Mon, 09/09/2019 - 11:45 am

The Marcus King Band today announced the first half of their El Dorado tour - 32 dates this winter across the USA, finishing at New York’s Beacon Theatre on December 21. Tickets on sale to the public on Friday September 13 at 10am local time with various pre-sales earlier in the week. More information here.

King is a Greenville, South Carolina native but recently relocated to Nashville. He’s not had much of a chance to settle in, as he’s barely been home. Since 2015 Marcus has toured endlessly with his group The Marcus King Band, performing over 140 live shows in the last calendar year. At 23 years old, young guitar hero Marcus King has already been performing live for 15 years - he has performed on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, made his debut at The Grand Ole Opry and recently he joined Chris Stapleton on his US arena tour playing up to over 17k people at sold out shows.

Marcus says the inspiration for his live work ethic comes from the performers he admires, especially on the most recent tour, “Stapleton was an inspiration to watch. The amount of hard work and care that he puts into his show is powerful. I feel blessed to have joined him on the road and look forward to working with him and his team again.”

The Marcus King Band continue to sell out dates including a three-night run at Brooklyn Bowl earlier this year and The Marcus King Band Family Reunion, their very own festival, which will take place on September 27-28 2019 at Pisgah Brewing Company in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. The lineup, curated by Marcus himself, includes Jason Isbell, Josh Ritter, Amanda Shires, Futurebirds, Los Coast and festival namesake The Marcus King Band performing two sets over the multi-day event.

King has earned rave reviews for his live kinetic musicianship with The Washington Post describing him as a “guitar phenom” alongside tastemaker media VICE/Noisey (“astounding and triumphant”), NPR (“tenacious and vulnerable”) and Rolling Stone Magazine who described him as an “electrifying rock performer.” King’s music is a contemporary genre-bending sonic exploration of classic rock, blues, R&B and country-soul. One of the most dynamic performers on the live circuit, The Marcus King Band is a blistering, versatile unit that has honed their synergy through endless touring. Though he’s known for face melting guitar solos, it’s King’s arresting powerhouse vocals that have quickly established him as one of the most soulful voices of his generation.

TOUR DATES

SEP 12 THU - Americanafest - Easy Eye Sound Get Down 

SEP 12 THU - Americanafest - Musician's Corner

SEP 12 THU - Americanafest - Luck ShowboatNashville, TN, United States

SEP 14 SAT - Breckenridge Brewery - Littleton, CO, Littleton, CO, United States

SEP 20 FRI - Eric Clapton's Crossroads, Dallas, TX, United States

SEP 21 SAT - Eric Clapton's Crossroads, Dallas, TX, United States 

SEP 22 SUN - Sea.Hear.Now, Asbury Park, NJ, United States

SEP 27 FRI - 3rd Annual Marcus King Band Family Reunion, Black Mountain, NC, United States

SEP 28 SAT - 3rd Annual Marcus King Band Family Reunion, Black Mountain, NC, United States 

OCT 31 THU - Kansas City, MO - The Truman

NOV 1 FRI - Wichita, KS - Orpheum Theatre

NOV 2 SAT - Columbia, MO - The Blue Note

NOV 3 SUN - Omaha, NE - Slowdown

NOV 5 TUE - Fayetteville, AR - George's Majestic Lounge

NOV 7 THU - Birmingham, AL - Iron City

NOV 8 FRI - Mobile, AL - Soul Kitchen

NOV 9 SAT - Memphis, TN - Minglewood Hall

NOV 10 SUN - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant

NOV 12 TUE - Bloomington, IL - Castle Theatre

NOV 14 THU - Cincinatti, OH - Bogart's

NOV 15 FRI - Indianapolis, IN - The Vogue

NOV 16 SAT - Louisville, KY - Mercury Ballroom

NOV 17 SUN - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall

NOV 19 TUE - Grand Rapids, MI - The Intersection

NOV 21 THU - Iowa City, IA - The Englert Theatre

NOV 22 FRI - Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater

NOV 23 SAT - Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre

DEC 5 THU - Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theatre

DEC 6 FRI - Durham, NC - Carolina Theater

DEC 7 SAT - Pittsburgh, PA - Mr. Smalls Theatre

DEC 8 SUN - Washington DC - 9:30 Club

DEC 10 TUE - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts

DEC 12 THU - Detroit, MI - St. Andrew's Hall

DEC 13 FRI - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall

DEC 14 SAT - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall

DEC 15 SUN - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall

DEC 17 TUE - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues

DEC 18 WED - Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall

DEC 19 THU - Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom

DEC 20 FRI - Northampton, MA - Calvin Theatre & Perf Arts Center

DEC 21 SAT - New York, NY - Beacon Theatre

JAN 7-12 - Jam Cruise 2020 - Marcus King solo, Miami, FL, United States

JAN 24-28 - Panic En La Playa Nueve, Puerto Alvaro Obregon, Mexico

APR 10-12 - Byron Bay Bluesfest. Tyagarah, Australia

Fri, 01/10/2020 - 12:12 pm

Marcus King today shared a new song “Beautiful Stranger.” Timeless vintage soul with shimmering steel and haunting gospel harmonies, the song features Marcus’ rasping vocals which take centre stage on his solo debut record, El Dorado. The release has established him as one of the most soulful voices of his generation and is set to be his most critically acclaimed yet. El Dorado, produced by Dan Auerbach will be released next week on Fantasy Records, on Jan 17 2020. Marcus will make his Jimmy Kimmel Live debut on Jan 15.
 
Discussing the song, Marcus stated, "Beautiful Stranger is a story about longing, searching for love. We tried to paint a picture of a dim-lit bar, lost souls finding one another before last call."
 
The new track is written by 23-year-old vocal and guitar phenomenon Marcus, alongside Dan Auerbach and Paul Overstreet. It features drummer Gene Chrisman, keyboardist Bobby Wood and bassist Dave Roe, legendary musicians who have graced classic recordings by the likes of Johnny Cash, Aretha Franklin and Elvis Presley.
 
The album’s highly anticipated first single, “The Well” premiered recently via Rolling Stone Magazine who featured him on the cover of The Mix in their latest issue. Rolling Stone’s insightful profile explored Marcus’ fascinating story which saw him initially struggle to fit in at school and even faced the possibility of spending time in a juvenile detention centre for truancy. Talking to Rolling Stone, Marcus stated, “They were trying to put me away, trying to put me into a juvenile detention center, trying to shave my head, put me in jail. And I was like, ‘I didn’t do anything. I just missed a couple of days of class”
 
Marcus overcame these challenges, using music as a therapy, helping him deal with issues around mental health and loss to become a professional guitarist at eleven years old. He discovered in his teens after a video of him performing at Norman’s Rare Guitars went viral, Marcus King is a fourth-generation musician who followed in his family’s footsteps. His grandfather was a country guitarist, and his father continues to perform live. King recently made his debut at The Grand Ole Opry, playing his grandfather’s guitar. The moment was recently captured in a video documentary, which can be watched here.
 
El Dorado, a contemporary exploration of southern R&B, country-soul, classic rock and blues, has widespread support from tastemakers American Songwriter, Vulture, Entertainment Weekly, Flood Magazine and Paste and is receiving dedicated support at Triple A radio, including KCRW. The Well’s cinematic video also premiered via Relix with hundreds of thousands of views in weeks. Marcus is currently on a 75+ date world tour in the US, Australia, Japan, Europe, and more, with The Marcus King Band. Multiple dates sold out including The Beacon Theatre in New York which was profiled by The New York Times.

 
Marcus has also found time to meet Bill Murray, Bonnie Raitt and Eric Clapton, who proclaimed himself a fan of Marcus at his Crossroads Festival. He has developed his own signature guitar with Gibson, created a signature amp with Orange Amps, appear on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, perform with Chris Stapleton on his US arena tour as well as curate his own namesake festival - The Marcus King Band Family Reunion.
 
El Dorado will be released January 17, 2020 on Fantasy Records in association with Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound. Available to pre-order now. Please visit: https://mk.lnk.to/eldorado

The Marcus King Band founded in Greenville, South Carolina in 2013, is Marcus’ honored foundation. Drummer Jack Ryan, bass player Stephen Campbell, trumpeter/trombonist Justin Johnson, sax/steel guitarist Dean Mitchell along with Marcus—bring an irreplaceable combination of commitment, craft and soul to their work and are one of the hardest working bands today.

THE MARCUS KING BAND ‘EL DORADO’ TOUR DATES
 
JAN 7-12 - Jam Cruise 2020 - Marcus King solo, Miami, FL, United States
JAN 24 - Panic En La Playa Nueve, Puerto Alvaro Obregon, Mexico
JAN 26 SUN - Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theatre
JAN 27 MON - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up
JAN 28 TUE - San Diego, CA - Music Box
JAN 30 THR - Las Vegas, NV - Brooklyn Bowl - Las Vegas
JAN 31 FRI - Los Angeles, CA - The Fonda Theatre
FEB 1 SAT - Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst
FEB 4 TUE - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
FEB 6 THR - Sacramento, CA - Ace Of Spades
FEB 7 FRI - Eugene, OR - McDonald Theatre
FEB 8 SAT - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
FEB 9 SUN - Vancouver, BC, Canada - The Commodore Ballroom
FEB 11 TUE - Seattle, WA - Neptune Theatre
FEB 13 THR - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot
FEB 14 FRI - Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater
FEB 15 SAT - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
FEB 21 FRI - Leeds, UK - The Wardrobe
FEB 22 SAT - Glasgow, UK - Oran More
FEB 23 SUN - Dublin, IE - Whelans
FEB 25 TUE - London, UK - Electric Ballroom
FEB 26 WED - Manchester, UK - Academy 3
FEB 27 THR - Nottingham, UK - Rescue Rooms
FEB 28 FRI - Bristol, UK - Thekla
MAR 1 SUN - Paris, FR - L’Alhambra
MAR 2 MON - Brussels, BE - Ancienne Belgique
MAR 3 TUE - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso
MAR 4 WED - Enschede, NL - Metropool Enschede
MAR 5 THR - Cologne, DE - Kantine
MAR 7 SAT - Berlin, DE - Heimathafen Neukölln
MAR 8 SUN - Hamburg, DE - Mojo Club
MAR 9 MON - Copenhagen, DK - Vega Jr.
MAR 20 FRI - Biloxi, MS - Mississippi Coast Coliseum - with Chris Stapleton
MAR 21 - Birmingham, AL - BJCC Concert Hall - with Chris Stapleton
APR 5 SUN - Tokyo, JP - Billboard Live Tokyo
APR 7 TUE - Osaka, JP - Billboard Live Osaka
APR 10-12 - Byron Bay Bluesfest - Tyagarah, Australia
APR 13 MON - Metro Theatre - Sydney, NSW, Australia
APR 15 WED - Croxton Park Hotel - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
APR 16 THR - Powerstation - Auckland, New Zealand
APR 22 - Toledo, OH - Huntington Center - with Chris Stapleton
APR 23 - Columbus, OH - Schottenstein Center - with Chris Stapleton
APR 24-26 - Atlanta, GA - Sweetwater 420 Festival
APR 30 - New Orleans, LA - The Civic Theatre
MAY 1 - New Orleans, LA - The Civic Theatre
MAY 2 - New Orleans, LA - The Civic Theatre
JUN 21 - Landgraaf, NL - Pinkpop Festival

Wed, 01/29/2020 - 4:24 pm

Marcus King’s debut solo record El Dorado topped multiple charts following its release last week. The album is his fastest selling to date and debuted at number one on several charts, including Top New Artist, Americana Folk, Current Rock, Blues Albums, as well as 12 on the Top Current Albums chart. Produced by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, the record was released on Fantasy Records to widespread critical acclaim.
 
Marcus King released his latest video, an acoustic performance of the song “Break.” The video features Dan Auerbach on guitar. Introducing the video, King tells the story of “Break” about two people who are in love, but are in a broken relationship.
 
King explains, “The one party knows they’re going to hurt the other one because it’s kind of in their way and the other person knows they’re going to be broken hearted. It’s just to kind of say that if you’re going to have your heart broken anyway, at least let me be the one to do so.”

 
Marcus made his debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, as well as featuring on NPR’s Weekend Edition and Fresh Air last week. Rolling Stone Magazine featured Marcus on the cover of The Mix in their latest issue, alongside support from NPR Music, The New York Times, No Depression, Associated Press, Flood and American Songwriter. Paste Magazine stated, “King’s exceptional voice is the main attraction.” Vulture described King as bending “genres to his vocals, which possess a soulful grit, not unlike freshly greased tires on a dirt road” and Entertainment Weekly described King as radiating “swagger and soul.”
 
El Dorado, a contemporary exploration of southern R&B, country-soul, classic rock and blues, has established the 23 year old phenom as one of the most soulful voices of his generation. King’s arresting vocals feature as the lead instrument, taking centre stage alongside a genre bending blend of subtle acoustics, bright pedal steel, raucous electric guitars and blistering solos.
 
King continues his winter and spring world tour with his band, The Marcus King Band followed by a string of dates with Chris Stapleton. See full dates below.
 
JAN 28 TUE - San Diego, CA - Music Box
JAN 30 THR - Las Vegas, NV - Brooklyn Bowl - Las Vegas
JAN 31 FRI - Los Angeles, CA - The Fonda Theatre
FEB 1 SAT - Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst
FEB 4 TUE - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
FEB 6 THR - Sacramento, CA - Ace Of Spades
FEB 7 FRI - Eugene, OR - McDonald Theatre
FEB 8 SAT - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
FEB 9 SUN - Vancouver, BC, Canada - The Commodore Ballroom
FEB 11 TUE - Seattle, WA - Neptune Theatre
FEB 13 THR - Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot
FEB 14 FRI - Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater
FEB 15 SAT - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
FEB 21 FRI - Leeds, UK - The Wardrobe
FEB 22 SAT - Glasgow, UK - Oran More
FEB 23 SUN - Dublin, IE - Whelans
FEB 25 TUE - London, UK - Electric Ballroom
FEB 26 WED - Manchester, UK - Academy 3
FEB 27 THR - Nottingham, UK - Rescue Rooms
FEB 28 FRI - Bristol, UK - Thekla
MAR 1 SUN - Paris, FR - L’Alhambra
MAR 2 MON - Brussels, BE - Ancienne Belgique
MAR 3 TUE - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso
MAR 4 WED - Enschede, NL - Metropool Enschede
MAR 5 THR - Cologne, DE - Kantine
MAR 7 SAT - Berlin, DE - Heimathafen Neukölln
MAR 8 SUN - Hamburg, DE - Mojo Club
MAR 9 MON - Copenhagen, DK - Vega Jr.
MAR 20 FRI - Biloxi, MS - Mississippi Coast Coliseum - with Chris Stapleton
MAR 21 - Birmingham, AL - BJCC Concert Hall - with Chris Stapleton
APR 5 SUN - Tokyo, JP - Billboard Live Tokyo
APR 7 TUE - Osaka, JP - Billboard Live Osaka
APR 10-12 - Byron Bay Bluesfest - Tyagarah, Australia
APR 13 MON - Metro Theatre - Sydney, NSW, Australia
APR 15 WED - Croxton Park Hotel - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
APR 16 THR - Powerstation - Auckland, New Zealand
APR 22 - Toledo, OH - Huntington Center - with Chris Stapleton
APR 23 - Columbus, OH - Schottenstein Center - with Chris Stapleton
APR 24-26 - Atlanta, GA - Sweetwater 420 Festival
APR 30 - New Orleans, LA - The Civic Theatre
MAY 1 - New Orleans, LA - The Civic Theatre
MAY 2 - New Orleans, LA - The Civic Theatre
JUN 21 - Landgraaf, NL - Pinkpop Festival

Fri, 03/06/2020 - 10:39 am

Today artists including Ashley McBryde, Brandi Carlile, Brothers Osborne, Dan Auerbach, Jason Isbell, Margo Price, Sheryl Crow, Soccer Mommy, and Yola, announced they will be performing at “To Nashville, With Love,” a charity benefit concert to raise money for the people of Nashville, whose homes and lives were devastated by the recent tornado. Hosted on March 9 at Marathon Music Works. Tickets on sale now, priced at $75. To purchase tickets, to make a donation and for more information, please visit www.tonashvillewithlove.org.
 
Every dollar raised through ticket sales and donations for this event will benefit the To Nashville, With Love Fund. This fund, created by a group of music industry professionals, will raise vital monies that are so greatly needed by the Middle Tennessee community after the devastating March 2020 tornadoes. The To Nashville, With Love Fund will allocate all money raised to both disaster relief and mental health organizations.
 
WRLT-Lightning 100 are the event broadcast partner and the entire event will be broadcast via the website on lightning100.com & 100.1 FM
 
Jason Isbell stated, “Amanda and I are proud to call Nashville our home, and we’re proud of the Nashville community’s ability to come together in a time of crisis. We’re lucky that our home and our loved ones are safe, but we know that isn’t the case for many Nashvillians. I’m happy to do what I can to help the city recover.”
 
Ellen Lehman, president of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, an organization benefiting from the fund, stated, “We know when disasters strike, there are no quick fixes. We are grateful to our partners from the entertainment industry for their tireless work in making these special events a reality. Thanks to these efforts through the work of nonprofits on the ground helping victims address their needs, we will be able to better respond to the damage caused by these disastrous storms.”
 
