NEED TO KNOW
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Extended version of the album SG Goodman, (Re)Planting by the Signs , has been expanded with five new tracks, including a collaborative reworking of the title track featuring Tyler Childers and Señora May.
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The project explores Southern identity and traditions while challenging stereotypes about Kentucky and Appalachia.
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Goodman will donate a portion of the album's proceeds to a local NPR radio station in Murray, Kentucky.
The concept of "« planting plants according to signs"» has been an integral part of S.G. Goodman's life from the very beginning. .
A native of the lowlands of southwestern Kentucky with agrarian roots, Goodman told PEOPLE after the release of her extended play (Re)Planting by the Signs in 2026, that she "couldn't put it down" after the original project's release in 2025. Instead, the 37-year-old songwriter has figuratively reaped a new harvest, unveiling five new tracks to expand the sonic universe she first created on her fourth studio album.
«"It caught me a little bit off guard," Goodman tells PEOPLE of returning to project «Planting by the Signs» . "I think I still can't let go of that thought.".
The released project added five compositions to the original recording, including the opening track from Goodman's live performances, a version of "I'm in Love" performed by Dan Reeder, a psychedelic take on the Butthole Surfers classic "Pepper," and a reimagined version of the album's title track featuring Tyler Childers and his wife, Señora Mae, their first publicly released duet.
Album cover for '(Re)Planting By The Signs' Source: Slough Water Records / Thirty Tigers
Releasing a deluxe version of an album is often a tactical move designed to maintain interest in an artist's work and effectively serve as a platform for bonus material. However, with SG, this is anything but. This expanded edition represents something far deeper: a continuing exploration of Southern identity, inherited traditions, and the nuances often overlooked in how places like Kentucky and Appalachia in general are perceived by outsiders.
«"I think everything about the political portrayal of people in the South, and in my region, misses a crucial point—our tastes, preferences, and culture. One word immediately comes to mind: complexity," Goodman exclaims. "It's so easy to just look at a map of people's voting preferences and assume that's all we believe... But if you dig deeper, you'll find that our region is a region where the electoral districts were artificially drawn. In other words, we're a disenfranchised region.".
She adds: "I try my best to show the complexity of where I come from and the people who live there. The more I can do, the more I can spark curiosity and help people confront stereotypes and preconceived notions about themselves and their neighbors.".
Initial concept «Landing by Signs» drew inspiration from the ancient agricultural practice of planting crops according to lunar cycles—a concept Goodman grew up with in Hickman, Kentucky, on the bluffs of the Mississippi River. For his fellow Kentuckians, Childers and May, this ideology was also extremely relatable.
S.G. Goodman Photo: Ryan Hartley
«Long before this, in the program «Planting by Signs» , "I used a lot of voice recordings from people in the South who actually have experience or believe in planting according to signs," she explains. Through her friendship with May, Goodman says she learned that their families share this concept.
«"I discovered that her father, who is also a farmer, raised her with this belief system," Goodman says of May. "So I always knew this belief system was familiar to her and that it was special to her.".
This personal connection, combined with Goodman's long-standing admiration for both May and Childers, made the idea of collaborating on a rework of the album's title track a natural fit.
«"'Planting by the Signs' is, at its core, a love song," Goodman says. "So I always imagined it being sung by a couple, and who better to sing it than Tyler and Senora?"„
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Goodman notes that she approached the matter cautiously, understanding the significance of the moment, as the duet marked the couple's first officially released recording. "I wrote to both of them and said, 'No pressure,'" the singer recalls. "I honestly don't know why they haven't recorded together before, but I wouldn't have been upset if they'd said no.".
Another highlight of the album (Re)Planting by the Signs is Goodman's reimagining of the Butthole Surfers' classic 1996 hit "Pepper," which she considers a staple of her recent live performances, including her rousing set at Stagecoach Festival 2026.
«"I don't have any particular desire to just be a karaoke singer," she says of her approach to cover songs, specifically aiming to recreate the dark, melodic elements of a song with a more pronounced Southern lilt. "I think it's a reflection of what's left after their version has passed through me.".
Throughout the album, both new and previously released tracks, Goodman continually returns to themes of community, nature, and the struggle against increasingly widespread isolation. In light of this, she decided to donate a portion of the album's proceeds to local NPR radio station WKMS in Murray, Kentucky. For the artist, these are fundamental principles of life that she believes need to be discussed increasingly in modern life.
«"This will always be a topic," Goodman says. "There are barriers between us and the natural rhythms that nature provides us.".
S.G. Goodman Photo: Ryan Hartley
And despite her ever-growing popularity, including an upcoming performance at Kentucky's Laurel Cove Music Festival, Goodman says she remains fully committed to developing her music organically rather than chasing industry expectations.
«"For writing books "Landing by Signs" »"It took me a long time," she admits. "I had to make a decision: what's more important? Art or commerce?"»
The singer adds: «By growing so slowly, I’ve been able to create a real community through my music, and I think it’s the community that keeps you going.».
While Goodman is planning future projects and continues to record new material, she says she doesn't see a definite end point for album Planting by the Signs , or (Re)Planting by the Signs , if anything, especially in an age where music is constantly finding new audiences on the internet.
«"There's a wonderful sense of uncertainty when it comes to releasing music now," she says. "You can't say anything's already been done anymore.".
Movies «Landing by Signs» и «"(Re)landing by signs"» are now available on all major streaming platforms.
Read the original article on People.