2023)
“Queen on the River” – The Compass Project – West Album (2023)
“Queen on the River (The Poker Song) (2008 Version)” – My Roots Run Deep (2008)
“Raise Your Glass” – Started with a Song (2013)
“Rich Is” – with Phil Vassar – Let Your Horses Run – The Album (2025)
“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” – non-album Christmas single (2014)
“Royal Telephone” – By Request (2004)
“San Antonio Rose” – By Request (2004)
“Sanctuary” – featuring Cecilia Kissel – The Compass Project – East Album (2023)
“She Drives Me Crazy” – Now or Never (2020)
“She Drives Me Crazy (Live)” – The Compass Project – North Album (Live) (2023)
“She Knows What She Likes” – Started with a Song (2013)
“She’s Desire” – Pick Me Up (2015)
“She’s Desire (Acoustic Version)” – non-album single (2017)
“Shootin’ It” – We Were That Song (2017)
“Slidin’ Your Way” – What Is Life? (2021)
“Slow Me Down” – We Were That Song (2017)
“Snowbird” – Tried and True – A Canadian Tribute (2006)
“Something You Just Don’t Forget” – Started with a Song (2013)
“Somewhere to Drink” – Nate Haller featuring The Reklaws and Brett Kissel – Party in the Back (2021)
“Spend a Little Time With You” – The Compass Project – East Album (2023)
“Standing in the Dark” – The Compass Project – South Album (2023)
“Started with a Song” – Started with a Song (2013)
“Started with a Song (Live)” – The Compass Project – North Album (Live) (2023)
“Starts and Ends” – The Compass Project – South Album (2023)
“Strait Country” – The Compass Project – West Album (2023)
“Ten Years From Now” – The Compass Project – East Album (2023)
“Tennessee Flat Top Box” – Keepin’ It Country (2003)
“Tennessee Waltz” – By Request (2004)
“Thank God I’m a Country Boy (Live)” – The Compass Project – North Album (Live) (2023)
“That’s Country Music” – Now or Never (2020)
“That’s How the World Ends” – We Were That Song (2017)
“That’s Just You” – The Compass Project – South Album (2023)
“That’s Why God Made Guitars” – Pick Me Up (2015)
“There’s a Love Knot in My Lariat (2003 Version)” – Keepin’ It Country (2003)
“There’s a Love Knot in My Lariat (2008 Version)” – My Roots Run Deep (2008)
“Together (Grandma & Grandpa’s Song)” – Started with a Song (2013)
“Tough People Do” – Started with a Song (2013)
“Tough People Do (Live)” – The Compass Project – North Album (Live) (2023)
“Travellin’ Man” – Tried and True – A Canadian Tribute (2006)
“Truck Drivin’ Man” – Keepin’ It Country (2003)
“Two of Us” – with Cooper Alan – Let Your Horses Run – The Album (2025)
“Two of Us (Margarita Mix)” – with Cooper Alan – Let Your Horses Run – The Album (Deluxe Edition) (2025)

U–Z

“Under the Double Eagle” – with Clint Pelletier – My Roots Run Deep (2008)
“Wannabes” – non-album single (2021)
“Watch It” – The Compass Project – South Album (2023)
“We Were That Song” – We Were That Song (2017)
“We Were That Song (Live)” – The Compass Project – North Album (Live) (2023)
“What Is Life?” – What Is Life? (2021)
“When I Get on a Memory” – The Compass Project – East Album (2023)
“Whiskey Before Breakfast” – My Roots Run Deep (2008)
“A White Sport Coat” – By Request (2004)
“Who Wrote the Words” – Tried and True – A Canadian Tribute (2006)
“Why Won’t You” – Pick Me Up (2015)
“Wichita Lineman” – The Compass Project – West Album (2023)
“Wings of a Dove” – By Request (2004)
“Without” – What Is Life? (2021)
“Would You Dance with This Old Cowboy” – with Gary Fjellgaard – Tried and True – A Canadian Tribute (2006)
“You Won’t Dance with Me” – Tried and True – A Canadian Tribute (2006)
“Young Enough” – Now or Never (2020)

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Brett Kissel Albums and Major Releases

Keepin’ It Country (2003)

By Request (2004)

Tried and True – A Canadian Tribute (2006)

My Roots Run Deep (2008)

A Country Christmas with Brett Kissel (2010)

Started with a Song (2013)

Pick Me Up (2015)

We Were That Song (2017)

Now or Never (2020)

What Is Life? (2021)

The Compass Project – South Album (2023)

The Compass Project – East Album (2023)

The Compass Project – West Album (2023)

The Compass Project – North Album (Live) (2023)

Let Your Horses Run – The Album (2025)

Let Your Horses Run – The Album (Deluxe Edition) (2025)

Updated August 1, 2026.

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