Mike Grimes who co-owns the Basement East which was sadly destroyed in the Tornado and is a featured speaker at the event, stated, “We have seen the resilience of Nashville before but nothing like the display of humanity being put forth currently. That sweat equity combined with our incredible friends’ generous offers of their gift of music will galvanize our city, making it stronger than ever before. Please join us Monday friends for an event that will help and heal. We Will Rise.”
 
Show your support on social media with the following tags:
#ToNashvilleWithLove
#NashvilleStrong
 
Social media
FB: @ToNashvilleWithLove
Instagram: @ToNashvilleWithLove
Twitter: @ToNashWithLove
 
Additional artists performing will include:
 
Aaron Lee Tasjan
Ashley McBryde
Brandi Carlile
Brothers Osborne
Dan Auerbach
Jason Isbell
Katie Pruitt
Kendell Marvel
Margo Price
Old Crow Medicine Show
Sadler Vaden
Sheryl Crow
Soccer Mommy
Yola
 
Opening remarks by Mike “Grimey” Grimes

Wed, 08/12/2020 - 9:15 am

24 year old phenom singer and songwriter, Marcus King, announced today Four of A Kind, Live From Nashville live stream event series and auction raised $80,000 for MusiCares, with Spotify matching proceeds donated through their Spotify COVID-19 Music Relief project.
 
Discussing the event recently with Pollstar Magazine, King stated, “The idea to do four shows came about because I wanted to give people some variety. If we’re playing a three- or four-night run, we don’t like to repeat material or recycle anything.” He added, “We are supporting MusicCares and helping musicians in these trying times because they’ve been a success and musicians are getting hit pretty hard not getting to do what we love.”
 
The series took place over four weeks every Monday July 13 - August 3 and included notable musical guests such as Billy Strings, Brent Hinds from Mastodon, Jennifer Hartswick, Devon Gilfillian as well as singer-songwriter Early James. The event received widespread media acclaim from tastemaker media such as  Rolling Stone who praised the last performance of the series who stated, “With a cast of Nashville musicians like Devon Gilfillian and Early James, the singer-guitarist breathes new life into the Band’s warhorse.” The event was held in a safe and socially distant production space in Nashville and on-demand viewing of the performances ended yesterday. Watch performance clips including “Say You Will” here and “Honey” here.
 
King also last week announced a string of drive-in shows, beginning in September. Performing as Marcus King Trio at outdoor venues up and down the Eastern United States. Dates and locations below.
 
MARCUS KING TRIO: LIVE AT THE DRIVE-IN TOUR DATES
Friday, September 4 - Cape Cod, MA @ The Yarmouth Drive-in
Saturday, September 5 - East Swanzey, NH @ Cheshire Fair
Sunday, September 6 - Scranton, PA @ Circle Drive-In
Tuesday, September 8 - Morris, CT @ South Farms
Thursday, September 10 - Butler, PA @ Starlight Drive-In
Friday, September 11 - Richmond, VA @ City Stadium Drive-In
Saturday, September 12 - Kodak, TN @ The Smokies Stadium

Thu, 12/17/2020 - 7:18 am

24-year-old phenom singer and songwriter Marcus King performed “Wildflowers & Wine” from his debut solo album El Dorado on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon last night.
 
El Dorado was recently nominated for a GRAMMY® for Best Americana Album. The album was produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys who was also nominated for a GRAMMY® for Best Producer. Despite 2020 being a slow year for most, King kept busy and raised $80,000 for the GRAMMY® non-profit MusiCares with his Four of a Kind livestream series, which took place over the summer and featured musical guests such as Billy Strings, Brent Hinds of Mastodon, Jennifer Hartswick, Devon Gilfillian as well as singer-songwriter Early James. He also had two successful drive-in tours as the Marcus King Trio and just recently had a three night socially distanced run at famed Nashville rock club 3rd and Lindsley, which sold out all three nights in an hour.
 
El Dorado was recorded at Auerbach’s Easy Eye Studio in Nashville, the album was created with legends who have worked with Elvis and Bobby Womack. Already a 24-year-old guitar virtuoso El Dorado further established Marcus as an innovative songwriter and one of the most soulful voices of his generation. King was personally picked by Eric Clapton to perform at his Crossroads festival and has made TV appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. He has played the Grand Ole Opry and sold out hundreds of shows across the US., including The Beacon Theater in NY and has been rigorously touring with The Marcus King Band for the past seven years.

The album is his most critically acclaimed yet, with support from Rolling Stone Magazine, NPR Music, The New York Times, No Depression, Associated Press, Flood and American Songwriter. Paste Magazine stated, “King’s exceptional voice is the main attraction.” Vulture described King as bending “genres to his vocals, which possess a soulful grit, not unlike freshly greased tires on a dirt road” and Entertainment Weekly described King as radiating “swagger and soul.”

Thu, 10/07/2021 - 8:09 am

Today, Robert Finley, has announced additional upcoming fall tour dates that will include headline shows at venues across the US, including New York’s Mercury Lounge on October 18 and Philadelphia’s City Winery on October 19. Finley will also make a two-day festival appearance at Lancaster Roots & Blues Festival on October 16 & 17. Tickets can be purchased at https://www.robertfinleyofficial.com/
 
Finley today premiered a music video for “I Can Feel Your Pain,” a powerful soul ballad from his celebrated album Sharecropper’s Son, produced by Dan Auerbach and released earlier this year. The video premiered with Brooklyn Vegan who stated,  "The video has a nostalgic haze to it that really goes with the retro soul/blues vibe of the song, and though the music sounds like it could've been released decades ago, the message is entirely current.”

Speaking about the song, Finley commented, “‘I Can Feel Your Pain’ relates really to what is going on today. From people losing loved ones to the pandemic, all the marches going on, people being slaughtered by the police. Even if you don’t really know about the situation from a personal perspective you feel sympathy for that person who had to go through those things and this song is for them.”
 
“The greatest living soul singer” released his career defining album on Easy Eye Sound, to a plethora of praise. Finley was the cover story for SPIN Magazine’s June 2021 issue and interviewed by NPR’s Morning Edition, listen here. Rolling Stone described Finley's vocals as the perfect combination of “weathered and expressive” and GRAMMY.com praised, “his mesmerizing voice.”  EBONY stated “this singer-songwriter defies categorizing and just makes Black music that feels good,” and AVClub stated “Finley has a voice so distinctive and compelling that it can’t be ignored.”

Sharecroppers Son showcases Finley’s formidable vocals, which take centre stage and encapsulate his remarkable life story and reflect on his childhood during the Jim Crow era south. Rooted in the classic sounds of southern soul, country and rhythm & blues, it features songwriting by Finley, Auerbach, Bobby Wood, and contributions from respected country songwriter, Pat McLaughlin. The album features an all-star band including guitar expertise from Auerbach himself, Kenny Brown, Russ Pahl and Billy Sanford. They are joined by other notables: Bobby Wood, Gene Chrisman, Nick Movshon, Eric Deaton, Dave Roe and Sam Bacco.
 
Sharecropper’s Son is out now on Easy Eye Sound. Exclusive sunrise yellow vinyl is available from the Easy Eye Sound store only. For more information please visit: https://found.ee/sharecroppersson
 
Sharecropper’s Son Tracklist:
 
1 Souled Out On You
2 Make Me Feel Alright
3 Sharecropper's Son
4 Better Than I Treat Myself
5 Country Child
6 Starting To See
7 I Can Feel Your Pain
8 My Story
9 Country Boy
10 All My Hope
 
Tour dates:
Oct 10 - Indianapolis, IN - Hi-Fi
Oct 11 - Chicago, IL - City Winery
Oct 12 - Pittsburgh, PA - Crafthouse
Oct 14 - Medford, MA -  The Porch Southern Fare & Juke Joint
Oct 18 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge
Oct 16 - 17 - Lancaster, PA - Lancaster Roots & Blues Festival
Oct 19 - Philadelphia, PA - City Winery
Oct 20 - Washington D.C. - City Winery
Oct 21 - Columbus, OH - Rumba Cafe
Oct 22 - Lexington, KY - Lyric Theatre
Oct 23 - Nashville, TN - Mercy Lounge

 

Sun, 12/19/2021 - 2:44 pm

Clarksdale, Mississippi’s own Christone "Kingfish" Ingram today announces additional dates for his 2022 tour in support of his GRAMMY nominated, critically acclaimed album 662. Entitled Christone "Kingfish" Ingram Presents 662: Juke Joint Live, the tour is a partnership with Nashville-based Outback Presents, and will take the 22-year-old guitarist, vocalist and songwriter across the country with dates beginning March 2022 and going through May. New dates include New York City’s legendary Apollo Theater, where Kingfish will make his debut as a headliner, as well as performances in Dallas, Philadelphia, Austin, and more. Full tour schedule is below (newly announced dates in bold.)

Ingram says of the tour, “I’m very excited to continue my ‘662 Juke Joint Live’ tour and to partner with Outback Presents to reach current and new fans in larger, more iconic music venues across the country. Just like a Mississippi juke joint, these shows will be high-energy, jumping, and lots of fun.”

Mike Smardak, President, Outback Presents, says "We are thrilled to be working with Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and his team. Christone is a rising star and we see great potential and countless opportunities in his future. We are thankful for the opportunity.”

Upon its July 2021 release, 662 debuted at #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart, and it's remained on the chart ever since. NPR's Morning Edition ran a 7-minute feature on release day. Tastemaker UK magazine MOJO recently named it #1 Blues Album of 2021 and called it  "an exceptional album" filled with "astonishing creativity." Influential website Under The Radar said, "Kingfish is one of the torchbearers for the blues, with his bellowing voice and shrieking, nimble solos."

662 was recorded in Nashville and co-written and produced by Grammy-winner Tom Hambridge. It features 13 songs (and one previously released bonus track) displaying many sides of Ingram’s personality, as well as his one-of-a-kind guitar and vocal skills. According to Ingram, "662 is an ode to my roots, a nod to the area where I was born and raised. The title track, 662, encompasses how a small corner of the earth influenced my view of life and music. It also points to the growth I have had since my debut album. As much as I have been fortunate to get 'Outside Of This Town' (the title of his breakout single from his 2019 Grammy-nominated debut album, Kingfish), I do want people to know that the '662' will always be a major part of who I am."

662: Juke Joint Live - 2022 U.S Tour dates include:

03/02 Broward Center - Parker Playhouse Fort Lauderdale, FL

03/03 Ruth Eckerd Hall Clearwater, FL

03/04 Hard Rock Live Orlando , FL

03/05 Florida Theatre Jacksonville, FL

03/08 DPAC Durham, NC

03/09 Knight Theatre Charlotte, NC

03/11 Symphony Hall at Woodruff Art Center Atlanta, GA

03/12 Lyric Theatre Birmingham, AL

03/13 Mars Music Hall Huntsville, AL

03/18 Carnegie Library Music Hall Pittsburgh, PA

03/19 Agora Theatre Cleveland, OH

03/20 Royal Oak Music Theatre Royal Oak, MI

03/23 State Theatre Minneapolis, MN

03/24 Pabst Theatre Milwaukee, WI

03/25 The Factory at the District St. Louis, MO

03/26 Clowes Memorial Hall Indianapolis, IN

03/27 The Vic Chicago, IL

03/30 Berklee Performance Center Boston, MA

03/31 Apollo Theater New York, NY

04/01 Kimmel Center - Merriam Theater Philadelphia, PA

04/02 Capital One Hall Washington, DC*

04/28 Saenger Theatre New Orleans, LA

04/29 Cullen Performance Hall Houston, TX

04/30 ACL Live at the Moody Theater Austin, TX

05/03 Tulsa Theater Tulsa, OK

05/04 The Criterion Oklahoma City, OK

05/05 Majestic Theatre Dallas, TX

05/09 Moore Theatre Seattle, WA

05/10 Roseland Theatre Portland, OR

05/13 The Ace Theatre Los Angeles, CA

05/16 Balboa Theatre San Diego, CA

05/17 Orpheum Theatre Phoenix, AZ

05/19 Paramount Theatre Denver, CO

05/21 The Cotillion Wichita , KS

05/22 Uptown Theatre Kansas City, MO

*Supporting Buddy Guy

Fri, 02/04/2022 - 3:09 pm

Today, cosmic country singer-songwriter Erin Rae released her second full length album, Lighten Up, via Thirty Tigers/Good Memory. Rae will open for Watchhouse on tour this spring in the US, full tour dates below include Philadelphia, New York City, Boston and more.

The highly praised new album was produced by neo-psychedelic Jonathan Wilson (Father John Misty) and features guests including Hand Habits and Kevin Morby.

Rolling Stone Magazine proclaimed it her “most adventurous LP to date.” Under The Radar, stated her “cinematic strings swell and sigh as if they belong in an early Disney movie.” Jewly Hight of WNXP stated, "The ripples on the surface of Rae’s new compositions draw our attention toward inquiries deep beneath the surface, and her silvery vocals undulate across a pastoral, western expanse of guitar, piano and symphonic waves of steel and strings.” NPR Music included the album in their All Songs Considered podcast and stated, “This project is so cohesive, the vocals really shine and the arrangements are so beautiful, intricate and lush that they propel everything upwards,” adding Erin’s “voice floats me up to the clouds and I’m happy to be there with her.”

Morby collaborative single “Can’t See Stars” is  a breezy countrypolitan bop that sees Rae and Morby resurrecting a classic vocal duet style that has not been heard since Sinatra and Hazelwood.

The track was debuted by Consequence who stated Erin’s music is “an amalgam of dreamy, psychedelic country, indie-rock, and believably vintage folk.” Their Mystery Train inspired video was released today, check it out here.

Kevin Morby stated, “Erin played me the song a time or two and we came up with a vocal part on the spot and gave it a whirl. I'm so honored to share some sonic space with Erin as I consider her one of the greats. "

Erin Rae added, "In my songs, sometimes, I love to draw parallels between my inner & outer worlds. Can’t See Stars is one of those explorations, where I’m finding the similarities between light pollution making it harder to see literal stars, and a constant intake of social media that can cloud my own connection to myself, my intuition or internal “North Star” She continued, “When we recorded it, I had referenced Don Williams, “If Hollywood Don’t Need You”, and what came out was a whimsical country feel, of course leaning more into Nancy & Lee territory when Kevin added his vocal, and I immediately imagined line dancing in a kaleidoscope.. “

Tracklist:

1. Candy & Curry

2. Can’t See Stars

3. True Love’s Face

4. Gonna Be Strange

5. California Belongs To You

6. Cosmic Sigh

7. Modern Woman

8. Drift Away

9. Enemy

10. Mind/Heart

11. Lighten Up & Try

12. Undone

TOUR DATES

3/3 -  Canberra, ACT, Canberra Theatre+

3/5 -  Eltham, NSW, Eltham Hotel+

3/6 -  Brisbane, QLD, The Zoo+

3/8 -  Perth, WA, Fremantle Arts Centre+

3/10 -  Sydney, NSW, Sydney Recital Hall+

3/12-3/13 -  Port Fairy, VIC, Port Fairy Folk Fest

3/15 -  Melbourne, VIC, Wesley Anne+

3/16 -  Melbourne, VIC, The ESPY+

3/18 -  Castlemaine, VIC,  Bridge Hotel+

3/19 -  Archies Creek, VIC,  Archie's Creek Hotel+

3/20 - Melbourne, VIC, Westwood+

3/31 - Lexington, KY, The Burl"

4/1 - Columbus, OH, Athenaeum Theatre"

4/2  - Kalamazoo, Ml, Kalamazoo State Theatre"

4/3 - Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark"

4/6 - Iowa City, IA, Englert"

4/7 - St. Paul, MN, Palace Theatre"

4/8  - Madison, WI, Capitol Theatre"

4/9  - Makoqueta, IA, Codfish Hollow Barn"

4/10  - Chicago, IL, Thalia Hall"

4/12  - Pittsburgh, PA, Roxian Theatre"

4/14  - Philadelphia, PA, Union Transfer"

4/15 - Washington, D.C., 9:30 Club"

4/16  - New York City, NY, Beacon Theatre"

4/17  - Roadrunner, Boston, MA"

+ with Courtney Marie Andrews

" with Watchhouse

Sat, 02/12/2022 - 3:00 pm

Kentucky folk-rocker Ian Noe releases his second single “River Fool,” a buoyant portrait of a local Kentucky figure, from his anticipated sophomore album River Fools & Mountain Saints, a masterpiece of high-energy roadhouse rockers and Appalachian ballads set for release on March 25 via Thirty Tigers. Listen to “River Fool” and pre-order River Fools & Mountain Saints here: https://orcd.co/riverfools

“River Fool” teems with mandolin, banjo and fiddle to tell the tale of “a cult character in Southfork, Kentucky who enjoyed playing his guitar in the middle of any water he could find,” says Noe, who has been praised for his “homespun writing, which can convey a novel’s worth of narrative in very few words” (Rolling Stone). Noe sings about a devastating and deadly flood that swept through his hometown, his own grandfather’s death, and members of his community like a pot-dealing woman who lives at the foothills of the mountains or a local Vietnam vet who endured torture.

This local figure inspired half of the title of Noe’s forthcoming album, which in addition to delving into personal heartbreak and loss, chronicles local figures and oral histories of his hometown in Eastern Kentucky. On “River Fool,” he simultaneously brings to life and immortalizes a man that is a fixture in his region,  “who spends his days in a muddy haze / tangled in the cattail poles /  working on an ancient bottle.”

