THELMA & JAMES Release 'Good By Now,' Nominated for CMA Vocal Duo

Acclaimed rising duo Thelma & James have released post-breakup track 'Good By Now.' The partnership continues to take them to new heights, including a nomination for Vocal Duo of the Year at the 2026 CMA Awards. Earlier this month, they took home Alternative Country Album of the Year for their EP Starting Over and Video of the Year ('Parking Lot Prayers') at the CCMA Awards.

''Good By Now' is about thinking that after all this time you'd be okay, and realizing you're not,' Thelma & James explain. 'It's about the wounds that time was supposed to heal but somehow didn't, and wondering how much longer you have to wait before you finally see some light.'

The new song was written by MacKenzie Porter, Jake Etheridge, Casey Brown and Parker Welling with production by Lonas, the frontman of folk duo The Saint Johns, and co-production by Casey Brown. Despite the time that has passed, the heartbreak is far from over:

You told me goodbye then
Thought I'd be good by now
No, time ain't been my friend
Just made it worse somehow
Cause here I am no better than
The day that you walked out
You told me goodbye then
Thought I'd be good by now

Their partnership's gorgeously harmonized and deeply honest songs have drawn attention from Grammy.com, which called the pairing 'an accidental, only-in-Nashville anomaly.' Not realizing the best writing partner was right under their noses the whole time, their first co-write in over a decade produced the track 'Happy Ever After You,' which ignited the spark that's grown into a whirlwind journey for the married duo.

This year Thelma & James have released a sequence of singles: 'The Way That It Wasn't,' 'Home In Your Broken Heart,' 'Alternate Ending' and 'If You Ain't In Love By Now.' More information is available at thelmaandjames.com.

About Thelma & James

Thelma & James have quickly turned an unexpected musical partnership into one of country music's most talked-about new acts. Formed by married Nashville-based singer-songwriters MacKenzie Porter and Jake Etheridge, the duo recently won Alternative Country Album of the Year for their EP Starting Over and Video of the Year for 'Parking Lot Prayers' at the 2026 CCMA Awards. This year they earned their first ACM and CMA Award nominations and wrapped their first stadium tour with Luke Combs. Not realizing the best writing partner was right under their noses the whole time, their first co-write in over a decade produced 'Happy Ever After You.' The song, which evolved organically from an impromptu video that earned praise from fellow artists like John Mayer, Brandi Carlile and more, has garnered over 30 million global streams since its release. The pair signed to Big Loud Records in 2025 and are doubling down on their fortuitous musical chapter with more new music on the horizon.

Photo Credit: Bree Fish