20-year-old Dee White raised himself on classic country music

"I tell all my friends back home I'm a city boy now,” Dee White says. “I love it that much.”

The city the 20-year-old country musician is referring to is Nashville, where he’s now based. But “home” is Slapout, Alabama, which you could call a small town — if it was technically a town at all.

Slapout (and neighboring Holtville) are unincorporated communities, with a total population of 4,000. Its landmarks? “A couple of gas stations and a Dollar General,” White says. “And churches."

That left a teenage White with a lot of time to fish, while listening to Pandora stations of country music from the ‘70s and ‘80s. Today, he has an album of his own out in the world.

White’s debut, “Southern Gentleman,” was produced by Dan Auerbach (with David “Fergie” Ferguson), and was released earlier this month via his Easy Eye Sound label and Warner Music Nashville.

Along with White and his co-producers, a range of veteran Nashville writers had a hand in "Gentleman's" 10 highly melodic tracks. They're tied together with sharp, organic production and White's tender croon — which has earned deserved comparisons to Roy Orbison.

It sounds even sweeter on record thanks to Alison Krauss, who sings harmony on several tracks. White went on to open for the revered bluegrass vocalist on tour, but her appearance at the studio was a total surprise.

"Like it was a nonchalant thing," White recalls with a laugh. "Fergie was just like, 'By the way, Alison Krauss is coming in to sing harmony of one of the tunes,' and then she ended up doing more. It was crazy. I mean, I'm getting to stand in the control room and see her overdub those harmonies live. There's nothing like it. That'd be like watching Van Gogh paint if you were trying to be a painter."

It isn't easy for him to explain why the country music of yesteryear clicks so well with him, but he guesses it has a bit to do with a love of history, in general. One of "Southern Gentleman's" standout tracks, "Crazy Man," is a cover he's pulled out of obscurity, co-written by '70s country hitmaker Jim Mundy.

It's actually been more than a year since "Southern Gentleman" was finished. Though sitting on the album was "a little tough," White says, "I'm glad that they waited and did it right."

Speaking of history, White is making his debut at the Grand Ole Opry on Friday, March 8. He says quite a few friends and family members are making the four-hour drive up to Nashville for the occasion.

Next up, he's looking forward to hitting the road himself, and getting ready to do his first headlining gigs.

"That's all brand new territory for me," he says.

Dee White tour dates

Apr 03 /// Grey Eagle /// Asheville, NC

Apr 04 /// The Spot On Kirk /// Roanoke, VA

Apr 05 /// The Southern Café And Music Hall /// Charlottesville, VA

Apr 06 /// Neighborhood Theatre /// Charlotte, NC

Apr 07 /// Motorco Music Hall /// Durham, NC

Apr 11 /// Carol’s Pub /// Chicago, IL

Apr 12 /// Lo-Fi Lounge /// Indianapolis, IN

Apr 13 /// Thompson House /// Newport, KY

Apr 23 /// Eddie’s Attic /// Decatur, GA

Apr 24 /// Muddy Creek Cafe & Music Hall /// Winston-Salem, NC

Apr 25 /// Barley’s Taproom & Pizzeria /// Knoxville, TN

Apr 26 /// Tangled String Studio/Lowe Mill /// Huntsville, AL

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