"River Fools & Mountain Saints" out March 25

River Fools & Mountain Saints is the follow-up to Noe’s lauded Dave Cobb-produced debut Between The Country, praised by Rolling Stone as “an ode to the beauty of survival amidst bleakness” and NPR Music who praised its “heartbreaking brilliance.” But River Fools & Mountain Saints boasts a bigger sound and brighter tone, highlighting Noe’s storytelling prowess through 12 country rockers and Appalachian ballads.

River Saints & Mountain Fools was recorded on reel-to-reel tapes in short spurts over the course of two years, without the pressure of time, which enabled a wider range of experimentations, collaborations, and sounds. As a result, it switches from rocking like Creedence Clearwater Revival to intoning like John Prine or Tom T. Hall; it swaggers with keys on songs like “Pine Grove (Madhouse),” bursts with French horn bombast “One More Night,” and swells with orchestrated strings on the gutting closing ballad, “Road May Flood/It’s A Heartache.”

Photo Credit: David McClister

The title of River Fools & Mountain Saints came to Noe before any of the songs, serving as a concept and a guiding principle. “That landscape and that geography of growing up in Lee County, Kentucky,” he begins, “I've got so much material I can write about, of stories of all these people and just life in general, growing up there. You think about the river? It's down here, it’s  low. And then you got the mountains up high. You can go all over the place with that type of landscape, and that's how the writing starts.”

Noe indeed explores everywhere between the poles of the mountain and the river: from character studies on “Mountain Saint,” to honoring the Indigeous people of the region on “Burning Down The Prairie,” to the many veterans of his town on “POW Blues,” to the landscape and natural disasters beautifully depicted in “Appalachian Haze” and Road May Flood/It’s A Heartache,” which interpolates Bonnie Tyler’s classic 80’s love song.

To that end, musically, Noe looked to a wide array of influences for this record, from Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, and John Prine to M.I.A. and Courtney  Barnett . Noe cites Alabama Shakes’ self-titled debut and Margo Price’s records as sounds that led him to work with producer Andrija Tokic in Nashville. “The fact that I got to work with him is surreal to me after all these years later…romanticizing the sound he’s getting here and the name of the place — The Bomb Shelter,” he exudes. Noe also expanded his sound with the help of band members including "Little" Jack Lawrence (The Raconteurs) on bass and Derry deBorja (Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit) on keys.

Despite being written in quarantine and in the wake of natural disasters, River Fools and Mountain Saints remains a positive record. Noe maintains it’s about good moments growing up in a hard place. But most importantly, it’s about music as redemption, romanticism, and release.

River Fools & Mountain Saints Track List

01. Pine Grove (Madhouse)

02. River Fool

03. Lonesome As It Gets

04. Strip Job Blues 1984

05. Tom Barrett

06. Ballad of a Retired Man

07. Mountain Saint

08. One More Night

09. POW Blues

10. Burning Down the Prairie

11. Appalachia Haze

12. Road May Flood

U.S. Tour Dates:

3/24 - Indianapolis, IN - The HI-FI

3/25 - Lexington, KY - The Burl

3/31 - Nashville, TN - The Basement East

4/1 - Athens, GA - The Lewis Room at Tweed Recording

4/8 - Birmingham, AL - Saturn

4/9 - Asheville, NC - The Grey Eagle

4/22 - Denver, CO - Globe Hall

4/23 - Salt Lake City, UT - The State Room

4/30 - Indio, CA - Stagecoach Music Festival

Sat, 03/05/2022 - 5:24 pm

Kentucky storyteller Ian Noe releases his third single “Burning Down The Prairie,” a driving roadhouse rocker from his forthcoming sophomore album River Fools & Mountain Saints set for release March 25 via Thirty Tigers. Watch the music video for “Burning Down The Prairie” here and pre-order River Fools & Mountain Saints here. https://orcd.co/riverfools.

“Burning Down The Prairie” is a blues-rock explosion with pounding drums, culminating in a sonic breakdown reminiscent of mid-70s rockers like Creedence Clearwater and The Doors. Garden & Gun said of the song, “a muffled bass drum thumps below Noe’s fingerpicked electric guitar, his voice burrowing into the liminal spaces between both, telling a story of a people losing their land. Then, like a heavenly deluge, a raucous guitar solo takes over, pouring onto the valleys Noe and his band have created before settling back into the groove."

River Fools & Mountain Saints is the follow-up to Noe’s lauded Dave Cobb-produced debut Between The Country, praised by Rolling Stone as “an ode to the beauty of survival amidst bleakness” and NPR Music who praised its “heartbreaking brilliance.” But River Fools & Mountain Saints boasts a bigger sound and brighter tone, highlighting Noe’s storytelling prowess through 12 country rockers and Appalachian ballads.

River Fools & Mountain Saints

River Saints & Mountain Fools was recorded on reel-to-reel tapes in short spurts over the course of two years, without the pressure of time, which enabled a wider range of experimentations, collaborations, and sounds. As a result, it switches from rocking like Creedence Clearwater Revival to intoning like John Prine or Tom T. Hall; it swaggers with keys on songs like “Pine Grove (Madhouse),” bursts with French horn bombast “One More Night,” and swells with orchestrated strings on the gutting closing ballad, “Road May Flood/It’s A Heartache.”

The title of River Fools & Mountain Saints came to Noe before any of the songs, serving as a concept and a guiding principle. “That landscape and that geography of growing up in Lee County, Kentucky,” he begins, “I've got so much material I can write about, of stories of all these people and just life in general, growing up there. You think about the river? It's down here, it’s  low. And then you got the mountains up high. You can go all over the place with that type of landscape, and that's how the writing starts.”

Noe indeed explores everywhere between the poles of the mountain and the river: from character studies on “Mountain Saint,” to honoring the Indigeous people of the region on “Burning Down The Prairie,” to the many veterans of his town on “POW Blues,” to the landscape and natural disasters beautifully depicted in “Appalachian Haze” and Road May Flood/It’s A Heartache,” which interpolates Bonnie Tyler’s classic 80’s love song.

To that end, musically, Noe looked to a wide array of influences for this record, from Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, and John Prine to M.I.A. and Courtney  Barnett . Noe cites Alabama Shakes’ self-titled debut and Margo Price’s records as sounds that led him to work with producer Andrija Tokic in Nashville. “The fact that I got to work with him is surreal to me after all these years later…romanticizing the sound he’s getting here and the name of the place — The Bomb Shelter,” he exudes. Noe also expanded his sound with the help of band members including "Little" Jack Lawrence (The Raconteurs) on bass and Derry deBorja (Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit) on keys.

Despite being written in quarantine and in the wake of natural disasters, River Fools and Mountain Saints remains a positive record. Noe maintains it’s about good moments growing up in a hard place. But most importantly, it’s about music as redemption, romanticism, and release.

River Fools & Mountain Saints Track List

01. Pine Grove (Madhouse)

02. River Fool

03. Lonesome As It Gets

04. Strip Job Blues 1984

05. Tom Barrett

06. Ballad of a Retired Man

07. Mountain Saint

08. One More Night

09. POW Blues

10. Burning Down the Prairie

11. Appalachia Haze

12. Road May Flood

U.S. Tour Dates:

3/24 - Indianapolis, IN - The HI-FI

3/25 - Lexington, KY - The Burl

3/31 - Nashville, TN - The Basement East

4/1 - Athens, GA - The Lewis Room at Tweed Recording

4/8 - Birmingham, AL - Saturn

4/9 - Asheville, NC - The Grey Eagle

4/22 - Denver, CO - Globe Hall

4/23 - Salt Lake City, UT - The State Room

4/30 - Indio, CA - Stagecoach Music Festival

Sun, 03/27/2022 - 12:15 pm

Kentucky storyteller Ian Noe releases his sophomore album River Fools & Mountain Saints, a stunning collection of roadhouse rockers and Applachian ballads that chronicles life in contemporary Kentucky, depicting natural disasters, heartbreak and loss with a mythical lyricism and warm analog sound that invokes the storytelling troubadour sound of John Prine and Steve Goodman. Listen to the album here:  https://orcd.co/riverfools

Rolling Stone described the songs on River Fools & Mountain Saints as “bleak and brutal narratives that are disguised within an irresistible melody.” On his sophomore effort, Noe sought out a more optimistic tone by creating a bigger and brighter sound as a backdrop for his homespun observations, local stories, and personal heartbreak. Across twelve tracks, Noe tells the story of a devastating flood that hit Kentucky in 2020, the loss of his grandfather, and character studies of local figures from Noe’s hometown.

River Saints & Mountain Fools was recorded on reel-to-reel tapes in short spurts over the course of two years, without the pressure of time, which enabled a wider range of experimentations, collaborations, and sounds. As a result, it switches from rocking like Creedence Clearwater Revival to intoning like John Prine or Tom T. Hall; it swaggers with keys on songs like “Pine Grove (Madhouse),” bursts with French horn bombast “One More Night,” and swells with orchestrated strings on the gutting closing ballad, “Road May Flood/It’s A Heartache.”

Photo Credit: David McClister

The title of River Fools & Mountain Saints came to Noe before any of the songs, serving as a concept and a guiding principle. “That landscape and that geography of growing up in Lee County, Kentucky,” he begins, “I've got so much material I can write about, of stories of all these people and just life in general, growing up there. You think about the river? It's down here, it’s  low. And then you got the mountains up high. You can go all over the place with that type of landscape, and that's how the writing starts.” Noe indeed explores everywhere between the poles of the mountain and the river: from character studies on “Mountain Saint,” to honoring the Indigeous people of the region on “Burning Down The Prairie,” to the many veterans of his town on “POW Blues,” to the landscape and natural disasters beautifully depicted in “Appalachian Haze” and “Road May Flood/It’s A Heartache,” which interpolates Bonnie Tyler’s classic 80’s love song.

To that end, musically, Noe looked to a wide array of influences for this record, from Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, and John Prine to M.I.A. and Courtney  Barnett . Noe cites Alabama Shakes’ self-titled debut and Margo Price’s records as sounds that led him to work with producer Andrija Tokic in Nashville. “The fact that I got to work with him is surreal to me after all these years later…romanticizing the sound he’s getting here and the name of the place — The Bomb Shelter,” he exudes. Noe also expanded his sound with the help of band members including "Little" Jack Lawrence (The Raconteurs) on bass and Derry deBorja (Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit) on keys.

Despite being written in quarantine and in the wake of natural disasters, River Fools and Mountain Saints remains a positive record. Noe maintains it’s about good moments growing up in a hard place. But most importantly, it’s about music as redemption, romanticism, and release.

River Fools & Mountain Saints Track List

01. Pine Grove (Madhouse)

02. River Fool

03. Lonesome As It Gets

04. Strip Job Blues 1984

05. Tom Barrett

06. Ballad of a Retired Man

07. Mountain Saint

08. One More Night

09. POW Blues

10. Burning Down the Prairie

11. Appalachia Haze

12. Road May Flood

U.S. Tour Dates:

3/25 - Lexington, KY - The Burl

3/26 - Lexington, KY - The Burl

3/31 - Nashville, TN - The Basement East

4/1 - Athens, GA - The Lewis Room at Tweed Recording

4/2 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre

4/7 - Macon, GA  - Grant’s Lounge

4/8 - Birmingham, AL - Saturn

4/9 - Asheville, NC - The Grey Eagle

4/19 - Richmond, KY - EKU Center For The Arts

4/22 - Denver, CO - Globe Hall

4/23 - Salt Lake City, UT - The State Room

4/30 - Indio, CA - Stagecoach Music Festival

Fri, 04/22/2022 - 1:10 pm

Marcus King today announced the release of Young Blood, his new solo album, produced by Dan Auerbach and released August 26 on Rick Rubin’s American Records/Republic Records. Pre-order available here: https://MK.lnk.to/youngblood

All hail to Marcus King. The 26-year-old Grammy nominated innovative songwriter and phenomenal performer. Soon to become rock royalty with the release of Young Blood, a timeless concoction of swaggering rock and supersonic soul, drawing on his most stadium sized rock influences. He will soon embark on a world tour with headline dates across the U.S and Europe and festivals including Stagecoach. For more information please visit: https://MK.lnk.to/tour

On first single “Hard Working Man,” King’s red hot guitar playing and soulful singing ignite with four to the floor drums. The track premiered today with Rolling Stone Magazine, who stated, “The soulful Southern guitarist dives headlong into the Seventies rock of Free and Bad Company on his upcoming album Young Blood. The high-octane track explodes with an FM radio chorus, a chunky guitar riff, and enough cowbell to satisfy Christopher Walken.” Listen here: https://MK.lnk.to/hardworkingman

“We tour almost 200 days of the year, and even when I’m home, I’m doing something,” King said, adding. “Working hard is just the way I was raised. It would make my grandfather proud to know I’m a hard working man and I’ve worked for everything I have. It’s an anthem for the people. You’ve got folks who work all week and spend their hard-earned money just to come see us. They’re the backbone of America. It’s a real blessing.”

Young Blood is an album about looking at tough times in your rear view mirror, although King shares that his anthemic tales of excess and salvation draw on some difficult and personal moments. King stated, “I was going through a lot during the album with addictions, breakups, and addictions because of breakups. I was overindulging in everything.”

King added, “It’s not a big secret to my friends. I was in a real rough place for a while. I was trying to process the death of family members and I was on the wrong medications.”

Despite the challenging personal circumstances, King has made his most accomplished work to date. One of his biggest fans, Dan Auerbach, exclaimed. “Music runs so deep in Marcus’s blood he might not even realize how born to do this he is. He’s the real deal. Marcus has Southern Soul as part of his foundation. If you’re going to play rock ‘n’ roll with Marcus, you have to understand that element. It’s just who he is. These songs are live performances. The whole damn thing is live—the solos and everything. It’s so rare in this day and age.”

King and Auerbach set out to capture the classic power trio sound, which was pioneered in the late 60s and 70s, with a distinct sonic triad of bass, drums, and guitar. The album was recorded at Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound Studio in Nashville summer 2021, with acclaimed musicians including Chris St. Hilaire on drums and Nick Movshon on bass. Songs were written by King and Auerbach in collaboration with legends from Desmond Child and Angelo Petraglia, noted for their work with bands from Aerosmith to Kings of Leon.

King has been an outlier from the very beginning. A fourth generation musician from Greenville, SC, who learned guitar at age 3 from his blues rock musician father Marvin King. He navigated troublesome school years to quickly become known as one of the most promising young artists of our time. He followed his breakout success with The Marcus King Band, with his Auerbach produced 2020 solo album debut, El Dorado. It garnered a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best Americana Album” and critical praise from NPR to Rolling Stone. With unparalleled performance prowess and a dynamic live show, King has sold out historic venues from The Beacon to The Fillmore. He has opened for Chris Stapleton, Greta Van Fleet, and Nathaniel Rateliff and graced the bills of Stagecoach, Fuji Rock, Rock Werchter and more. He also recently launched his own signature Orange guitar amplifier, the MK Ultra, which sold out before it even hit the stores.

King will continue to tear up the rulebook with the release Young Blood, redefining the route to modern rock stardom with a timeless sound and a singular voice, equal parts grease and grit, set to soon establish him as one of the most soulful vocalists of his generation.

    It’s Too Late

    Lie Lie Lie

    Rescue Me

    Pain

    Good and Gone

    Blood On The Tracks

    Hard Working Man

    Aim High

    Dark Cloud

    Whisper

    Blues Worse Than I Ever Had

TOUR DATES

APR 27 WED - Humphrey's Concerts by the Bay - San Diego, CA, United States

APR 29 FRI - Stagecoach 2022 - Indio, CA, United States

APR 30 SAT - Rialto Theatre - Tucson, AZ, United States

MAY 1 SUN - Orpheum Theater – Flagstaff, AZ, United States

MAY 3 TUE - Sunshine Theater - Albuquerque, NM, United States

MAY 6 FRI - Avalon Theatre - Grand Junction, CO, United States

MAY 7 SAT - Belly Up  - Aspen, CO, United States - SOLD OUT

MAY 8 SUN - Aggie Theatre - Fort Collins, CO, United States - SOLD OUT  

MAY 10 TUE - Pub Station  - Billings, MT, United States

MAY 11 WED - Wilma Theatre - Missoula, MT, United States

MAY 13 FRI - The Palace Theatre - Calgary, AB, Canada

MAY 14 SAT - Midway Music • Arcade • Kitchen - Edmonton, AB, Canada

MAY 16 MON - Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, BC, Canada

MAY 18 WED - Knitting Factory Concert House  - Spokane, WA, United States

MAY 20 FRI - Knitting Factory Concert House - Boise, ID, United States

MAY 21 SAT - Border House at Crystal Bay - Crystal Bay, NV, United States

MAY 23 MON - Arcata Theatre Lounge - Arcata, CA, United States

MAY 24 TUE - Felton Music Hall - Felton, CA, United States SOLD OUT  

MAY 27 FRI - BottleRock Napa Valley 2022 - Napa County, CA, United States

JUN 17 FRI - Azkena Rock Festival 2022 - Gasteiz / Vitoria, Spain

JUN 23 THU - Fairview Park - Dublin, Ireland*

JUN 25 SAT - Alexandra Palace - London, United Kingdom*

JUN 26 SUN - The Globe - Cardiff, United Kingdom

JUN 28 TUE - O2 Apollo Manchester - Manchester, United Kingdom*

JUN 29 WED - O2 Apollo Manchester - Manchester, United Kingdom*

JUN 30 THU - Rock City - Nottingham, United Kingdom

JUL 3 SUN - Rockhal - Esch-sur-alzette, Luxembourg

JUL 5 TUE - Oosterpoort - Groningen, Netherlands

JUL 6 WED - Cognac Blues Passions 2022 - Cognac, France

JUL 7 THU - Doornroosje - Nijmegen, Netherlands

JUL 8 FRI - North Sea Jazz Festival 2022 - Rotterdam, Netherlands

JUL 16 SAT - Wild Hare Music Festival 2022 - Canby, OR, United States

JUL 27 WED - FloydFest 22- Heartbeat 2022 - Floyd, VA, United States

SEP 15 THU - Bourbon & Beyond 2022 - Louisville, KY, United States

*with Greta Van Fleet

Thu, 05/19/2022 - 12:41 pm

Today, multi-GRAMMY award winning and multi-genre traversing legend Taj Mahal announced he will celebrate his 80th birthday with the GRAMMY Museum, who will host an intimate conversation moderated by Scott Goldman on Thursday, June 16. The conversation will explore his incredible career and new music including the critically acclaimed recent album release Get On Board featuring Taj Mahal alongside former Rising Sons band mate, Ry Cooder. The event will also feature a live performance by Taj Mahal. 
 
