Jamey Johnson’s 2008 song “Together Again” is finally released by new duo Ryan and Rory, blending classic country roots with fresh emotional depth.
Jamey Johnson’s song “Together Again,” co-written in February 2008 with Gerry House and Keith Follesé, finally finds its voice in the new country duo Ryan and Rory, despite having been held by Alan Jackson for years without being recorded.
The song, which explores the profound devastation following a breakup through vivid metaphors (e.g., likening lost love to the scattered scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz or Humpty Dumpty’s irreparable fall), remained “a diamond in the rough” until Ryan Follesé—son of co-writer Keith Follesé—recognized its unique power and advocated for its recording.
Johnson, now 49, tells PEOPLE that he was humbled by the invitation to join the young duo on their version of the track, and admires the emotional maturity they brought to their arrangement and material.
He reflects fondly on the experience of writing with House and Follesé, calling them “among the best songwriters” he’s ever worked with, and he was overjoyed when Keith Follesé mentioned that his son Ryan still remembered and loved the song years later.
For Ryan Follesé (38)—formerly frontman of pop band Hot Chelle Rae—the first encounter with the song was revelatory: he had “never heard a country song like that” and was struck by its fresh perspective on heartbreak.
Rory John Zak (28), his musical partner, echoes this sentiment, stating that it didn’t resemble “any other country song in the world” across genres, which convinced them it deserved to be cut.
Although “Together Again” is technically their first outside song, they feel it aligns so naturally with their artistic identity that it “feels like home,” akin to “putting on an old baseball glove.”
Produced by Dann Huff, the track illustrates the duo’s capacity for depth and range, balancing their viral-leaning, catchy songs like “Truck Stop” with an ultra-traditional ballad.
Ryan emphasizes the importance of unpredictability in their work: while fans may not know what to expect next, the unifying element remains the distinctive sound of their voices and their willingness to explore varied emotional territory.
Keith Follesé shares in his delight, expressing that “good songs don’t have an age”—whether written 20 years ago or last week—and that he knew this song was special from the start.
His parents’ legacy (having penned Faith Hill’s No. 1 hit “The Way You Love Me”) further underscores a family heritage of songwriting craftsmanship. Rory acknowledges that bringing such a mature, experience-driven song to life required a level of emotional insight he aspires to reach in his own songwriting someday.
Ultimately, both Ryan and Rory feel “meant” to record “Together Again,” believing the collaboration with a veteran like Jamey Johnson validates the song’s timelessness and their own artistic journey.
Their excitement highlights how a song once sidelined by time can find its true home when the right artists connect with its core message and emotional resonance.
