Article Contributed by jbleicher.com
Published on 2026-05-08
Following the release of his debut single “Break My Chains” earlier this spring, rising blues-rock guitarist and singer-songwriter Alex Kilroy returns today with the new original single, “Let The Good Times Roll,” featuring Vince Gill, offering a fresh glimpse into his upcoming debut album Break My Chains, arriving next Friday, May 15th. Built around Kilroy’s blues-rooted, guitar-driven sound, the track pairs his expressive playing and raw vocal delivery with Vince Gill’s unmistakable presence, capturing the spirit and emotional range of the full album.
Reimagined through Kilroy’s blues-rooted, guitar-driven lens, the track pairs his expressive playing and raw vocal delivery with Vince Gill’s unmistakable presence, bridging tradition and modern interpretation in a way that reflects the spirit of the full album.
The release arrives just one week ahead of Break My Chains, a record that marks the culmination of a journey that began far from the stages Kilroy now calls home.
As a child growing up in Transylvania, Kilroy hung an American flag above his bed and told his mother he was only visiting Romania. Years later, that unlikely belief has led him to the heart of the blues tradition he first connected with as a teenager, discovering Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Live at Montreux and realizing, as he recalls, “That’s me. That’s what I want to do.”
That moment set everything in motion. From early performances across Europe to a scholarship opportunity at Berklee College of Music, Kilroy’s path has been defined by persistence, instinct, and a deep connection to American blues. Even after relocating to the U.S., his journey remained anything but straightforward, marked by visa complications, financial uncertainty, and the kind of setbacks that force an artist to decide whether to keep going.
He did
Eventually landing in Nashville, Kilroy rebuilt his life piece by piece, playing wherever he could and finding his footing in a city built on songs and survival. After relocating to Florida, he connected with industry veteran Clyde Harris, who introduced him to his partner Pat Armstrong, forming a team that helped bring his long-held vision into focus.
“We’ve got to start with the product,” Kilroy recalls telling them. “We’ve got to make a great album.”
Working alongside producer Tres Sasser, Kilroy developed Break My Chains as a cohesive statement rooted in blues tradition while opening into something broader – melodic, modern, and deeply personal. The title track introduced that philosophy earlier this year, centered on breaking out of inherited patterns and expectations, both creatively and internally.
“Break My Chains is about breaking the chains of trying to be somebody else,” Kilroy explains. “Breaking the patterns in your own mind.”
Now, with “Let The Good Times Roll,” Kilroy turns toward the music that shaped him, honoring the lineage he grew up studying while making it his own.
Across Break My Chains, you can hear the full range of those influences – from classical discipline to gospel energy to Southern rock textures – alongside moments drawn directly from his own life. There is also a deeper emotional current running through the record, shaped in part by the recent loss of his father, Iulian, whose influence continues to guide Kilroy’s path forward.
Through it all, the through-line remains freedom – freedom to leave home, to claim another, and to honor the past without being confined by it.
With Break My Chains arriving next week, Alex Kilroy steps fully into that vision.
Break by Chains by Alex Kilroy
1. Standing Tall
2. Break My Chains
3. Answer USA
4. Angel (with Sophia Medina)
5. All That Matters
6. Let Me Play the Blues
7. Midnight Rider
8. My Heart Is Yours
9. Visions of the Past
10. Let the Good Times Roll
11. Kilroy’s Ballad
12. Hard to Let You Go