Living History Live is presented by Iron Mountain Entertainment Services. American Express Early Access on sale 5/19 at 10:30 a.m. PT. General tickets on sale: 5/21 at 12 p.m. PT. For tickets and further information please visit: https://grammymuseum.org/  
 
Taj Mahal has found the blues in sounds across the entire global sonic landscape. A brilliant artist with a musicologist’s mind, Taj has pursued and elevated the roots of beloved sounds with boundless devotion and skill. He has traced origins to the American South, the Caribbean, Africa, and elsewhere, and has created entirely new sounds, over and over again. 
 
As a result, he’s not only an icon to rock-and-roll legends such as The Rolling Stones, but also a hero to ambitious artists, who are determined to combine sounds that have been mistakenly ostracized from one another. No one is as simultaneously traditional and avant-garde as Taj Mahal.

Tue, 05/31/2022 - 2:10 pm

Marcus King today announced a massive headline US tour, with dates through September and October 2022 supporting the release of his forthcoming solo album, Young Blood. He will be taking his stadium sized sound to esteemed venues across the U.S, including two nights at venues such as New York’s Beacon Theatre and Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Neal Francis and Ashland Craft support select dates, and the tour is hosted by comedian Dean Del Ray. Tickets are on sale, Friday, June 3 at 10AM local time at marcuskingofficial.com, with fan and Live Nation pre-sales available June 1. See HERE for more info on the tour produced by FPC Live. A complete list of dates follows below.

King stated, “This fall tour is going to be our biggest one YET. It has been a long time in the making, playing some of our favorite venues in the country bringing a FULL night of Rock n Roll, love and laughs! Can't wait to bring this show to your town.”

King also dropped a heist movie themed official music video for new album Young Blood’s first single “Hard Working Man” - WATCH HERE. The Tarantino inspired clip, which was premiered today with RELIX, stars King as a hard working man just trying to make an honest buck, who gets embroiled in a web of violence, motivated by money and a mysterious love interest. The video soundtracks King’s red hot guitar playing and soulful singing which have drawn critical acclaim from NPR Music, SPIN and Rolling Stone Magazine, who described the track diving exploding “with an FM radio chorus, a chunky guitar riff, and enough cowbell to satisfy Christopher Walken.” Listen here: https://MK.lnk.to/hardworkingman

Forthcoming album, Young Blood, was produced by Dan Auerbach and will be released August 26 on Rick Rubin’s American Records/Republic Records. Pre-order available here: https://MK.lnk.to/youngblood

All hail to Marcus King. The 26-year-old Grammy nominated innovative songwriter and phenomenal performer. Soon to become rock royalty with the release of Young Blood, a timeless concoction of swaggering rock and supersonic soul, drawing on his most stadium sized rock influences.

Young Blood is an album about looking at tough times in your rear view mirror, his tales of excess, salvation, break up and addiction, draw on some difficult and personal moments. Despite challenging personal circumstances, King has made his most accomplished work to date. One of his biggest fans, Dan Auerbach, exclaimed. “Music runs so deep in Marcus’s blood he might not even realize how born to do this he is. He’s the real deal.”

King has been an outlier from the very beginning. A fourth generation musician from Greenville, SC, who learned guitar at age 3 from his blues rock musician father Marvin King. He navigated troublesome school years to quickly become known as one of the most promising young artists of our time. He followed his breakout success with The Marcus King Band, with his Auerbach produced 2020 solo album debut, El Dorado. It garnered a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best Americana Album” and critical praise from The New York Times to NPR’s Weekend Edition With unparalleled performance prowess and a dynamic live show, King has sold out historic venues from The Beacon to The Filmore. He has opened for Chris Stapleton, Greta Van Fleet, and Nathaniel Rateliff and graced the bills of Stagecoach, Fuji Rock, Rock Werchter and more. He also recently launched his own custom Gibson guitar and signature Orange guitar amplifier, the MK Ultra, which sold out before it even hit the stores.

King will continue to tear up the rulebook with the release Young Blood, redefining the route to modern rock stardom with a timeless sound and a singular voice, equal parts grease and grit, set to soon establish him as one of the most soulful vocalists of his generation.

    It’s Too Late
    Lie Lie Lie
    Rescue Me
    Pain
    Good and Gone
    Blood On The Tracks
    Hard Working Man
    Aim High
    Dark Cloud
    Whisper
    Blues Worse Than I Ever Had

TOUR DATES - NEW DATES IN BOLD BELOW
Tickets available at marcuskingofficial.com/tour

JUN 23 THU - Fairview Park - Dublin, Ireland*
JUN 25 SAT - Alexandra Palace - London, United Kingdom*
JUN 26 SUN - The Globe - Cardiff, United Kingdom
JUN 28 TUE - O2 Apollo Manchester - Manchester, United Kingdom*
JUN 29 WED - O2 Apollo Manchester - Manchester, United Kingdom*
JUN 30 THU - Rock City - Nottingham, United Kingdom
JUL 2 SAT - Rock Werchter - Werchter, Belgium
JUL 3 SUN - Rockhal - Esch-sur-alzette, Luxembourg
JUL 5 TUE - Oosterpoort - Groningen, Netherlands
JUL 6 WED - Cognac Blues Passions 2022 - Cognac, France
JUL 7 THU - Doornroosje - Nijmegen, Netherlands
JUL 8 FRI - North Sea Jazz Festival 2022 - Rotterdam, Netherlands
JUL 16 SAT - Wild Hare Music Festival 2022 - Canby, OR, United States
JUL 27 WED - FloydFest 22- Heartbeat 2022 - Floyd, VA, United States
*with Greta Van Fleet

Sept 9 – The Met – Philadelphia, PA
Sept 10 – The Theater at MGM National Harbor – Washington DC
Sept 11 – House Of Blues – Boston, MA
Sept 15 – Beacon Theatre – New York, NY
Sept 16 – Beacon Theatre – New York, NY
Sept 17 – KEMBA Live! – Columbus, OH
Sept 18 – Bourbon & Beyond Festival – Louisville, KY
Sept 20 – HISTORY – Toronto, ON
Sept 21 – Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA
Sept 23 – GLC Live at 20 Monroe - Grand Rapids, M
Sept 24 – The Sylvee – Madison, WI ^
Sept 25 – Palace Theatre – St. Paul, MN
Sept 27 – Egyptian Room @ Old National Centre – Indianapolis, IN*
Sept 29 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN*
Sept 30 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN*
Oct 1 – The Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA
Oct 2 – The Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA
Oct 4 – Stubb's Bar-B-Q – Austin, TX
Oct 6 – The Van Buren – Phoenix, AZ*
Oct 7 – The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA
Oct 11 – The Masonic – San Francisco, CA
Oct 13 – Crystal Ballroom – Portland, OR
Oct 14 – The Neptune Theatre – Seattle, WA
Oct 15 – The Neptune Theatre – Seattle, WA
Oct 17 –  The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT
Oct 18 – Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO
Oct 20 – The Pageant – St. Louis, MO*
Oct 21 – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom – Chicago, IL*
Oct 22 – The Fillmore  Detroit- Detroit, MI
Oct 23 – Agora Theatre – Cleveland Ohio
Oct 25 – The Fillmore Charlotte – Charlotte, NC
Oct 26 – Avondale Brewing Company - Birmingham, AL
Oct 27 – The Fillmore New Orleans – New Orleans, LA

Neal Francis and Ashland Craft unless otherwise stated,
^ Neal Francis only
* Support to be announced

Sat, 06/11/2022 - 4:08 pm

All hail to Marcus King who ignited the stage of the Tonight Show this week with an electrifying performance of recent single “Hard Working Man.” King made his first tv performance of a song from his forthcoming solo album, the highly anticipated, Young Blood, released August 26 on American Records / Republic.

Watch the performance HERE.

The 26-year-old Grammy nominated innovative songwriter and phenomenal performer on the rise to rock royalty with the release of Young Blood, a timeless concoction of swaggering rock and supersonic soul, drawing on his most stadium sized rock influences.
 
King recently announced a massive headline US tour, with dates HERE through September and October 2022 supporting the release of his forthcoming solo album, Young Blood. He will be taking his stadium sized sound to esteemed venues across the U.S, including two nights at venues such as New York’s Beacon Theatre and Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Neal Francis and Ashland Craft support select dates, and the tour is hosted by comedian Dean Del Ray. Tickets on sale now HERE and a complete list of dates, including summer Europe festivals and shows with Greta Van Fleet, follows below.
 
Young Blood is an album about looking at tough times in your rear view mirror, his tales of excess, salvation, break up and addiction, draw on some difficult and personal moments. Despite challenging personal circumstances, King has made his most accomplished work to date. One of his biggest fans, Dan Auerbach, exclaimed. “Music runs so deep in Marcus’s blood he might not even realize how born to do this he is. He’s the real deal.”
 
King has been an outlier from the very beginning. A fourth generation musician from Greenville, SC, who learned guitar at age 3 from his blues rock musician father Marvin King. He navigated troublesome school years to quickly become known as one of the most promising young artists of our time. He followed his breakout success with The Marcus King Band, with his Auerbach produced 2020 solo album debut, El Dorado. It garnered a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best Americana Album” and critical praise from The New York Times to NPR’s Weekend Edition With unparalleled performance prowess and a dynamic live show, King has sold out historic venues from The Beacon to The Filmore. He has opened for Chris Stapleton, Greta Van Fleet, and Nathaniel Rateliff and graced the bills of Stagecoach, Fuji Rock, Rock Werchter and more. He also recently launched his own custom Gibson guitar and signature Orange guitar amplifier, the MK Ultra, which sold out before it even hit the stores.
 
King will continue to tear up the rulebook with the release Young Blood, redefining the route to modern rock stardom with a timeless sound and a singular voice, equal parts grease and grit, set to soon establish him as one of the most soulful vocalists of his generation.

    It’s Too Late
    Lie Lie Lie
    Rescue Me
    Pain
    Good and Gone
    Blood On The Tracks
    Hard Working Man
    Aim High
    Dark Cloud
    Whisper
    Blues Worse Than I Ever Had

TOUR DATES - NEW DATES IN BOLD BELOW
Tickets available at marcuskingofficial.com/tour
 
JUN 23 THU - Fairview Park - Dublin, Ireland*
JUN 25 SAT - Alexandra Palace - London, United Kingdom*
JUN 26 SUN - The Globe - Cardiff, United Kingdom
JUN 28 TUE - O2 Apollo Manchester - Manchester, United Kingdom*
JUN 29 WED - O2 Apollo Manchester - Manchester, United Kingdom*
JUN 30 THU - Rock City - Nottingham, United Kingdom
JUL 2 SAT - Rock Werchter - Werchter, Belgium
JUL 3 SUN - Rockhal - Esch-sur-alzette, Luxembourg
JUL 5 TUE - Oosterpoort - Groningen, Netherlands
JUL 6 WED - Cognac Blues Passions 2022 - Cognac, France
JUL 7 THU - Doornroosje - Nijmegen, Netherlands
JUL 8 FRI - North Sea Jazz Festival 2022 - Rotterdam, Netherlands
JUL 16 SAT - Wild Hare Music Festival 2022 - Canby, OR, United States
JUL 27 WED - FloydFest 22- Heartbeat 2022 - Floyd, VA, United States
*with Greta Van Fleet
 
Sept 9 – The Met – Philadelphia, PA
Sept 10 – The Theater at MGM National Harbor – Washington DC
Sept 11 – House Of Blues – Boston, MA
Sept 15 – Beacon Theatre – New York, NY
Sept 16 – Beacon Theatre – New York, NY
Sept 17 – KEMBA Live! – Columbus, OH
Sept 18 – Bourbon & Beyond Festival – Louisville, KY
Sept 20 – HISTORY – Toronto, ON
Sept 21 – Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA
Sept 23 – GLC Live at 20 Monroe - Grand Rapids, M
Sept 24 – The Sylvee – Madison, WI ^
Sept 25 – Palace Theatre – St. Paul, MN
Sept 27 – Egyptian Room @ Old National Centre – Indianapolis, IN*
Sept 29 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN*
Sept 30 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN*
Oct 1 – The Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA
Oct 2 – The Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA
Oct 4 – Stubb's Bar-B-Q – Austin, TX
Oct 6 – The Van Buren – Phoenix, AZ*
Oct 7 – The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA
Oct 11 – The Masonic – San Francisco, CA
Oct 13 – Crystal Ballroom – Portland, OR
Oct 14 – The Neptune Theatre – Seattle, WA
Oct 15 – The Neptune Theatre – Seattle, WA
Oct 17 –  The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT
Oct 18 – Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO
Oct 20 – The Pageant – St. Louis, MO*
Oct 21 – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom – Chicago, IL*
Oct 22 – The Fillmore  Detroit- Detroit, MI
Oct 23 – Agora Theatre – Cleveland Ohio
Oct 25 – The Fillmore Charlotte – Charlotte, NC
Oct 26 – Avondale Brewing Company - Birmingham, AL
Oct 27 – The Fillmore New Orleans – New Orleans, LA

 
Neal Francis and Ashland Craft unless otherwise stated,
^ Neal Francis only
* Support to be announced

Thu, 06/23/2022 - 12:38 pm

Marcus King today announced the release of “Lie Lie Lie,” the latest preview track from his forthcoming solo album, Young Blood. The track premiered today with FLOOD Magazine. Shuffling rock drums, wild soloing and fuzzed out psychedelic guitar riffing combine into a towering sonic inferno. At the core of the blaze are King’s vocals, which share a revelation.  “‘Lie Lie Lie’ for me captures the spirit of this record.” King shared. “You can feel how natural the vibe was in the studio. This track showcases each player’s energy, it shines a light on the production and the SOUND of Easy Eye Sound. At the two-and-a-half-minute mark the band locks into a groove that becomes a sonic representation of why I do what I do! I LIVE for that feeling!”

Accompanying the song release, King released a live video, created at Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound Studio, it features acclaimed musicians including Chris St. Hilaire on drums and Nick Movshon on bass. Watch it HERE.

King’s tales of excess, salvation, break up and addiction, draw on some difficult and personal moments. Despite challenging personal circumstances, King has made his most accomplished work to date. One of his biggest fans, Dan Auerbach, exclaimed. “Music runs so deep in Marcus’s blood he might not even realize how born to do this he is. He’s the real deal.”

King has been an outlier from the very beginning. A fourth generation musician from Greenville, SC, who learned guitar at age 3 from his blues rock musician father Marvin King. He navigated troublesome school years to quickly become known as one of the most promising young artists of our time. He followed his breakout success with The Marcus King Band, with his Auerbach produced 2020 solo album debut, El Dorado. It garnered a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best Americana Album” and critical praise from The New York Times to NPR’s Weekend Edition With unparalleled performance prowess and a dynamic live show, King has sold out historic venues from The Beacon to The Filmore. He has opened for Chris Stapleton, Greta Van Fleet, and Nathaniel Rateliff and graced the bills of Stagecoach, Fuji Rock, Rock Werchter and more. He also recently launched his own custom Gibson guitar and signature Orange guitar amplifier, the MK Ultra, which sold out before it even hit the stores.

King recently announced a massive headline US tour, with dates HERE through September and October 2022 supporting the release of his forthcoming solo album, Young Blood. He will be taking his stadium sized sound to esteemed venues across the U.S, including two nights at venues such as New York’s Beacon Theatre and Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Neal Francis and Ashland Craft support select dates, and the tour is hosted by comedian Dean Del Ray. Tickets on sale now HERE and a complete list of dates, including summer Europe festivals and shows with Greta Van Fleet, follows below.

King will continue to tear up the rulebook with the release Young Blood, redefining the route to modern rock stardom with a timeless sound and a singular voice, equal parts grease and grit, set to soon establish him as one of the most soulful vocalists of his generation.

