Jon Loomis released his debut album, The King of Good Intentions, today, produced by rock n’ roll legend Eric “Roscoe” Ambel. While Loomis has enjoyed a successful career as an accomplished songwriter, poet, novelist, and musician, this marks his first foray into the professional recording world.
For The King of Good Intentions, Loomis assembled a cast of ace studio musicians, including Ambel himself, Charlie Giordano of E Street Band fame, Kenny Soule, Mary Lee Kortes, and Keith Voegele of the Bottle Rockets, among others.
A Storyteller’s Record
The album’s ten narrative-based tracks run the emotional gamut. Influenced by icons like John Prine, Guy Clark, Loudon Wainwright III, and the Two Toms (Waits and Petty), Loomis strikes the perfect balance of humor and heart.
Ambel praises Loomis’s storytelling talent:
“Jon’s stories are both compelling and close. He really brings the listener into his own world. So I’m very excited about this record—from the raw iPhone song demos Jon initially sent me to the current, finished recordings, we worked to give his songs the best surroundings for them to flourish.”
From “Anna’s Garden,” a murder ballad with a male victim for once, to the daring and darkly funny “Skinny Love” (not to be confused with the Bon Iver song), the rueful “Big Ol’ Stupid Love,” and the chaotic fun of “Open Carry Fish Fry,” Loomis showcases lyrical dexterity honed through years of dedication to his craft.
A Career in Words and Music
A nationally acclaimed poet and novelist, Loomis has earned rave reviews from the New York Times Book Review, Washington Post Bookworld, The Chicago Tribune, The Toronto Star, and many more. His poetry has garnered prizes, fellowships, grants, and awards, and his most recent collection, The Mansion of Happiness (Oberlin College Press), was a Pulitzer Prize nominee in 2016.
As a songwriter, Loomis has long been recognized for his talents. His original “Heartbreak City,” recorded by the Ohio-based bluegrass band The Rarely Heard in the mid-’90s, climbed to #7 on the national bluegrass charts. When not writing, Loomis plays lead guitar for the Eau Claire-based cover band The Flaming Doublewides and fronts his alter-ego band Creeping Charlie and the Roundups.
Tracklist – The King of Good Intentions
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Big Ol’ Stupid Love
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Anna’s Garden
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The King of Good Intentions
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Problem Child
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Beautiful Wreck
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Skinny Love
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What You Do To Me
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Open Carry Fish Fry
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Local Boys
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Aging Disgracefully
The King of Good Intentions is available digitally everywhere now.
Album Release Celebration
Catch Jon Loomis at the CD release party for The King of Good Intentions on October 4 at 2 Roots Art & Wine Gallery in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The event will feature performances by Creeping Charlie and the Roundups, followed by The Flaming Doublewides and Sean Copenhaver. Admission is free, and CDs will be available with a $10 donation.
