Tag: premiere

WATCH: Lee Henke, “Captain of the Ship”

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Artist: Lee Henke
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Captain of the Ship”
Album: Captain of the Ship
Release Date: June 26, 2020

From the Artist: “‘Captain of the Ship’ is the title track of the upcoming album. I wrote this tune after a somewhat depressing gig at a casino. I decided to drink as much free beer as I could and spent the entire $50 I made from the show on one hand of poker. I don’t remember going to sleep but I woke up in the morning to some chicken-scratch lyrics on a bar napkin. The theme seems to dance around the romanticized idea of being the only person affected by the decisions you make, or the unrealistic freedom of being all on your own.” — Lee Henke

Photo credit: Ira Wolf

LISTEN: The Contenders, “You Don’t Care or You Don’t Have the Time”

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Artist: The Contenders
Hometown: Vermont / Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “You Don’t Care or You Don’t Have the Time”
Release Date: April 3, 2020

In Their Words: “Life is often a series of made or missed connections. The thoughts and emotions can be the things that wake you up in the middle of the night and get your mind running. They do for me sometimes, anyway. You could call this song a meditation, or maybe even a rumination on that… playing back in your head what you said or what you didn’t say and facing the less pretty qualities of your own character. It’s probably also worth noting that we love sad songs and we feel that they are often the very best vehicle for harmony singing. Our friend (and 2019 Americana UK instrumentalist of the year) CJ Hillman really drove the point home that we were trying to make musically with his sublime pedal steel.” — Jay Nash, The Contenders

https://soundcloud.com/thecontenders/you-dont-care-or-you-dont-have-the-time-master/s-5yqp9

Photo credit: Stacie Huckeba

WATCH: Lisa Lambe, “Dust and Sand”

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Artist: Lisa Lambe
Hometown: Dublin, Ireland
Song: “Dust and Sand”
Album: Juniper
Release Date: April 3, 2020
Label: Blue Élan Records

In Their Words: “The inspiration for this song came from a treasured place: Omey Island, a tidal island on the western edge of Connemara County Galway in my homeplace Ireland. From the mainland you can barely see this place. The island is now abandoned but remains a place of devotion with its holy well. It is quiet and beautiful. ‘Dust and Sand’ is an ode to nature. It’s a song that reflects the space in between, and the lyrics are about being in that in-between place. A bit like the now…. Hope it brings you peace and a sense of place.” — Lisa Lambe

Photo credit: Dora Kazmierak

WATCH: The Golden Age, “Weirdo”

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Artist: The Golden Age
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Weirdo”
Album: I’m Sure It’ll Be Fine
Release Date: February 21, 2020
Label: Poke the Bear Records

In Their Words: “This video was made by those wild guys from Neighborhoods Apart, Joshua Britt and Neilson Hubbard. Josh had this concept he’d always wanted to do that ‘Weirdo’ seemed to fit nicely. Ultimately the video/song is a quick prick to the balloon that suggests that in order to connect with other people we need to present these shiny-flawless images socially and hide our odd nuances under a bushel… But what all that green-screen, horse-hockey magic really does is make us feel isolated. And like little worms that don’t measure up. The video is a trumpet’s call to embrace the fact that, at our nitty gritty, we’re all just a couple of strange brained-lumpy bodies in skin-tight suits plucking on banjos and mandolins in front of someone’s garage in the middle of the afternoon. More or less.” — Bryan Simpson and Matt Menefee, The Golden Age

LISTEN: Thomm Jutz, “Where The Bluebirds Call”

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Artist: Thomm Jutz
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Where The Bluebirds Call”
Album: To Live In Two Worlds, Volume 1
Release Date: March 27, 2020
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “Englishman Cecil Sharp travelled all over Appalachia in search of ancient British verse and melody thought lost in England. He travelled extensively through the mountains of Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee to find these songs. They are documented in his collection English Folk Songs From The Southern Appalachians, which, as my friend and co-writer Tim Stafford says, is ‘as close to the horse’s mouth as you can get.’ I feel Cecil’s fascination with these songs in my bones. It is the essence of what keeps my musical world turning, and it’s always calling me home.” — Thomm Jutz