    It’s Too Late
    Lie Lie Lie
    Rescue Me
    Pain
    Good and Gone
    Blood On The Tracks
    Hard Working Man
    Aim High
    Dark Cloud
    Whisper
    Blues Worse Than I Ever Had

TOUR DATES - NEW DATES IN BOLD BELOW
Tickets available at marcuskingofficial.com/tour

JUN 23 THU - Fairview Park - Dublin, Ireland*
JUN 25 SAT - Alexandra Palace - London, United Kingdom*
JUN 26 SUN - The Globe - Cardiff, United Kingdom
JUN 28 TUE - O2 Apollo Manchester - Manchester, United Kingdom*
JUN 29 WED - O2 Apollo Manchester - Manchester, United Kingdom*
JUN 30 THU - Rock City - Nottingham, United Kingdom
JUL 2 SAT - Rock Werchter - Werchter, Belgium
JUL 3 SUN - Rockhal - Esch-sur-alzette, Luxembourg
JUL 5 TUE - Oosterpoort - Groningen, Netherlands
JUL 6 WED - Cognac Blues Passions 2022 - Cognac, France
JUL 7 THU - Doornroosje - Nijmegen, Netherlands
JUL 8 FRI - North Sea Jazz Festival 2022 - Rotterdam, Netherlands
JUL 16 SAT - Wild Hare Music Festival 2022 - Canby, OR, United States
JUL 27 WED - FloydFest 22- Heartbeat 2022 - Floyd, VA, United States
*with Greta Van Fleet

Sept 9 – The Met – Philadelphia, PA
Sept 10 – The Theater at MGM National Harbor – Washington DC
Sept 11 – House Of Blues – Boston, MA
Sept 15 – Beacon Theatre – New York, NY
Sept 16 – Beacon Theatre – New York, NY
Sept 17 – KEMBA Live! – Columbus, OH
Sept 18 – Bourbon & Beyond Festival – Louisville, KY
Sept 20 – HISTORY – Toronto, ON
Sept 21 – Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA
Sept 23 – GLC Live at 20 Monroe - Grand Rapids, M
Sept 24 – The Sylvee – Madison, WI ^
Sept 25 – Palace Theatre – St. Paul, MN
Sept 27 – Egyptian Room @ Old National Centre – Indianapolis, IN
Sept 29 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN
Sept 30 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN
Oct 1 – The Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA
Oct 2 – The Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA
Oct 4 – Stubb's Bar-B-Q – Austin, TX
Oct 6 – The Van Buren – Phoenix, AZ
Oct 7 – The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA
Oct 11 – The Masonic – San Francisco, CA
Oct 13 – Crystal Ballroom – Portland, OR
Oct 14 – The Neptune Theatre – Seattle, WA
Oct 15 – The Neptune Theatre – Seattle, WA
Oct 17 –  The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT
Oct 18 – Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO
Oct 20 – The Pageant – St. Louis, MO
Oct 21 – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom – Chicago, IL
Oct 22 – The Fillmore  Detroit- Detroit, MI
Oct 23 – Agora Theatre – Cleveland Ohio
Oct 25 – The Fillmore Charlotte – Charlotte, NC
Oct 26 – Avondale Brewing Company - Birmingham, AL
Oct 27 – The Fillmore New Orleans – New Orleans, LA

Neal Francis, Ashland Craft and comedy by Dean Delray unless otherwise stated.
^ Neal Francis and Dean Delray only

Fri, 07/15/2022 - 12:20 pm

Marcus King today announced the release of “Blood On The Tracks,” the latest preview, and lead single from his forthcoming solo album, Young Blood. The track was co-written with Dan Auerbach and songwriting legend Desmond Child, renowned for his work with rock acts including Alice Cooper, Joan Jett and Aerosmith. It premiered today with Garden & Gun, who stated “‘Blood On The Tracks’, finds King steeling himself for the ascent from the depths to the sunlight above.”

Over a swampy groove, gritty guitars and a thumping bass sound that offers sonic tribute to Free’s Andy Frazer, King’s soulful vocals smolder in a moment of reflection and hope, compelled to finally leave “his sins in the past.”

Recalling back to a productive session with Childs, King shared, “’Blood on the Tracks’ was the first song we wrote for the record, it was also my first time meeting Desmond Child. He’s 100% unapologetically himself at all times, and that charmed me immediately. I really enjoyed working with Dan and Desmond on this tune, they both have such an acute sensibility for a “hook” it is scary!” he continued “The song essentially tells the story of moving forward or being taken down by the trouble you are facing - catching the train or the bloodier alternative. Every writing session for this record started with a conversation, an opportunity for my collaborators to take a peek inside my soul and the pain I was carrying around.”

Accompanying the song release, King also dropped a live video, created at Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound Studio, it features acclaimed musicians including Chris St. Hilaire on drums and Nick Movshon on bass. Watch it here: https://MK.lnk.to/bottlive

Young Blood’s tales of excess, salvation, break up and addiction, draw on some difficult and personal moments. Despite challenging personal circumstances, King has made his most accomplished work to date. The album has already received widespread critical acclaim. Rolling Stone Magazine profiled King, stating, he “turned a dark period into a blistering rock album.”  SPIN  praised King’s “classic ‘70s rock vibes.” FLOOD MAGAZINE proclaimed King “fully embodies the gritty rock sounds the songwriter’s always dipped his toes in.”  Brooklyn Vegan exclaimed, “If you've got a place in your heart for stuff like The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, or ZZ Top, it'd be tough to deny that Marcus truly captures the spirit of that era (and also really shreds.)” and Jimmy Fallon shared King “is one his favorites”, before his electrifying performance of “Hard Working Man” on the Tonight Show.

King has been an outlier from the very beginning. A fourth generation musician from Greenville, SC, who learned guitar at age 3 from his blues rock musician father Marvin King. He navigated troublesome school years to quickly become known as one of the most promising young artists of our time. He followed his breakout success with The Marcus King Band, with his Auerbach produced 2020 solo album debut, El Dorado. It garnered a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best Americana Album” and critical praise from The New York Times to NPR’s Weekend Edition With unparalleled performance prowess and a dynamic live show, King has sold out historic venues from The Beacon to The Filmore. He has opened for Chris Stapleton, Greta Van Fleet and Nathaniel Rateliff and graced the bills of Stagecoach, Fuji Rock, Rock Werchter and more. He also recently launched his own custom Gibson guitar and signature Orange guitar amplifier, the MK Ultra, which sold out before it even hit the stores.

King recently announced a massive headline US tour, with dates HERE through September and October 2022 supporting the release of his forthcoming solo album, Young Blood. He will be taking his stadium sized sound to esteemed venues across the U.S, including two nights at venues such as New York’s Beacon Theatre and Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Neal Francis and Ashland Craft support select dates, and the tour features comedy by Dean Del Ray. Tickets on sale now HERE and a complete list of dates follows below.

King will continue to tear up the rulebook with the release Young Blood, redefining the route to modern rock stardom with a timeless sound and a singular voice, equal parts grease and grit, set to soon establish him as one of the most soulful vocalists of his generation.

    It’s Too Late
    Lie Lie Lie
    Rescue Me
    Pain
    Good and Gone
    Blood On The Tracks
    Hard Working Man
    Aim High
    Dark Cloud
     Whisper
     Blues Worse Than I Ever Had

TOUR DATES
Tickets available at marcuskingofficial.com/tour

JUL 16 SAT - Wild Hare Music Festival 2022 - Canby, OR, United States
JUL 27 WED - FloydFest 22- Heartbeat 2022 - Floyd, VA, United States
Sept 9 – The Met – Philadelphia, PA
Sept 10 – The Theater at MGM National Harbor – Washington DC
Sept 11 – House Of Blues – Boston, MA
Sept 15 – Beacon Theatre – New York, NY
Sept 16 – Beacon Theatre – New York, NY
Sept 17 – KEMBA Live! – Columbus, OH
Sept 18 – Bourbon & Beyond Festival – Louisville, KY
Sept 20 – HISTORY – Toronto, ON
Sept 21 – Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA
Sept 23 – GLC Live at 20 Monroe - Grand Rapids, M
Sept 24 – The Sylvee – Madison, WI ^
Sept 25 – Palace Theatre – St. Paul, MN
Sept 27 – Egyptian Room @ Old National Centre – Indianapolis, IN
Sept 29 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN
Sept 30 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN
Oct 1 – The Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA
Oct 2 – The Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA
Oct 4 – Stubb's Bar-B-Q – Austin, TX
Oct 6 – The Van Buren – Phoenix, AZ
Oct 7 – The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA
Oct 11 – The Masonic – San Francisco, CA
Oct 13 – Crystal Ballroom – Portland, OR
Oct 14 – The Neptune Theatre – Seattle, WA
Oct 15 – The Neptune Theatre – Seattle, WA
Oct 17 –  The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT
Oct 18 – Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO
Oct 20 – The Pageant – St. Louis, MO
Oct 21 – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom – Chicago, IL
Oct 22 – The Fillmore  Detroit- Detroit, MI
Oct 23 – Agora Theatre – Cleveland Ohio
Oct 25 – The Fillmore Charlotte – Charlotte, NC
Oct 26 – Avondale Brewing Company - Birmingham, AL
Oct 27 – The Fillmore New Orleans – New Orleans, LA

Neal Francis, Ashland Craft and comedy by Dean Delray unless festival or otherwise stated.
^ Neal Francis and Dean Delray only

Fri, 08/05/2022 - 11:43 am

Marcus King today announced the release of “Blues Worse Than I Ever Had,” the final preview track ahead of his forthcoming solo album, Young Blood, due August 26. The track, co-written with Dan Auerbach, has a laid back groove and saturating slide guitar which soundtrack King’s visceral vocal, reflecting on a moment of despair and the hope that lies beyond it. King stated, “At the time, I’d changed medications when I was trying to process the death of family members. I was coasting through life like a zombie. When I’d get off them, I’d feel things that happened six months ago for the first time and crash down.”

Accompanying the song release, King also dropped a live performance video, created at Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound Studio, it features acclaimed musicians including Chris St. Hilaire on drums and Nick Movshon on bass. Watch it here: https://mk.lnk.to/blueslive

Young Blood’s tales of excess, salvation, break up and addiction, draw on some difficult and personal moments, in which King turned to his most stadium sized 70s rock influences, both for musical comfort and also as a foreboding warning. King recently shared with Rolling Stone that Paul Kossoff, cult 70s rock band Free’s guitarist, who died in connection to substance abuse at a similar age to King, was a driving force in him wanting to turn a corner in his life. “I was seeing all these signs,” King recently told Rolling Stone, adding. “I was feeling really paranoid that something was trying to tell me to either slow down or that the end was inevitable and that it was coming pretty soon.”

Despite challenging personal circumstances, King has made his most accomplished work to date. The album has already received widespread acclaim. Jimmy Fallon shared King “is one his favorites”, before his electrifying performance of “Hard Working Man” on the Tonight Show. SPIN  praised King’s “classic ‘70s rock vibes.” FLOOD MAGAZINE proclaimed King “fully embodies the gritty rock sounds the songwriter’s always dipped his toes in.”  Brooklyn Vegan exclaimed, “If you've got a place in your heart for stuff like The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, or ZZ Top, it'd be tough to deny that Marcus truly captures the spirit of that era (and also really shreds.)” and Rolling Stone Magazine stated, he “turned a dark period into a blistering rock album.”  

King has been an outlier from the very beginning. A fourth generation musician from Greenville, SC, who learned guitar at age 3 from his blues rock musician father Marvin King. He navigated troublesome school years to quickly become known as one of the most promising young artists of our time. He followed breakout success with The Marcus King Band, with his Auerbach produced 2020 solo album debut, El Dorado. It garnered a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best Americana Album” and critical praise from The New York Times to NPR’s Weekend Edition. With unparalleled performance prowess and a dynamic live show, King has sold out historic venues from The Beacon to The Filmore. He has opened for Chris Stapleton, Greta Van Fleet and Nathaniel Rateliff and graced the bills of Stagecoach, Fuji Rock, Rock Werchter and more. He also recently launched his own custom Gibson guitar and signature Orange guitar amplifier, the MK Ultra, which sold out before it even hit the stores.

King recently announced a massive headline US tour, with dates HERE through September and October 2022 supporting the release of his forthcoming solo album, Young Blood. He will be taking his stadium sized sound to esteemed venues across the U.S, including two nights at venues such as New York’s Beacon Theatre and Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Neal Francis and Ashland Craft support select dates, and the tour features comedy by Dean Del Ray. Tickets on sale now HERE and a complete list of dates follows below.

King will continue to tear up the rulebook with the release Young Blood on August 26, redefining the route to modern rock stardom with a timeless sound and a singular voice, equal parts grease and grit, set to soon establish him as one of the most soulful vocalists of his generation.

    It’s Too Late

    Lie Lie Lie

    Rescue Me

    Pain

    Good and Gone

    Blood On The Tracks

    Hard Working Man

    Aim High

    Dark Cloud

     Whisper

     Blues Worse Than I Ever Had

TOUR DATES

Tickets available at marcuskingofficial.com/tour

Sept 9 – The Met – Philadelphia, PA

Sept 10 – The Theater at MGM National Harbor – Washington DC

Sept 11 – House Of Blues – Boston, MA

Sept 15 – Beacon Theatre – New York, NY

Sept 16 – Beacon Theatre – New York, NY

Sept 17 – KEMBA Live! – Columbus, OH

Sept 18 – Bourbon & Beyond Festival – Louisville, KY

Sept 20 – HISTORY – Toronto, ON

Sept 21 – Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA

Sept 23 – GLC Live at 20 Monroe - Grand Rapids, M

Sept 24 – The Sylvee – Madison, WI ^

Sept 25 – Palace Theatre – St. Paul, MN

Sept 27 – Egyptian Room @ Old National Centre – Indianapolis, IN

Sept 29 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN

Sept 30 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN

Oct 1 – The Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA

Oct 2 – The Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA

Oct 4 – Stubb's Bar-B-Q – Austin, TX

Oct 6 – The Van Buren – Phoenix, AZ

Oct 7 – The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA

Oct 11 – The Masonic – San Francisco, CA

Oct 13 – Crystal Ballroom – Portland, OR

Oct 14 – The Neptune Theatre – Seattle, WA

Oct 15 – The Neptune Theatre – Seattle, WA

Oct 17 –  The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT

Oct 18 – Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO

Oct 20 – The Pageant – St. Louis, MO

Oct 21 – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom – Chicago, IL

Oct 22 – The Fillmore  Detroit- Detroit, MI

Oct 23 – Agora Theatre – Cleveland Ohio

Oct 25 – The Fillmore Charlotte – Charlotte, NC

Oct 26 – Avondale Brewing Company - Birmingham, AL

Oct 27 – The Fillmore New Orleans – New Orleans, LA

Neal Francis, Ashland Craft and comedy by Dean Delray unless festival or otherwise stated.

^ Neal Francis and Dean Delray only

Sun, 08/14/2022 - 4:07 pm

Today British Underground and Jazz re:freshed announced the release of “Outernational Live from Studio Two Abbey Road” a unique live LP featuring new stars of UK jazz recorded at the world-famous Abbey Road Studios during the winter lockdown of 2021. Tracks were originally laid-down for a covid-friendly filmed show hosted by the South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival in March of that year following a run of ground-breaking live showcases at the Austin event since 2017.

Featuring UK rising jazz stars Doom Cannon, Camilla George, Richard Spaven, Theon Cross, Noya Rao, Daniel Casimir and Tess Hirst, it will be released on Vinyl only on September 2 via Jazz re:freshed’s label. Previous acts from these internationally celebrated showcases include Shabaka Hutchings, Nubya Garci, Ezra Collective and Moses Boyd with this special-edition LP highlighting the best of the next wave.
 
The album is released on vinyl only - limited to 500 copies and can be bought from the jazz re:freshed band camp site and limited stores worldwide from September 2nd. To order a copy visit: https://jazzrefreshed.bandcamp.com/album/outernational-live-from-studio-two-abbey-road-vinyl-only

Theon Cross stated, "The JRF/BU Outernational showcase for SXSW filmed and recorded at Abbey Road in Feb 2021 was a very special one. It was one of the first times since the start of the pandemic that we were able to play together and make music for an audience despite them not being in the room. We really hit our stride with Panda Village a track from my album FYAH channeling all the joy and emotion of this cathartic moment."
 
Jazz Re:freshed also confirmed they will be returning to SXSW in 2023 for another landmark showcase, with further details to follow.
 
Track list:

    DoomCannon - This Too
    Camilla George - Ekpe
    Richard Spaven - Helsinki Trio
    Theon Cross - Panda Village
    Noya Rao - Red
    Daniel Casimir & Tess Hirst - These Days

Sun, 08/28/2022 - 11:30 am

Marcus King today released Young Blood, his career defining new album, produced by Dan Auerbach and released on Rick Rubin’s American Records / Republic.
 
His tales of salvation, break up and addiction, draw on some of his lowest moments with drug and alcohol excess, following a crushing break-up. King is open about his challenges with mental health and shares he often deals with bouts of mania and depression, which were at the forefront of his mind while making Young Blood. During recording and writing the album, things were so bleak, King believed he was making his last record. King stated,
 
“I needed to bare my soul, I needed this record to be a mirror into what was going on inside me, the inner torment of being alone for the first time in so long, The come down from the substances and the company I kept to keep me from feeling so lonely.” He continues “'Young Blood' is a closing door to the chapter behind me. I used to be comfortable with the idea of burning out quickly, I was in a rush to say all that was on my heart before it was too late. Now that I’ve found love in life and love in myself I’m learning to more slowly unpack past trauma, Learn from it, write about it and move forward.”
 
