Article Contributed by Big Feat PR
Published on 2026-04-26
Photo: Jay Arcansalin
Today, country-rock band Ghost Hounds announced the release of a powerful new A-side / B-side single pairing, featuring a striking rendition of “Gimme Shelter” alongside the band’s original song “Justified.”
The release marks a special milestone moment for the band while also supporting charitable causes, with proceeds from the single benefiting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Listen to songs HERE
Watch “Justified” HERE
Watch “Gimme Shelter” HERE
Both tracks feature the powerhouse vocals of Chanel Haynes, widely recognized for her electrifying performances with The Rolling Stones, when she joined the band for performances including their U.S. Hackney Diamonds tour in 2024.
Chanel was also personally selected to portray Tina Turner in the hit musical Tina. Her commanding performance brings new depth and intensity to Ghost Hounds’ recording of the legendary song.
The release arrives on the 57th anniversary of “Gimme Shelter,” originally written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and released in 1969.
Paying homage to the song’s iconic legacy, Ghost Hounds producer and guitarist Thomas Tull recorded and produced the track using original gear from Sunset Sound Recorders, the famed Los Angeles studio where Merry Clayton delivered the historic backing vocal performance on the original recording.
Talking exclusively to American Songwriter, Chanel stated, “The Ghost Hounds are part of my family now. When we do that song together, it’s just really exciting. I just feel really blessed to be able to share the stage with them."
Chanel also discussed working with The Rolling Stones and speaking with Merry Clayton before performing the song live with the Stones for the first time.
“Them choosing me to expose me and take me on this stage with them is one of the most generous things,” Haynes told American Songwriter of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and the rest of the band.
“It’s the most physically difficult song. It’s almost like you teleport. It’s such an extraordinary song that Keith and Mick created together. She just encouraged me and said, ‘You know what? I want you to sing this song the way you want to sing it, because the church is in you.’ She’s a pastor’s daughter—as am I—and she basically was saying, ‘Trust the compass, trust that compass in you.’ I took that with me, and every night on stage, I was just Chanel, my most authentic, honest self.”
Speaking about the project, SAVNT of Ghost Hounds said:
“This release is incredibly special to us. ‘Gimme Shelter’ is one of the most powerful songs ever written, and being able to honor its legacy while collaborating with Chanel Haynes—whose voice is simply phenomenal and evocative of Merry’s rasp and uncontainable energy.”
Tull also penned the B-side “Justified,” a soulful track that showcases the band’s signature blend of country, rock, and roots music, along with vocalist SAVNT’s world-class vocals. The song hints at the next chapter of Ghost Hounds and their ever-evolving sound.
American Songwriter stated of the track, “Written by band member—and ‘lyrical genius’—Thomas Tull, ‘Justified’ is about someone fighting an inner battle.”
“He’s having this internal battle within himself of, like, ‘I did the right thing, but it still feels wrong,’” SAVNT explained the song’s main character. “That’s a war within everybody.”
Ghost Hounds recently released their fifth studio album, Almost Home, which blends country, roots, classic rock, and blues and features guest appearances by Lainey Wilson and Patty Griffin.
Praised by SPIN as “sonically ablaze and dripping with honey” and hailed by American Songwriter for its “electric guitar-led, worn-down drum kit-driven rock music, with an intentional tinge of the Blues,” the record has helped cement Ghost Hounds as one of the most exciting roots-rock bands in America today.
Major milestones for the band include performances during SXSW and a breakout AmericanaFest week with a headline slot at the National Museum of African American Music, where SAVNT was honored with a special exhibit spotlighting his artistry and cultural impact.
The band also recently performed at the Grand Ole Opry, where they were welcomed into the Opry’s iconic circle for the first time.
Ghost Hounds members include vocalist SAVNT, guitarist, lead songwriter and producer Thomas Tull, guitarist Tyler Chiarelli, pianist and keyboardist Joe Munroe, violinist and fiddler Kristin Weber, bassist Bennett Miller, and drummer Sydney Driver.
Known for their explosive live performances, the band has toured with The Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, Bob Seger, and Garth Brooks, while their breakout single “Last Train to Nowhere” was featured in the series Special Ops: Lioness, further cementing their reputation as a band forging a country-rock trail of their own making.
