Songwriter Dan Whitaker is a lifelong musician with over 30 years performing and 14 albums of original songs to his name. Noted for his “smooth world-wise voice” and well-crafted tunes, he recently relocated from his longtime home Chicago to start a new chapter in Texas, where his outsider ways seem to fit right in. Whitaker’s kind of country music is shot through with blues, jazz, and folk, a freewheeling style that takes you on a journey through life’s ups and downs with humor and insight.

His latest album, I Won’t Play By Your Rules, is a reckoning of sorts—and an invitation to live the life you’re meant to live, no matter if it comes late. It speaks of giving the middle finger to your deadend job, finding solace in the kindness of others, and leaving all your problems behind for one last spin on the dance floor. Engineered by Alex Hall at Reliable Recorders (Cactus Blossoms, Pokey LaFarge), Whitaker lets his love for soulful harmonicas, lonesome pedal steel, and jazzy telecasters rip over ten memorable tracks—with a stealthy instrumental featuring Chris Neal on saxophone as a digital bonus.