In these darkest moments, King turned to his most stadium sized 70s rock influences, both for musical comfort and also as a foreboding warning. Even at his lowest ebb, he knew that the path ahead, trodden by idols from Jimi Hendrix to Paul Kossoff, was one of impending doom if he continued to push himself to his very limit.
 
Despite challenging personal circumstances, King has made his most accomplished work to date. The album, which features songwriting collaborations with King, Auerbach and songwriting legends Angelo Petraglia and Desmond Child, noted for their work with everyone from Kings of Leon and Aerosmith.
 
The record has already received widespread critical acclaim. Jimmy Fallon shared that King “is one his favorites”, before his electrifying performance of “Hard Working Man” on the Tonight Show. SPIN  stated, “The music is lean and mean, and King’s vulnerability amid a devastating breakup is on full display”. FLOOD MAGAZINE proclaimed King “fully embodies the gritty rock sounds the songwriter’s always dipped his toes in.”  Brooklyn Vegan exclaimed, “If you've got a place in your heart for stuff like The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, or ZZ Top, it'd be tough to deny that Marcus truly captures the spirit of that era (and also really shreds.)” Rolling Stone Magazine stated, he “turned a dark period into a blistering rock album.” Billboard declared King’s anthem “Hard Working Man” showcased, “King’s soul-shouting vocal and a wealth of defiance and praise for those giving all they’ve got to their 9-to-5.” Associated Press, stated, “The album is soaked in ’70 rock ’n’ roll.” Nashville Scene profiled King, praising the new record and King’s guitar prowess, stating, “In King’s hands, the instrument sounds dark and desperate and dangerous.”
 
GRAMMY.com also dropped a live performance video of album track “Pain” created at Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound Studio, it features acclaimed musicians including Chris St. Hilaire on drums and Nick Movshon on bass. Watch it here: https://mk.lnk.to/grammypushplay
 
King has been an outlier from the very beginning. A fourth generation musician from Greenville, SC, who learned guitar at age 3 from his blues rock musician father Marvin King. He navigated troublesome school years to quickly become known as one of the most promising young artists of our time. He followed breakout success with The Marcus King Band, with his Auerbach produced 2020 solo album debut, El Dorado. It garnered a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best Americana Album.” With unparalleled performance prowess and a dynamic live show, King has sold out historic venues from The Beacon to The Filmore. He has opened for Chris Stapleton, Greta Van Fleet and Nathaniel Rateliff and graced the bills of Stagecoach, Fuji Rock, Rock Werchter and more. He also recently launched his own custom Gibson guitar and signature Orange guitar amplifier, the MK Ultra, which sold out before it even hit the stores.
 
King recently announced a massive headline US tour, with dates HERE through September and October 2022 supporting the release of his forthcoming solo album, Young Blood. He will be taking his stadium sized sound to esteemed venues across the U.S, including two nights at venues such as New York’s Beacon Theatre and Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Neal Francis and Ashland Craft support select dates, and the tour features comedy by Dean Del Ray. Tickets on sale now HERE and a complete list of dates follows below.
 
King continues to tear up the rulebook with the release of Young Blood, with a timeless sound and a singular voice which set to soon establish him as one of the most soulful vocalists of his generation.

    It’s Too Late
    Lie Lie Lie
    Rescue Me
    Pain
    Good and Gone
    Blood On The Tracks
    Hard Working Man
    Aim High
    Dark Cloud
     Whisper
     Blues Worse Than I Ever Had

TOUR DATES
Tickets available at marcuskingofficial.com/tour
 
Sept 9 – The Met – Philadelphia, PA
Sept 10 – The Theater at MGM National Harbor – Washington DC
Sept 11 – House Of Blues – Boston, MA
Sept 15 – Beacon Theatre – New York, NY
Sept 16 – Beacon Theatre – New York, NY
Sept 17 – KEMBA Live! – Columbus, OH
Sept 18 – Bourbon & Beyond Festival – Louisville, KY
Sept 20 – HISTORY – Toronto, ON
Sept 21 – Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA
Sept 23 – GLC Live at 20 Monroe - Grand Rapids, M
Sept 24 – The Sylvee – Madison, WI ^
Sept 25 – Palace Theatre – St. Paul, MN
Sept 27 – Egyptian Room @ Old National Centre – Indianapolis, IN
Sept 29 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN
Sept 30 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN
Oct 1 – The Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA
Oct 2 – The Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA
Oct 4 – Stubb's Bar-B-Q – Austin, TX
Oct 6 – The Van Buren – Phoenix, AZ
Oct 7 – The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA
Oct 8 - House of Blue - San Diego, CA*
Oct 11 – The Masonic – San Francisco, CA
Oct 13 – Crystal Ballroom – Portland, OR
Oct 14 – The Neptune Theatre – Seattle, WA
Oct 15 – The Neptune Theatre – Seattle, WA
Oct 17 –  The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT
Oct 18 – Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO
Oct 20 – The Pageant – St. Louis, MO
Oct 21 – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom – Chicago, IL
Oct 22 – The Fillmore  Detroit- Detroit, MI
Oct 23 – Agora Theatre – Cleveland Ohio
Oct 25 – The Fillmore Charlotte – Charlotte, NC
Oct 26 – Avondale Brewing Company - Birmingham, AL
Oct 27 – The Fillmore New Orleans – New Orleans, LA
 
Neal Francis, Ashland Craft and comedy by Dean Delray unless festival or otherwise stated.
^ Neal Francis and Dean Delray only
*Ashland Craft and Dean Delray only

Sat, 09/24/2022 - 11:50 am

On the heels of appearances at Bourbon & Beyond and Americanafest, rock and roll truth teller S.G. Goodman continues her buzzy year with her first ever headline tour, which will stop in NYC, DC, Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago, in addition to Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco, and Ohana Festival in Dana Point, CA. Goodman is touring in support of her critically acclaimed sophomore album Teeth Marks, which garnered praise from Pitchfork, The New York Times, NPR and many more. Visit sggoodman.net for more information and ticket details for her tour.

Goodman will also co-host an evening with Margo Price in Louisville on October 18 in support of Price’s new memoir.

Goodman today also released a special live performance video of her single “Keeper Of The Time,” directed by Ryan Hartley. Discussing the song, Goodman stated, “The keeper of the time is our body. This song is really important to me. It’s about how storing trauma in your body is going to be impactful on all of your relationships. I close the album with that because it's maybe the root of it all. Maybe the root of all the bad and all the good is really what we have left unprocessed or the work we haven't done within ourselves. This song for me is all about the aftermath of trauma, and I think of it as a response to my song “Space and Time.”

S.G. Goodman has been making waves, Teeth Marks appeared in the top 10 Americana Radio Charts, she guested on the beloved podcast WTF with Marc Maron and How Long Gone, her song “Space and Time” has been covered by Tyler Childers and will be featured in legendary filmmaker Paul Schrader’s upcoming film Master Gardener.

Raised in Western Kentucky on the Mississippi River Delta, in a strict church going family, Goodman went from singing in church three times a week to a prominent, politically active member of the Murray, KY indie rock scene. Her critically acclaimed Jim James produced debut, Old Time Feeling drew attention from The Fader, Rolling Stone, The New Yorker, NPR, and PBS Newshour, and many more.

Mining garage rock, Appalachian folk and post-punk influence,  Goodman’s sophomore album Teeth Marks finds her stirring vocals and emotionally astute songwriting draped in a sonic patchwork of southern indie rock. Exploring her embodied trauma of coming out as gay to her Southern Baptist rural community, and the homophobic prejudice and ostracization, that has continued to follow her to this day.

She explores how this kind of trauma will log-jam in the body, alongside examining the opioid crisis, queer dating and unrequited love. Across all 11 tracks the central concept of the indelible mark that love leaves behind, is present. From lovingly confronting a self-destructive alcoholic friend, to confronting herself in the face of unrequited love. A landmark release from one of the most impassioned and idiosyncratic voices of this generation, it will cement her as one of the most exciting acts emerging from the South in many years.

US FALL TOUR DATES
Sep 20 - Asheville, NC - American Vinyl Co
Sep 21 - Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle
Sep 23 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s
Sep 24 - Washington, DC - Songbyrd
Sep 25 - Freehold, NJ - Concerts in the Studio
Sept 27 - Brooklyn, NY Baby’s All Right
Sep 28  - Boston, MA - 939 Cafe
Sep 30 - San Francisco, CA - Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival
Oct 2 - Dana Point, CA - Ohana Festival
Oct 4 - Chicago, IL - Schuba's
Oct 5 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry
Oct 7 - St Louis, MO - Off Broadway

Mon, 09/26/2022 - 9:53 am

Marcus King and Orange Amps today announced they are proud to partner with Volume.com for free livestream concerts for two sold-out shows at the historic Ryman Auditorium in his hometown of Nashville this week, on Thursday 29th and Friday 30th September.

These exclusive livestreams will see the GRAMMY® Award-nominated artist, performer and songwriter headline the Ryman for the first time along with special guests, available for free at https://marcusking.volume.com.  Orange Amps and Volume.com will be there to broadcast these much-anticipated concerts, shot in high-definition 4K using nine camera angles for a full cinematic experience and livestreamed direct to mobile phone, computer or laptop. The Ryman concerts this week will see him play tracks from Young Blood, his career-defining new album, produced by Dan Auerbach and released on Rick Rubin’s American Records / Republic. He will use his 30 watt all-valve MK Ultra signature amp, which he helped design in collaboration with Orange Amps.

Both shows will be livestreamed for free exclusively on Volume.com at 9 pm CT on 29th and 30th September, and can be watched from Marcus King’s YouTube Channel and Facebook page, as well as Orange Amps’ YouTube page and Facebook Page. Viewers can watch the first 15 minutes of the concerts on these pages, after which the show can be viewed for free at https://marcusking.volume.com (please note that five minutes later, viewers will be prompted to enter an email address to continue watching). The shows will be available to view for free on demand for 30 days after each concert.

Volume.com is a 24/7 free livestream platform that allows engagement between artists and fans to help musicians build and monetise their craft from ticket sales, subscriptions, merchandise purchases, or by using Volume.com’s unique online tipping system.

King’s tales of salvation, break up and addiction, draw on some of his lowest moments with drug and alcohol excess, following a crushing break-up. King is open about his challenges with mental health and shares he often deals with bouts of mania and depression, which were at the forefront of his mind while making Young Blood. During recording and writing the album, things were so bleak, King believed he was making his last record. In these darkest moments, King turned to his most stadium sized 70s rock influences, both for musical comfort and also as a foreboding warning. The album features songwriting collaborations with King, Auerbach and songwriting legends Angelo Petraglia and Desmond Child, noted for their work with everyone from Kings of Leon and Aerosmith.

Despite challenging personal circumstances, King has made his most accomplished work to date and received widespread critical acclaim.  The New York Times profiled King and proclaimed “Young Blood,” a collection of brawny hard-rock songs in the audibly hirsute tradition of the James Gang, Grand Funk and early ZZ Top.”  SPIN  stated, “The music is lean and mean, and King’s vulnerability amid a devastating breakup is on full display”. Rolling Stone Magazine stated, he “turned a dark period into a blistering rock album.”

King recently announced a massive headline US tour, with dates HERE through September and October 2022 supporting the release of his forthcoming solo album, Young Blood. He will be taking his stadium sized sound to esteemed venues across the U.S, which has included two nights at venues such as New York’s Beacon Theatre and Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Neal Francis and Ashland Craft support select dates, and the tour features comedy by Dean Del Ray. Tickets on sale now HERE and a complete list of dates follows below.

King continues to tear up the rulebook with the release of Young Blood, with a timeless sound and a singular voice which set to soon establish him as one of the most soulful vocalists of his generation.

    It’s Too Late
    Lie Lie Lie
    Rescue Me
    Pain
    Good and Gone
    Blood On The Tracks
    Hard Working Man
    Aim High
    Dark Cloud

Photo by Jacob Blickenstaff

Tour Dates:

Sept 29 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN
Sept 30 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN
Oct 1 – The Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA
Oct 2 – The Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA
Oct 4 – Stubb's Bar-B-Q – Austin, TX
Oct 6 – The Van Buren – Phoenix, AZ
Oct 7 – The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA
Oct 8 - House of Blue - San Diego, CA*
Oct 11 – The Masonic – San Francisco, CA
Oct 13 – Crystal Ballroom – Portland, OR
Oct 14 – The Neptune Theatre – Seattle, WA
Oct 15 – The Neptune Theatre – Seattle, WA
Oct 17 –  The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT
Oct 18 – Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO
Oct 20 – The Pageant – St. Louis, MO
Oct 21 – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom – Chicago, IL
Oct 22 – The Fillmore  Detroit- Detroit, MI
Oct 23 – Agora Theatre – Cleveland Ohio
Oct 25 – The Fillmore Charlotte – Charlotte, NC
Oct 26 – Avondale Brewing Company - Birmingham, AL
Oct 27 – The Fillmore New Orleans – New Orleans, LA
 
Neal Francis, Ashland Craft and comedy by Dean Delray unless festival or otherwise stated.
^ Neal Francis and Dean Delray only
*Ashland Craft and Dean Delray only

 

Sun, 10/09/2022 - 2:58 pm

Today, the D’Addario Foundation has launched a new initiative called the Immersive Music Challenge, which aims to raise awareness and funds around a groundbreaking new study that finds intensive music mentoring, especially implemented in lower-income schools, is linked to significantly improved reading and math scores; decreased pandemic related anxiety was also observed. This news is especially pertinent as the shocking revelations of low reading and math scores post-pandemic are seen to have erased progress across the nation as kids go back to school.

Read more about this at D’Addario Foundation’s new Immersive Music Challenge landing page here, featuring new study data, real stories, and ways to get involved: https://foundation.daddario.com/immersive-music-challenge/

With education and health in crisis this new study published in the Journal of Youth Development, culminates five-years of research and documents the importance of delivering music mentoring in schools consistently, frequently, and over multiple years, to significantly decrease the achievement gap in the United States.

For over forty years, the D’Addario Foundation has helped fund intensive music instruction and mentoring programs in under-resourced communities throughout the country, such as Harmony Project, Guitars Over Guns, Play On Philly and many more. Inspired by this new study, the foundation’s School Achievement Challenge doubles down on its efforts to bring music mentoring to schools around the country. D’Addario’s School Achievement Challenge aims to raise funds for national music mentoring implementation and generate awareness of the transformational academic, social and emotional impact of such programs.

Karen O., lead singer of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and D’Addario artist says, “The gift of music education and music as an outlet for self expression is simply the greatest gift that gives and gives endlessly.  In my roughest patches I could turn to the guitar, write a tune and feel it was saving my life only to hear from someone years later that a song I wrote got them through a rough patch too, it’s been a blessing that never fails to astound me.”

Nile Rodgers says, “To me, music in schools is the most important thing that you could ever experience - and it may be one of the best things that educators can experience as well! The consistency and the fun of doing music is one of the best things a kid can experience"

Mark Knopfler says, “Learning a musical instrument will give you a friend for life.  Now the latest research has demonstrated how vital music education is in schools.  It has positive effects in all areas of learning and development: makes us smarter and makes a better world. Supporting the D’Addario Foundation is a key to this approach.  The foundation is growing - on a journey to becoming a global influence.  I hope you can help, however you can.”

Wed, 10/19/2022 - 7:36 am

Marcus King today released two tracks for Spotify’s Singles program, an afrobeat inspired version of “Crazy,” famed by Gnarls Barkley, as well as a full band reimagining of King’s instant classic song “It’s Too Late.” Both songs were recorded a year ago, at the legendary New York City based studio, Electric Lady, home to classic artists including Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder, and David Bowie.

Listen here: https://mk.lnk.to/spotifysingles

On the session, King stated, On the session, King stated, “Recording music at Electric Lady Studios was like a religious experience for myself and the band. We were greeted at the door by our dear friend and engineer William Garrett at the iconic entrance way of the studio. The downstairs neighbors complained about the guitar amplifiers in the bathroom, it was a dream recording session!” He continues, “The songs were chosen carefully by myself and the group to fully represent all we can do musically. We started the day performing the opening track of Young Blood, 'It’s Too Late,' this time with a brass section. 'Crazy' by Gnarls Barkley has long been a cover we’ve performed on rare occasions. It seemed befitting given the lyrical content of the most recent album, and where I was mentally at the time. We wanted to add a different spin to it so we decided to intertwine Fela Kuti’s 'Zombie' within our own take of 'Crazy.' We hope you enjoy it! Thank you to Electric Lady Studios and Spotify for the hospitality!"

These new songs, exclusive to Spotify, feature the esteemed Marcus King Band, cut while in New York on an arena tour with Chris Stapleton in 2022. Spotify Singles have generated six billion streams since the program began in 2017, and were created to give artists an opportunity to record new versions of their own songs, the songs of the artists they love, or an original song.
 
The release follows Young Blood, King’s critically acclaimed album which is out now on American Records/Republic. King’s tales of salvation, break up and addiction, draw on some of his lowest moments with drug and alcohol excess, following a crushing break-up. King turned to his most stadium sized 70s rock influences, both for musical comfort and also as a foreboding warning. The album features songwriting collaborations with King, Auerbach and songwriting legends Angelo Petraglia and Desmond Child, noted for their work with everyone from Kings of Leon and Aerosmith.
 
