Article Contributed by Big Hassle Media
Published on 2026-09-11
Photo Credit: Danielle Head
Iconoclastic American troubadour Pokey LaFarge releases Rent Money today—Friday, September 11—digitally, with CD and LP editions to follow October 3 on his own Boxer Boy Records / ONErpm / Diggers Factory. The album’s single, “My Baby Loves Me,” is out now, and an official video directed by Jacob Butler (LA LOM, Paul Cauthen) premieres today on YouTube.
“No matter what the world does to me. No matter what the world says about me. No matter who may come and go in and outta my life. I remember, my baby, that is my wife, Addie, and now my little baby girl, Nina Ruth—they love me. And all that other mess don’t matter.”
Produced by Elliot Bergman (Wild Belle, LA LOM, Natalie Bergman), Rent Money once again finds Pokey LaFarge deftly traversing the boundaries of genre, seamlessly integrating the myriad strains of 20th-century American music—spanning, but not limited to, urban blues, primal rock ’n’ roll, early jazz, ragtime, first-wave reggae, boogie, gospel and electric country funk—with a freewheeling command of earnest songcraft, inspired performance and subversive creativity.
The album sees the Illinois native pushing forward yet again in what can be safely declared his finest collection to date, impassioned and mature, both as no-nonsense social commentary and heartfelt expression of personal experience. Driven by twanging guitars, plucky rhythms and undeniably captivating melodies, songs like “My Baby Loves Me” and the outspoken first single and title track, “Rent Money,” soar and swing, their joyous refrains belying the kitchen-table issues and inescapable undercurrent of constant worry that permeates these troubled times.
“People are always going to tell you what they think you should play,” says Pokey LaFarge, “what you should sing about, how you should sound, how you should look, how you should act. And I’ve always just been like, nah. Nope. I’ve just completely gone my own way, and hopefully I’ve been honest and authentic in the process.
“I’m just trying to make music that AI can’t replicate. Things are so homogenized right now. That’s what I’m really, really, really resistant to, especially when it comes to music. I’m not going to do it. I’m not going to conform.”
LaFarge will introduce fans old and new to Rent Money with an extensive North American headline tour featuring full-band performances and solo shows. The tour begins September 11 at The Castle Theatre in Bloomington, Illinois, and travels the continent through a holiday-season finale at Los Angeles’ historic Lodge Room on December 19.
For complete details and ticket information, visit pokeylafarge.net/tour.
Watch more from Rent Money:
“Hambone” Official Music Video
“Rent Money” Official Music Video
“The Thing” Official Music Video
Rent Money Tracklist
The Thing
My Baby Loves Me
Hambone
Rent Money
Stick Together
Work
Stranger
Can’t Take It With You
Told You No
Big Boss Man
On and On
September 2026
September 11 – Bloomington, IL – The Castle Theatre
September 12 – St. Louis, MO – Delmar Hall
September 13 – Des Moines, IA – Wooly’s
September 15 – Madison, WI – Atwood Music Hall
September 16 – Kalamazoo, MI – Bell’s Eccentric Cafe
September 17 – Ferndale, MI – The Magic Bag
September 18 – Toronto, ON – The Concert Hall
September 19 – Ottawa, ON – CityFolk Festival †
September 20 – Homer, NY – Center for the Arts of Homer
September 22 – Ardmore, PA – Ardmore Music Hall
September 23 – Washington, DC – The Atlantis
September 25 – Cincinnati, OH – Ludlow Garage
September 26 – Pelham, TN – The Caverns
September 27 – Indianapolis, IN – HI-FI Indy
November 2026
November 10 – Somerville, MA – Arts at the Armory
November 11 – Amherst, MA – The Drake Amherst
November 12 – New York, NY – Sony Hall
November 13 – Kingston, NY – Assembly
November 14 – Camden, ME – Camden Opera House
December 2026
December 2 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
December 3 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line
December 4 – Omaha, NE – The Waiting Room Lounge
December 5 – Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre
December 6 – Fort Collins, CO – Washington’s
December 8 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Commonwealth Room
December 9 – Boise, ID – Shrine Social Club
December 11 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater
December 12 – Vancouver, BC – Hollywood Theatre
December 13 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre
December 15 – Sebastopol, CA – HopMonk Tavern
December 16 – San Francisco, CA – Bimbo’s 365 Club
December 17 – Felton, CA – Felton Music Hall
December 18 – Carlsbad, CA – NAMM Museum of Making Music
December 19 – Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room
March 2027
March 9 – Dublin, Ireland – Button Factory
March 11 – Bristol, United Kingdom – Lantern
March 12 – London, United Kingdom – Islington Assembly Hall
March 13 – Manchester, United Kingdom – Band on the Wall at Manchester Folk Festival †
March 15 – Leuven, Belgium – Het Depot
March 16 – Paris, France – New Morning
March 18 – Groningen, Netherlands – Oosterpoort
March 19 – Utrecht, Netherlands – TivoliVredenburg
March 20 – Cologne, Germany – Gebäude 9
March 21 – Dresden, Germany – Beatpol
March 23 – Berlin, Germany – Lido
March 25 – Breda, Netherlands – Mezz
March 26 – Venlo, Netherlands – Grenswerk
March 27 – Brugge, Belgium – Cactus
† Festival appearance
