Article Contributed by Gratefulweb
Published on February 11, 2026
Grateful Web Premiere: Sounding Arrow – “Lucky Shaman”
There’s a loose, joyful danger to “Lucky Shaman,” the new single from Scott Kinnebrew’s solo project Sounding Arrow. It’s the sound of an artist trusting the groove, letting humor, history, and hard-earned wisdom all ride shotgun — and today, Grateful Web is proud to premiere the song’s vivid new animated video.
Best known for his work with Truth & Salvage Co., Kinnebrew has long thrived in the spaces between genres. With “Lucky Shaman,” he leans fully into that instinct, blending indie rock, psychedelia, garage rock, bluesy jam energy, and flashes of ’60s AM pop into a track that feels playful on the surface while carrying deeper currents underneath.
Scott Kinnebrew on “Lucky Shaman”
Despite its easygoing feel, “Lucky Shaman” represents a meaningful turning point for Kinnebrew as a songwriter — particularly in his relationship with the blues.
“Believe it or not this is the first “Blues” song I’ve ever written, at least I’ve not written very many, if any. That being said, I love good Blues. Especially Brit Blues, (most), like blues through the filter of The Kinks, or The Faces, The Rolling Stones of course. And I love that their influence came back over the pond to inspire some sweet Velvet Underground jams. Blues does have the precarious tendency to veer towards Blues Daddy, which is to be avoided at all costs. Hence the Blues dilemma, should I or shouldn’t I play the Blues?”
For Kinnebrew, “Lucky Shaman” became the answer.
“Lucky Shaman is a perfect approach to the Blues dilemma. Though feeling upbeat, it’s actually slow AF. It’s easy to count it off too fast, but when it’s right, it’s sooo groovy.”
The song didn’t arrive through calculation, but through absorption and timing.
“As far as the song coming to me, I guess I had finally digested enough of the classics to be able to write my own Blues jam without it sounding contrived. I guess it was just my moment. I wanted it to definitely nod at all those rad tunes and contain their quirk and swagger—just my own take on it.”
Who Is the “Lucky Shaman”?
The song’s title character carries layered meaning — both playful and profound.
“This can have a couple of answers. If you are talking about the hero in the “Lucky Shaman” video, the little sun head plant buddy, well that little dude is plant wisdom personified. And it’s definitely healing the world.”
The deeper inspiration traces back to a formative period in Kinnebrew’s life.
“The original subject of the tune was my friend and mentor Don Cesareo of the Seikopai Peoples of Amazonian Ecuador/Peru. I was fortunate to be able to study abroad my junior year of college. And after meeting students who invited me to join them on a trip to the jungle, I found myself living with Don Cesareo and his wife Doña Juaquina for almost four months in the Ecuadorian Amazon. This was 1994. Don Cesaereo was old then, in his 70’s, but stronger than an ox. He was a taita (shaman), but you’d never know it because he was always cracking jokes and laughing at the sound of his farts.”
“I guess a more appropriate title would have been “Silly Shaman” but it really didn’t have the same ring as “lucky.” I went back in 2018 to pay him and his family a visit. He was 102 years old. But he remembered me. The entire time I lived with him my name was Gringo, but I discovered on my return I actually had been given a nickname Ñase Køwu- “Beak Of The Toucan”.”
“In the early 90’s in the Amazon “Ayahuasca Tourism” was not a thing. In fact, because of Evangelical influence, plant ceremony was discouraged. After much persistence, Cesareo and I did partake in ceremony, but under his wife’s insistence it was a very weak brew.”
“It wasn’t until decades later when I was truly ready to receive the knowledge, and it was revelational, and harrowing.”
“In Seikopai belief there are 9 dimensions. In the 9th dimension, a taita, shaman, teacher, can transcend and heal anyone in the world from right there on the banks of the Aguarico. So yes, they are healing the world!”
Why Animation?
The song’s spirit demanded a visual world beyond realism.
“Some stories are better to tell animated right? Have you seen “Common Side Effects” on Adult Swim? Could you imagine that as a live action? It would never work.”
Animator Sophie Caswell was the clear choice.
“That was my reasoning with the animated video. I knew it would be a huge undertaking, but I knew when I met animator Sophie Caswell that she would crush it. We met at a music video festival in Asheville; we both had videos that were accepted into the event. Her work was stop-motion, fantastical, and super gory. I was like, “I love your work, you would be perfect for this video, but please, NO BLOOD.” I’m really pleased with how it turned out.”
And the cast of characters includes Kinnebrew’s West Coast band.
“The band is my West Coast Band, and always down to clown! The keyboardist in the video is the Illustrious Lady Tigra, from Tigra & Bunny fame and their hit “Cars With The Boom” (“we like the cars, the cars that go BOOM!”)”
Credits
Video directed & animated by Sophie Caswell (Elderly Footstep)
Song by Scott Kinnebrew
Produced by Scott Kinnebrew & Gary Jules
Mixed by Bill Reynolds at Fleetwood Shack, Nashville, TN
Mastered by Dewey Thomas at Forest Hill Sound, Asheville, NC
Record Label: Blackbird Record Label / Indie AM Gold
A&R: Manda Mosher & Eric Craig
Lyrics: “Lucky Shaman” (Excerpt)
Ooh lucky shaman
Ooh lucky shaman
Bust out the hammocks
We’re stringing them up
We’re gonna drink from the cup
Tonight we drink from the cup
Good time lucky shaman
We need your healing love
Your ever humble love
Good time lucky shaman
We need your healing love
Your ever humble love
Ooh lucky shaman
Ooh
He’s starting to chant
Things are starting to swirl
He’s healing the world
She’s healing the world
Good time lucky shaman
We need your healing love
Your forever humble love
Good time lucky shaman
We need your healing love
Your forever humble love
We need your healing love
Your forever humble love