Despite challenging personal circumstances, King has made his most accomplished work to date and received widespread acclaim.  The New York Times profiled King and proclaimed “Young Blood,” a collection of brawny hard-rock songs in the audibly hirsute tradition of the James Gang, Grand Funk and early ZZ Top.”  SPIN  stated, “The music is lean and mean, and King’s vulnerability amid a devastating breakup is on full display”. Rolling Stone Magazine stated, he “turned a dark period into a blistering rock album.”
 
King is halfway through his massive headline US tour, with dates HERE supporting the release of his forthcoming solo album, Young Blood. He has taken his stadium sized sound to esteemed venues across the U.S, which has included two nights at New York’s Beacon Theatre and Sold Out shows at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Neal Francis and Ashland Craft support select dates, and the tour features comedy by Dean Del Ray. Tickets on sale now HERE and a complete list of dates follows below.
 
King continues to tear up the rulebook with the release of Young Blood, with a timeless sound and a singular voice which set to soon establish him as one of the most soulful vocalists of his generation.

    It’s Too Late
    Lie Lie Lie
    Rescue Me
    Pain
    Good and Gone
    Blood On The Tracks
    Hard Working Man
    Aim High
    Dark Cloud
     Whisper
     Blues Worse Than I Ever Had

2022 TOUR DATES
Tickets available at marcuskingofficial.com/tour
 
Oct 20 – The Pageant – St. Louis, MO
Oct 21 – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom – Chicago, IL
Oct 22 – The Fillmore  Detroit- Detroit, MI
Oct 23 – Agora Theatre – Cleveland Ohio
Oct 25 – The Fillmore Charlotte – Charlotte, NC
Oct 26 – Avondale Brewing Company - Birmingham, AL
Oct 27 – The Fillmore New Orleans – New Orleans, LA
 
Neal Francis, Ashland Craft and comedy by Dean Delray unless festival or otherwise stated.

Wed, 10/26/2022 - 10:43 am

Multi Grammy Award winning funk legend Bootsy Collins today, on his birthday, announced a forthcoming collaborative compilation album project, Funk Not Fight, associated with Syncr and The Bootsy Collins Foundation.

Today, Bootsy released a 60-second teaser of the album title track and new single, “Funk Not Fight”, which will be released on the compilation. Listen to the teaser here
 
Bootsy stated of the project, “Funk Not Fight! Spreading Hope No Joke.”
 

Bootsy also launched his new Apple Music radio show, featuring guests Morris Day, Bruno Mars, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Flea and Sheila E for a special Birthday Bootsy Extravaganza episode celebrating Funk Not Fight, alongside an episode with Steve Lacy. Listen here now: https://music.apple.com/us/station/bootsy-birthday-extravaganza/ra.1651…
 
The Funk Not Fight project will feature emerging artists, rappers, poets, singers, instrumentalists, who will submit their music to be featured on the album alongside Bootsy and other established guest artists and supporters will include, Lettuce, Buckethead, Zapp, Triggy, Syleena Johnson, Tommy Davidson, Hi-Tek, Deanna Brown, G7, Michael Dyson, Steve Lacy and more.
 
The Funk Not Fight project is in partnership with Bootsy Collins Foundation, Syncr, The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, Apple, Spotify, Tudor Games, with additional partners to be announced. All money raised will go towards initiatives that are in need of financial support, that are dedicated to helping turn the tide of violence and unrest in our communities. The official album release date and further details will be announced forthcoming.
 
Submit your music now via Syncr Music for consideration and for terms and conditions and further info please visit:
https://www.syncrmusic.com/job/328/bootsy-collins-presents-funk-not-fig…

Mon, 12/19/2022 - 2:41 pm

Legendary funk musician, bassist and composer Bootsy Collins releases “Boot-A-Claus / Here 4-A-Reason”, a funky and infectious holiday single featuring stalwart members of Bootsy’s talented network including Fantaazma, Baby Triggy, Gary “G7” Jenkins, and Dreion. The single is a celebration and continuation of Bootsy’s Funk Not Fight mission, which aims to unify and spread peace through the power of music.  Watch the accompanying music video for “Boot-A-Claus / Here 4-A-Reason” here, released today.
 
Says Bootsy of this new holiday single and season, “We call this A-Boot-A-Claus Christmas Celebration. We look at this as being the Power of the One. No Matter what or who you believe in we come together as 1.”

This holiday single comes after Bootsy’s recent announcement of Funk Not Fight, a forthcoming compilation album and ongoing project, whose message is to promote peace, reduce violence and unrest in disproportionately affected communities,  and spread joy through the power of music.
 
The Funk Not Fight album, set for release in 2023, will feature emerging artists, rappers, poets, singers and instrumentalists who will submit their music to be featured on the album. They will join in the project alongside Bootsy and other established guest artists and supporters including but not limited to Lettuce, Buckethead, Zapp, Fantaazma, Baby Triggy, Syleena Johnson, Tommy Davidson, Hi-Tek, Deanna Brown, G7, Michael Dyson, Steve Lacy and more.
 
The Funk Not Fight project is in partnership with Bootsy Collins Foundation, Syncr, The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, Apple, Spotify, Tudor Games, with additional partners to be announced. All money raised will go towards initiatives that are in need of financial support, that are dedicated to helping turn the tide of violence and unrest in our communities. The official album release date and further details will be announced forthcoming.
 
Submit your music now via Syncr Music for consideration, officially extended submission date is Feb 22nd 2023. In conjunction with the release of Bootsy’s Xmas single, The Bootsy foundation and Funk Not Fight will be launching a series of competitions giving away various prizes to artists submitting their music to Syncr Music and the funk not fight album, including a JBL speaker. For terms and conditions and further info please visit.
https://www.syncrmusic.com/job/328/bootsy-collins-presents-funk-not-fig…

Sun, 01/15/2023 - 4:02 pm

Legendary funk musician and Cincinnati hometown icon Bootsy Collins announced the release of his new track “The Ickey Shuffle,” a funky anthem inspired by and featuring fellow legend and former Bengals running back Ickey Woods. The new song also features Bootsy’s son Ouiwey Collins, and the video features special guests the Cincinnati Ben-Gals. “The Ickey Shuffle” is a tribute and unifying statement to encourage sportsmanship, funk and peace.

Watch here: https://youtu.be/wTy5wWpWC90
Listen here: https://ffm.to/rnmv4k6
 
TONIGHT Sunday, January 15, Bootsy Collins will make a triumphant return to the stage to perform at the NBC Sunday Night Football halftime show. The Ohio Players, known by their work with Fire & Skin Tight, will take the stage with Bootsy. Bootsy’s performance was originally scheduled for January 2, the night of the fateful Bengals v. Bills game that shocked the world when Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field.
 
Bootsy, who was present, says of that moment, “We was ready to funk it out with the Bengals Who-Dey Baby and something just wasn’t right, everything just went chaotic. I immediately started watching the monitor in my dressing room and seen that beautiful young man on the ground. Patti my wife immediately looked at me and I said Patti, God is trying to tell us that we all need to be On The One right now and she agreed. Bless that young man.”
 
Bootsy is releasing a brand new track inspired by Bengals legend Ickey Woods’ iconic shuffle. “The Ickey Shuffle” is a funky anthem, meant to accompany the iconic dance created by Ickey Woods. Bengals fans are invited to check out the track and create their own version of the shuffle. Partial proceeds will go to the Jovante Woods Foundation.

FUNK NOT FIGHT:
 
The Funk Not Fight project is in partnership with Bootsy Collins Foundation, Syncr, The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, Apple, Spotify, Tudor Games, with additional partners to be announced. All money raised will go towards initiatives that are in need of financial support, that are dedicated to helping turn the tide of violence and unrest in our communities.
 
The Funk Not Fight album, set for release in 2023, will feature emerging artists, rappers, poets, singers and instrumentalists who will submit their music to be featured on the album. They will join in the project alongside Bootsy and other established guest artists and supporters including but not limited to Lettuce, Buckethead, Zapp, Fantaazma, Baby Triggy, Syleena Johnson, Tommy Davidson, Hi-Tek, Deanna Brown, G7, Michael Dyson, Steve Lacy and more.

In partnership with Tudor Games, Booty’s anti-violence foundation and mission Funk Not Fight is offering a QR code to receive a discount on Tudor Games products. For more information visit: https://www.syncrmusic.com/job/328/bootsy-collins-presents-funk-not-fight-album-1
 
MARNI MEETS CARHARTT WIP COLLABORATION CAMPAIGN:
Bootsy Collins, his wife Patti, grandson Vincent and musician Babyxsosa, are currently starring in the campaign for the brand new MARNI meets CARHARTT WIP. More information can be found here: https://newsroom.carhartt-wip.com/marni-carhartt-wip

Fri, 02/10/2023 - 11:48 am

Today, JAZZ RE:FRESHED OUTERNATIONAL, the international showcasing partnership between Jazz re:freshed and British Underground, announced the lineup for their UK Jazz Showcase at this year’s SXSW, taking place on March 15 at Sellers Underground. The showcase returns to SXSW for its sixth year and marks Jazz re:freshed’s twentieth year nurturing British jazz talent and propelling it onto the global stage.

The lineup features incredible rising British talent including dynamic ensemble performances from collectives Stream Down proclaimed as a fundamental catalyst of London’s flourishing Jazz scene, and Balimaya Project, an 11-piece polyrhythmic horn blazing supergroup who are bridging London’s bustling jazz circuit and the traditional repertoire and folklore of the Mandé peoples of West Africa. The showcase will also feature fast rising star Yazmin Lacey who already counts Questlove amongst her fans of her unique genre bending blend of jazz, neo-soul, electronia and Camilla George, an extraordinary visionary saxophonist, composer, and bandleader, performing music from her celebrated record ‘Ibio Ibio’, a tribute to her tribe the Ibibio people of South Eastern Coastal Nigeria. Additionally, DoomCannon, a celebrated London-based composer, producer & multi-instrumentalist, and Marcus Joseph, an innovative musician and spoken word artist, will make their SXSW live debut.

Now an acclaimed SXSW staple, which has been spotlighted in Rolling Stone Magazine and The New York Times to name a few, the showcase has helped stars including Shabaka Hutchings, Nubya Garcia, and Moses Boyd launch their US careers, and produced unique recording projects including their live-stream from the iconic Abbey Road studios for SXSW 2021.
 
SHOWCASE RUNNING ORDER
Line up:
20:00 Marcus Joseph
21:00 Yazmin Lacey
22:00 Camilla George
23:00 Balimaya Project
24:00 Doom Cannon
01:00 Steam Down
 
Yvette Griffith, Co-Chief Exec and Executive Director of Jazz re:freshed says of this showcase,  Not only does 2023 mark 7 years of us bringing some seriously amazing musicians to showcase at SXSW, this year is extra special because we’re celebrating 20 years of Jazz re:freshed and are proud to continue our support and promotion of the freshest talent on the UK jazz scene.

Crispin Parry, founder of British Underground says, “We are thrilled to be back at SXSW with our friends Jazz re:freshed offering an incredible slate of emerging talent in celebration of 20 years of hard work taking UK jazz to the world and making the world sit-up and listen.”

Ahnansé from Steam Down says, “We are so excited to be performing for the first time ever in the US with our family Jazz Re:Freshed alongside so many incredible bands and artists. It’s been a long time coming since we were unable to attend in 2020 due to the pandemic, so after all of this hard work we’re really grateful to finally have the opportunity to perform at SXSW now in 2023 and we cannot wait!”

Yahael Camara Onono from Balimaya Project says, “We are looking forward to playing SXSW this year. It’s been one of our goals to come to Austin and share our music with the wider audience that flocks to SXSW every year and to finally be able to do that is truly a blessing. Get ready, we are coming!!”

Sun, 02/26/2023 - 9:56 am

The Band Of Heathens, the Austin-based, fiercely independent rock and roll group led by dual lead vocalists and songwriters Ed Jurdi and Gordy Quist, today released their new single “Don't Let The Darkness.” A soulful track which features big vocal harmonies provided by vocalist Amber Woodhouse, from their forthcoming album Simple Things. Their ninth studio album will be released on March 17 on their own label BOH Records. Pre-order here. You can also listen to the new single here.

The Band Of Heathens will make their national TV debut on CBS This Morning’s Saturday sessions tomorrow, and tour the U.S., with dates including Nashville’s Basement East, alongside a hometown residency which they recently kicked off at C-Boys in Austin. They will also soon make their Grand Ole Opry debut. To celebrate The Austin American-Statesman premiered a special live performance of “Don’t Let The Darkness” which you can watch here.

People Magazine recently exclusively premiered their song, “All That Remains”. To accompany the release, the band created a music video to capture the message that family love leaves an indelible mark on our lives, sharing the belief that love defies the passage of time, and eventually all that remains is love. Featuring images of their fans' favorite vintage pictures, polaroids and videos of their parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers, and children, the video celebrates the people who have shaped us all into who we have become. Check it out here.

From day one, The Band of Heathens have remained proudly, fiercely independent—turning down label offers, maintaining complete ownership of their catalog, building their now extensive audience one show at a time. From their humble roots as a rag tag local bar band - where they first formed in the early 2000s when Quist and Jurdi were among four songwriters playing regular weekly sets at the late, lamented club Momo's - to award winning, streaming giant status (they have amassed 400 Million plus streams across their catalog), The Band Of Heathens are true to their name as outliers to the traditional music industry model of success.

They are currently in the process of a GOLD certification of their monster record, “Hurricane'' a song originally recorded by Levon Helm, which became a runaway streaming success, when they released it on their 2011 album The Top Hat and the Clapmaster’s Son.

“I see a lot of artists out there screaming, ‘Hey, we're outlaws, we're independent!’ says Quist, adding “and they're signed to a major label and live completely within that model. We've been the ultimate indie band for 17 years.”

Their lush sounding self produced set was recorded in their hometown of Austin, in the hi fidelity studio, named The Finishing School, which was founded by the band’s close friend and sometimes producer George Reiff. Quist took over the studio after Reiff passed away in 2017, and upgraded with a 1972 Studer console; rebuilt golden ratio rooms designed by friend and famed producer/acoustician Mark Neill; and a batch of vintage mics from the band Queen’s studio, Mountain Studios, that have all been used on records by Queen, David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, and AC/DC.

Simple Things is a musical, geographic and thematic return, back to the greasy rooted rock and heartland pop which they became known and loved for, when they broke out in the mid 2000s, landing the attention of Rolling Stone Magazine and making their debut on TV shows including Austin City Limits.

Though the members of The Band of Heathens now live scattered across the country, it was their return to Austin, to write, and eventually record the album, which was so crucial to continuing their progression and keeping the band alive.

First they launched “Good Time Supper Club”, a Patreon fueled live video series offering fans the chance to watch the band work and to participate in the creative process. What started as an act of pandemic career triage serendipitously encouraged a creative shift, with the band including their fanbase in their return to the roots rock instincts that initially launched the band out of Austin.

Fans' input was clearly an important catalyst in making  their finest work to date. Another example of the heights The Band of Heathens can achieve with only themselves (and their fans)  to lead the charge.

“Many times in the past, we'd take a song and stretch to make it into something else sonically, because that's exciting and fun to do in the studio,” says Quist. Adding, “This time around, we tried to use some restraint and embraced our first instincts, trusting the songs.”

The songs reflect a return to the kind of “Dad Wisdom” one gains from months at home with families and friends during a pandemic.  It is a confident, assured statement from a group finding its place in the world amid uncertain and troubled times, offering us the next step in the chain of the evolution of rock and roll classicism, thoughtful dad rock  is just what the world didn't know it needed.

Employing their artful song craft to musings on the mutual exclusivity of time and money or appreciating the things that matter and letting go of the things that don’t, is perhaps their greatest moment as a band yet.

Jurdi best succinctly concludes, “We've realized it's us, it’s our families, and it's our fans, and that's really all that matters.”

Album tracklist:

1 Don't Let The Darkness

2 Heartless Year

3 I Got The Time

4 Simple Things

5 Long Lost Son

6 Stormy Weather

7 Single In The Same Summer

8 Damaged Goods

9 The Good Doctor

10 All That Remains

Tour dates to include

Mar 1 - C-Boys - Austin, TX

Mar 8 - C-Boys - Austin, TX

Mar 15 - C-Boys - Austin, TX

Mar 16 - Luck Reunion - Luck, TX

Mar 15-19 - SXSW - Austin, TX

Mar 27 - City Winery - New York, NY

April 17 - Turf Club - St. Paul, MN

April 18 - Showboat Saloon - Wisconsin Dells, WI

April 19 - Lincoln Hall - Chicago, IL

April 20 - Midtown - Grand Rapids, MI

April 21 - Southgate House Revival - Newport, KY

April 22 - Cameo Theater - Bristol, TN

April 23 - Lincoln Theater - Raleigh, NC

April 25 - Neighborhood Theatre - Charlotte, NC

April 26 - Grey Eagle - Asheville, NC

April 27 - Basement East - Nashville, TN

April 28 - Terminal West - Atlanta, GA

April 29 - Dixie Carter PAC - Huntingdon, TN

April 30 - Railgarten - Memphis, TN

May 2 - Grand Ole Opry - Nashville, TN

May 4 - Heights Theater - Houston, TX

May 5 - Kessler Theater - Dallas, TX

May 6 - Gruene Hall - New Braunfels, TX

June 2 - Chickie Wah Wah - New Orleans, LA (goes on sale 3/3)

June 3 - Cathead Jam - Jackson, MS (with The Flaming Lips and more)

June 4 - Manship Theatre - Baton Rouge, LA (goes on sale 3/3)

June 10 - Rock the Ranch Music Festival - Seneca, SC

August 3 - The Fox Theatre - Boulder, CO

Oct 6 - Acadiana Center for the Arts - Lafayette, LA

Many more tour dates to be announced soon…

Sat, 03/04/2023 - 2:27 pm

Today, Peter One, a 67 year old country-folk musician originally from Cote d’Ivoire now living in Nashville as a US citizen, announces his major label debut solo album Come Back To Me, set for release May 5, on Verve Records. His debut single “Birds Go Die Out Of Sight (Don’t Go Home)” featuring Allison Russell and telling the complex story of yearning to return home as an immigrant, is out today. 

