New music from either Bonnie Montgomery or Melissa Carper — both Arkansas singer-songwriter darlings — is a cause for celebration, but today brings something even more special: a lovey-dovey duet between the two of them.
Though Montgomery and Carper have been touring together a lot over the past year, “Rather Have Love” is their first official shared release. Accompanied by a music video that casts the pair as an enviably smitten couple (perhaps they’re a real-life couple as well), the pedal steel-dripping, harmony-tangled single situates the allure of romance above the material trappings of a good country life: “I’ve got sparkling diamond earrings and vintage Wrangler jeans / I’ve got custom Nudie seats and ruby rings / I’ve got 40 head of cattle, propane in a tank … / But I’d rather have love.”
“Rather Have Love” is Searcy native Montgomery’s first release since 2023, when she dropped the album “River” on Fayetteville-founded label Gar Hole Records. Carper’s recent releases include 2026’s “Havin’ A Talk,” a collaborative album with Theo Lawrence; 2025’s “A Very Carper Christmas” (shouted out by The New York Times) and 2024’s “Borned In Ya.” Her band, Sad Daddy, is also poised to put out new music soon, according to a recently launched GoFundMe page.
Daniel Grear is the print editor at the Arkansas Times. He also writes about culture. Send tips to danielgrear@arktimes.com
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