Article Contributed by Gratefulweb
Published on 2026-02-28
Photo by Evan Endicott.
St. Louis alt-country artist Adam Gaffney’s “Don’t You Cry” (out April 23) is a sad song of forgiveness, written for his mother before her death. It lures us in with gorgeous, angelic, three-part-harmony oohs. The song isn’t afraid to dip into experimental proggy elements as the Wurlitzer brings an outer-space vibe amongst the chicken-picking guitar licks. There’s an openness to the song similar to the Grateful Dead or Tom Petty’s Highway Companion, leaving room for the incredibly singalongable chorus.
“My mom had multiple myeloma, a blood cancer,” says Gaffney. “It was a rare case and wasn’t treatable because we didn’t find out until it had spread throughout her body. It deteriorated her bones so badly that one day she just couldn’t get up. She had to go to the hospital in an ambulance because she couldn’t move. This song is about seeing my mom cry as she couldn’t get off the couch… couldn’t get to the hospital right away to be treated. I’d visit her as much as I could and she’d be laid on the couch. Sometimes she’d been laying there for days, because we had to wait for Medicaid to approve her to go to the hospital. It was a very fucked up thing to watch, be helpless, and see the healthcare system in real time. I spent a lot of time driving and sometimes I’d bring my guitar with me and play her favorite songs and we’d watch movies together. I’d try to comfort her as much as I could. We were carrying all this weight… watching her go through that. I wanted to take care of my mother there at the end. I’d drive back and forth in silence for two hours each way. The song came to me while driving in that silence.”
“Don’t You Cry” arrives ahead of Adam Gaffney and the Balladeers’ new album Product of Another Sad Song (out May 8, 2026), a somber and emotional exploration of losing his mother to cancer, loves lost and found, and returning from the brink to embrace sobriety. Made up of 13 songs and four short poems, Product of Another Sad Song gives nods to traditional country troubadours like George Jones, the folk-influenced lyric structures of Bob Dylan, and the obstinate, rebellious spirit of Neil Young.
Gaffney has performed at Newport Folk Festival and will be performing at SXSW in 2026. He’s recorded with James Deprato (Chuck Prophet, Sammy Hagar, Angelo Moore), and has shared stages with Paul Thorn, Randall King, Austin Meade and more. These are Gaffney’s songs where he sings and plays guitar, harmonica and piano, backed by Austin Jones (guitar, vox), Ryan Gillespie (bass, vox), Laura Noelani (drums), Kendell Scott (pedal steel), Karen Choi (vocals), Evan Farris (keys, organ, accordion, vox) and producer/engineer Jorge Valcarcel of the band Boxcar. St. Louis local legend Fred Friction recites two Gaffney poems and two of his own. The album was mastered by Alex Saltz (Bruce Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt, Deer Tick, David Bowie, Vampire Weekend).
Upcoming Tour Dates
Mar. 1 — Festus, MO @ Taytros
Mar. 6 — St. Louis, MO @ Hammerstones
Mar. 7 — St. Louis, MO @ Stellar Hog
Mar. 12–18 — Austin, TX @ SXSW
Mar. 28 — Staunton, IL @ Mississippi Culture
Apr. 3 — St. Louis, MO @ CBGB
Apr. 4 — Edwardsville, IL @ Samm’s Last Chance Saloon
Apr. 17 — Long Island, NY @ South Shore Guitar Boutique
Apr. 18 — Brooklyn, NY @ Pete’s Candy Store
Apr. 20 — Long Island City, NY @ LIC Bar
Apr. 25 — Sparta, IL @ White Rooster
Apr. 26 — Lincoln, NE @ Bierhaus
May 2 — Laramie, WY @ Ruffed Up Duck
May 3 — Golden, CO @ Goosetown Station
