Artist: Mara Connor
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Song: “Old Man” (Neil Young cover)
Album: Decades EP
Release Date: May 20, 2021
Label: Side Hustle Records
In Their Words: āI recorded this with Jon Estes in Nashville at the same age Neil Young was when he wrote it (’24 and thereās so much more’) about a caretaker who lived on his ranch. When I first heard the song I was struck by the empathy exhibited by such a young songwriter. I’m also impressed by his economy of language, how in so few words he conveys so much: that as humans, we’re more alike than we are different, and at our core, we all just want to be loved. Itās an affirmation that if we took the time to really look into each otherās eyes and see the humanity there, the world would be far better for it. Can you imagine an insightful folk rock song about an elderly ranch foreman charting on the Billboard Hot 100 today? Me neither, and thatās a shame.ā — Mara Connor
Photo credit: Schuyler Howie