Photo credit: Jefferson Ross

LISTEN: Flashback, “When The Blues Come Around My Cabin Door”

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Artist: Flashback
Song: “When The Blues Come Around My Cabin Door”
Album: Blues Around My Cabin
Release Date: March 27, 2020
Label: Pinecastle Records

From the Artist: “‘When The Blues Come around My Cabin Door’ was written by Don Rigsby and Billy Droze. Don brought in to the group and we loved the bluesy feel and the flow of the lyrics. I really like the production and the different instrumentation including Don’s ‘mandocaster’ breaks and back up. We all agreed that the title of the project should come from this song.” — Curt Chapman, Flashback

“I’ll just add that my brothers in Flashback were great as always and I love writing with Billy Droze because he brings a fresh perspective and new ideas to the table every time.” — Don Rigsby, Flashback

Photo courtesy of Pinecastle Records

LISTEN: The Mammals, “Radio Signal”

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Artist: The Mammals
Hometown: Woodstock, New York
Song: “Radio Signal”
Album: Nonet
Release Date: March 27, 2020 (single); May 22 (album)
Label: Humble Abode Music / Soundly

In Their Words: “The day of the 2017 Charlottesville riot I got a text from our friend, Vern, reading: ‘PLEASE for the song that kills fascists.’ ‘Radio Signal’ was written in the next 10 minutes. Where is the hope in our twisted culture? Bob Dylan says it’s in the wind. Daniel Quinn described a sacred ‘blaze of life’ that connects all things. Pete Seeger showed us the power of many people making small contributions: the ‘tea-spoon brigade.’ Each verse of ‘Radio Signal’ is a nod to one of those three great teachers, melodically informed by the beautiful old folk song, ‘Shenandoah,’ and transformed into the anthemic rock song we share with you today. ‘And I roll, and I roll, down the backroads of my soul. Lookin’ for light like a radio signal…'” — Mike Merenda, The Mammals

Photo credit: Tom Eberhardt-Smith

WATCH: Wild Rivers, “Kinda Feels Alright”

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Artist: Wild Rivers
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
Song: “Kinda Feels Alright”
Album: Songs To Break Up To EP
Release Date: May 1, 2020
Label: Nettwerk

In Their Words: “‘Kinda Feels Alright’ holds an important place on the Songs To Break Up To EP, exploring the positive side of a breakup. It’s also a big part of the personal story of the record. It’s about beginning to accept a breakup and feel alright. Sonically, it feels like a bridge between a classic Wild Rivers song and the new territory we explore with the rest of the EP.” — Khalid Yassein, Wild Rivers

Photo credit: Stefan Kohli

LISTEN: Webb Wilder, “Night Without Love”

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Artist: Webb Wilder
Hometown: Born and raised in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, based in Nashville since 1982
Song: “Night Without Love”
Album: Night Without Love
Release Date: April 10, 2020
Label: Landslide Records

From the Artist: “‘Night Without Love’ is an old song by RS Field whom I have known for about 50 years! The song itself is easily 40 years old, although it has never been recorded and released until now. I’ve always known about it and I’ve always liked it. I guess I’m just a sucker for a good line and ‘face like an Idol from the Yucatán’ pretty much cinched it for me when I first heard it all those years ago. I used to be in a band called the Drapes. We played this song live, although Bruce Tinnin sang it instead of me.” — Webb Wilder

Photo credit: David McClister

WATCH: Saro Lynch-Thomason & Sam Gleaves, “1920”

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Artist: Saro Lynch-Thomason & Sam Gleaves
Hometown: Asheville, North Carolina
Song: “1920”
Album: I Have Known Women
Release Date: May 1, 2020
Label: Strictly Country Records

In Their Words: “This song was written to keep us mindful of the strong herstory of resisting oppression in the U.S. and to celebrate the centennial of the ratification of the 19th amendment. As this song states, ‘So much has changed. So much remains.’ There is much more work to be done before all U.S. residents are welcomed to participate in the democratic process. We hope that this song will serve as a reminder of the many generations of inspiring women who have brought us to this point in time, and inspire those in the present to keep fighting for justice and representation.” — Saro-Lynch Thomason and Sam Gleaves

Photo credit: Ben Bateson