Pre-order Come Back To Me and listen to “Birds Go Die Out Of Sight (Don’t Go Home)” 

https://PeterOne.lnk.to/ComeBackToMe

The song was premiered with Rolling Stone who stated, its buoyant, countryish acoustic guitar riff and lilting rhythm transform Peter One’s impassioned pleas to his friend, with Allison Russell sweetly echoing his calls to “don’t go home.” Rolling Stone continues, “Togetherness is a recurring theme for Peter One, one he says is part of his purpose in making music again.”

Watch live performance video for “Birds Go Die (Out Of Sight)” HERE.

Jason Isbell, with whom Peter has been touring, also told Rolling Stone, When you hear Peter One singing, it sounds like he’s singing from a place that is not commercialized. He’s singing something he really means…you can tell this man has performed many times for many people…and you feel like you’re seeing somebody who is a legendary singer.”

Peter One also today announces that he will make his Grand Ole Opry stage debut on April 14, as well as appearances at SXSW, Luck Reunion, Big Ears Festival and other US headline dates, below.

Peter shared his sentiments about the new album with Rolling Stone, stating, “I feel lucky. I feel also really, really happy because it’s kind of a revival,” he says. “It’s an opportunity for me to get back to an unfinished job.”

Originally from the Cote d’Ivoire, Peter One was once a star in West Africa, as one half of a duo (alongside his writing partner Jess Sah Bi) who created a seminal folk album Our Garden Needs Its Flowers in 1985. The album gained momentum across the region, and found Peter performing his music for presidents, first ladies, adoring sold-out crowds, and even soundtracking the release of Nelson Mandela from prison in 1990 as shown on the BBC. Peter moved to the United States in the 90s, due to political unrest in his home country in an attempt to pursue his music career stateside. However, due to cost of living, he was forced to switch jobs and has been working in relative obscurity as a nurse first in Delaware, then Tennessee, for the better part of 20 years, until now.

A 2018 re-issue of Our Garden Needs Its Flowers reignited attention on Peter One, with coverage from Pitchfork and Rolling Stone, and now Peter returns to the music scene with a unique blend of Afro-pop and 60s and 70s influenced country-folk soundtracks. The album was co-produced (alongside Peter One) and engineered by Matt Ross-Spang (Jason Isbell, John Prine) and features some of Nashville’s finest musicians including Pat Sansone (Wilco), Ken Coomer (Uncle Tupelo), Paul Niehaus (Calexico), and more. The result is a heartfelt collection of folk songs sung in English, French and Guro, sharing tales of painful divorce, love and loss, as well as reflecting on concepts of the healing power of music, diaspora, immigration and home.

And as anyone who hears the first ebullient, inviting notes of “Cherie Vico” on Peter’s new album will surely tell you, Peter One has once again arrived, and he has brought with him a set of songs that might just transport their listeners to new vistas, new moods, and new modes of experience, because they are the reflection of Peter’s own unpredictable, ever-surprising journey. There is a joyfulness that emanates from so many of the tracks which seems boundless, though even Peter is hard-pressed to account for the source of that joy:

“You know, some scientists, or philosophers, or psychologists,” he says jokingly, “they say that as humans we live several lives, and maybe in a previous life I came across this kind of music—I don’t know. But I really love the way that music is expressed through folk music—all kinds of folk music are really touching to me.”

Also reflective of that immigrant’s journey—again, a resolutely American tale, in more ways than one (Peter became an American citizen in 2008)— is his desire for the quality of his work, his music, to shine through first, whether he sings in Guro, English or French.

“If people love those songs in African languages even more than the English songs, I’ll be really happy because then I know that the music is making the connection.”

Track List - Come Back To Me 

  1. Cherie Vico

  2. Kavudu 

  3. Ejie

  4. Staring Into The Blues 

  5. Sweet Rainbow 

  6. On My Own 

  7. La Petite 

  8. Je E Moi Le Piano

  9. Bonne Annee

  10. Birds Go Die Out of Sight 

Sat, 03/18/2023 - 4:52 pm

The Band Of Heathens, the Austin-based, fiercely independent rock and roll group led by dual lead vocalists and songwriters Ed Jurdi and Gordy Quist, a rock and roll double act that rivals Mick and Keith in songwriting chemistry and life long music commitment, today released Simple Things, their roots rock magnum opus and ninth studio album released via their own label BOH Records. The album was exclusively premiered with RELIX.com and dropped an exclusive live performance of the record (watch here). Relix called the new album a “roots rock magnum opus” and praised the band’s “commitment to music and balanced songwriting chemistry.”

Album title track, and release single, “Simple Things” reflects The Band Of Heathens “Dad Wisdom,” and epiphanies they experienced after months at home with families and friends during a pandemic. Listen to the track here.

“I started writing this song in April of 2020, right in the first stages of the pandemic shutdown.” Jurdi stated, adding, “I had some time to reflect on the pace of my life over the past 20 years. Traveling, touring, reaching for the next great adventure and hoping for the next big thing and wondering if that was really the goal, or more simply put, is that what makes me happy? I wanted to express that I was and am really thankful for everything I have in my life, and writing this song was really just taking a moment to take stock of all of the little things that really matter and make up a life worth living.”

Releasing on your own label is not all that remarkable these days, but when you put it in the context of The Band Of Heathens unprecedented success, it certainly is.

Their success has culminated in a rare novelty in the music industry - an unsigned band with a gold record. They are currently in the process of a GOLD certification of their monster record, “Hurricane'' a song originally recorded by Levon Helm, which became a runaway streaming success, when they released it on their 2011 album The Top Hat and the Clapmaster’s Son.

From day one, The Band of Heathens have remained proudly, fiercely independent—turning down label offers, maintaining complete ownership of their catalogue, building their now extensive audience one show at a time. From their humble roots as a rag tag local bar band - where they first formed in the early 2000s when Quist and Jurdi were among four songwriters playing regular weekly sets at the late, lamented club Momo's. Over the years, The Band Of Heathens have become award winning, streaming giants (they have amassed 400 Million plus streams across their catalogue), true to their name, and outliers to the traditional music industry model of success.

The Band Of Heathens did not stop there, they also recently made their national TV debut on CBS This Morning’s Saturday sessions, and are touring the U.S., with dates including Nashville’s Basement East, alongside a hometown residency which they recently kicked off at C-Boys in Austin. They will also soon make their Grand Ole Opry debut.  

“I see a lot of artists out there screaming, ‘Hey, we're outlaws, we're independent!’ says Quist, adding “and they're signed to a major label and live completely within that model. We've been the ultimate indie band for 17 years, and we like it that way.”

Their lush sounding self produced set was recorded in their hometown of Austin, in the hi fidelity studio, named The Finishing School, which was founded by the band’s close friend and sometimes producer George Reiff. Quist took over the studio after Reiff passed away in 2017, and upgraded with a 1972 Studer console; rebuilt golden ratio rooms designed by friend and famed producer/acoustician Mark Neill; and a batch of vintage mics from the band Queen’s studio, Mountain Studios, that have all been used on records by Queen, David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, and AC/DC.

Simple Things is a musical, geographic and thematic return, back to the greasy rooted rock and heartland pop which they became known and loved for, when they initially broke out in the mid 2000s, landing the attention of Rolling Stone Magazine and making their debut on TV shows including Austin City Limits.

Though the members of The Band of Heathens now live scattered across the country, it was their return to Austin, to write, and eventually record the album, which was so crucial to continuing their progression and keeping the band alive.

First they launched “Good Time Supper Club”, a Patreon fueled live video series offering fans the chance to watch the band work and to participate in the creative process. What started as an act of pandemic career triage serendipitously encouraged a creative shift, with the band including their fanbase in their return to the roots rock instincts that initially launched the band out of Austin.

Fans' input was clearly an important catalyst in making  their finest work to date. Another example of the heights The Band of Heathens can achieve with only themselves (and their fans)  to lead the charge.

Simple Things is a confident, assured statement from a group finding its place in the world amid uncertain and troubled times, offering us the next step in the chain of the evolution of rock and roll classicism, thoughtful dad rock is just what the world didn't know it needed.

Jurdi best succinctly concludes, “We've realized it's us, it’s our families, and it's our fans, and that's really all that matters.”

Album tracklist:

1 Don't Let The Darkness

2 Heartless Year

3 I Got The Time

4 Simple Things

5 Long Lost Son

6 Stormy Weather

7 Single In The Same Summer

8 Damaged Goods

9 The Good Doctor

10 All That Remains

Tour dates to include:

Mar 15 - C-Boys - Austin, TX

Mar 16 - Luck Reunion - Luck, TX

Mar 15-19 - SXSW - Austin, TX

Mar 27 - City Winery - New York, NY

April 17 - Turf Club - St. Paul, MN

April 18 - Showboat Saloon - Wisconsin Dells, WI

April 19 - Lincoln Hall - Chicago, IL

April 20 - Midtown - Grand Rapids, MI

April 21 - Southgate House Revival - Newport, KY

April 22 - Cameo Theater - Bristol, TN

April 23 - Lincoln Theater - Raleigh, NC

April 25 - Neighborhood Theatre - Charlotte, NC

April 26 - Grey Eagle - Asheville, NC

April 27 - Basement East - Nashville, TN

April 28 - Terminal West - Atlanta, GA

April 29 - Dixie Carter PAC - Huntingdon, TN

April 30 - Railgarten - Memphis, TN

May 2 - Grand Ole Opry - Nashville, TN

May 4 - Heights Theater - Houston, TX

May 5 - Kessler Theater - Dallas, TX

May 6 - Gruene Hall - New Braunfels, TX

June 2 - Chickie Wah Wah - New Orleans, LA

June 3 - Cathead Jam - Jackson, MS (with The Flaming Lips and more)

June 4 - Manship Theatre - Baton Rouge, LA

June 10 - Rock the Ranch Music Festival - Seneca, SC

June 11 - Standard Deluxe - Waverly, AL

August 3 - The Fox Theatre - Boulder, CO

Oct 6 - Acadiana Center for the Arts - Lafayette, LA

Oct 7 - Bluesberry Festival - Covington, LA

Sat, 03/25/2023 - 12:53 pm

Today, experimental Mercury Prize nominated UK trio Gogo Penguin release their fourth single “Parasite,” a multi-part extended composition that exemplifies Gogo Penguin’s ultimate ethos of creating experimental sounding electronic music with just piano, drums and bass. The video is accompanied by a music video, filmed in London and Manchester, the band's hometown, and directed by Jordan Copeland. Watch the music video here.

Listen to "Parasite" and pre-order Everything Is Going to Be OK here.

The single is from the band’s upcoming album Everything Is Going to Be OK, (April 14, Sony/XXIM), the first LP from the trio since almost breaking up, re-forming with a new member, signing to a new label and persevering through immense personal loss.

“Parasite” is the penultimate finisher on the new album, and it arrives after glimmers of added synth experimentation. But this track returns to Gogo Penguin’s original and truest lineup: piano, drum and bass.

The track is a reminder of a core GoGo Penguin competency: how great Chris and Nick are at interlocking with one another on the acoustic instruments, layering lines, making space and weaving together a fabric, now with Scott’s martial drumming propelling them in directions they know well.  The collective energy of Gogo Penguin 2.0 shines through on this track.

Pianist and synth player Chris Illingworth says: “This is a great example of the classic GGP ethos of taking inspiration from the electronic music world and using that on acoustic instruments. The new electronic elements which we’ve incorporated into our setup on other tracks never felt like they were struggling for space or feeling like they needed to be included on a track just for the sake of it. When we did include them, they naturally found their place between the piano, bass and drums but sometimes, as in the case of this track, they were just a means to an end, a useful tool when writing and a way of reaching ideas we wouldn’t have found if we hadn’t experimented with them in the first place.”

Everything Is Going to Be OK was born during a time of turbulence and loss. Recorded in a personally difficult period for the band, which included deep personal loss and mourning– bassist Nick Blacka lost his mother and older brother to cancer only months apart, and pianist Chris Illingworth lost his grandmother– whilst the band also grappled with the departure (albeit amicable) of their longtime drummer. Blacka and Illingworth drew closer together during this time of loss and upheaval, and welcomed new drummer Jon Scott.

The album studio time offered the band a sanctuary from real life, and the resulting project draws its strength from a shared understanding and empathy, with a truly vibrant and hopeful sonic direction. Life has many great aspects to it and despite the lows, we should be mindful and grateful to celebrate the highs at every turn. Through our hardships, together, we will emerge stronger; everything is going to be ok.

With a new drummer, a new record label, (Sony Music electronica and neo-classical imprint XXIM Records), the Mercury Music Prize-nominated band are ushering in a more sonically liberated era. In the wake of two sold-out shows at London’s iconic KOKO, and a plethora of sold-out tour dates, the inimitable Mancunian trio have a truly captivating and quasi-magical presence, their music is both transformational and ethereal.

NORTH AMERICAN SPRING 2023 TOUR

April 27 - Teragram, Los Angeles CA US

April 28 - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco CA US

April 30 -  Alberta Rose Theater, Portland OR US

May 1 - Hollywood Theater, Vancouver BC CA

May 2 - Neptune, Seattle WA US

May 6 - Dakota Jazz, Minneapolis MN US

May 7 -  Thalia Hall, Chicago IL US

May 9 - Opera House, Toronto ON CA

May 11 -  Corona Theater, Montreal QC US

May 12 - Crystal Ballroom, Boston MA US

May 13 - Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn NY US

Sat, 05/13/2023 - 4:06 pm

Today, funk legend Bootsy Collins (Parliament-Funkadelic, James Brown) released his long-anticipated single “Funk Not Fight”  featuring rapper Baby Triggy and singer/rapper Fantaazma. The track is the first from the forthcoming Funk Not Fight compilation, which was announced last fall to encourage burgeoning young talent to lend their voices and talent to this vital anti-violence initiative. Funk Not Fight is an ongoing album compilation, which will have a rolling release schedule featuring new music, young talent and fresh voices, all part of Bootsy’s mission to promote a message of peace through the power of music (and the Power of the One!).

Listen to the track here: https://ffm.to/funknotfight

Bootsy said of the single, "I just like to say, check out my latest video. Funk, not fight. We just wanna calm down some of that violence out there. Cause y'all know that it ain't right! Come on now. Jump on board. Let's get the One! For being funk, and not fight. Yeah that's right baby."

The bass-fueled earworm features Bootsy’s signature voice singing “I’m not a fighter / but I’m a lover” alongside blasting horns and tight funk riffs, and is accompanied by an official music video featuring appearances by bassist Marcus Miller, the Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart, Buckethead, Victor Wooten, Cindy Blackman and more.

Watch the “Funk Not Fight” music video here:

Yesterday, Bootsy attended and hosted a round panel at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH, where he unveiled plans for the inaugural Funk Not Fight hub in partnership with The Bootsy Collins Foundation and The Village (The Village Of Performing Arts and Culture and Center), a local community organization working with young people in the Cleveland area. The event featured a round table with members of the local community including Mayor Annette Blackwell, Mayor Matt Burke, Chris Ronayne of the Cuyahoga County Executive and youth mentor Yonna Shakim, who stated “As a consistent community advocate for the youth, I hope that the Funk Not Fight Initiative provides more tools and spaces for young people to learn how to be leaders in their own way. Empowering and encouraging them  to find confidence in a craft such as music to use for expression and to be a positive contribution to the world around them.”

Greg Harris, CEO, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, stated, “In the spirit of Rock & Roll and its roots in Cleveland and the surrounding communities, we’re thrilled that our friend and inductee, Bootsy Collins, has chosen the RockHall to announce his educational program that will support and give back to the greater Cleveland area.”
 
The Funk Not Fight hub will exist within the Village, and will feature a variety of services including a music studio where young talent in the Cleveland area can explore creative passions that will lead them on the right path. Additionally, the hub will provide access to certified professionals that can guide and mentor local youths. With much more to be announced, as a part of Bootsy’s Funk Not Fight initiative. Please consider making a donation to the Funk Not Fight hub, here.
 
"The performing arts, specifically music, has a proven impact on calming violence in children." stated Lawrence Lane, Executive Director of The Village/Truth & Vision Ministries.  "We are excited and deeply moved by the Funk Not Fight Initiative placing a much needed spotlight on our youths and partnering with us to lead our young people onto a better path."
 
The Funk Not Fight project is a growing initiative to create opportunities in communities that encourage peace, creativity, and anti-violence. Partners and supporters include The Bootsy Collins Foundation, Syncr, The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, Apple, Spotify, Tudor Games, with additional partners to be announced. Partial proceeds raised will go towards initiatives that are in need of financial support, that are dedicated to helping turn the tide of violence and unrest in our communities.
 
VIDEO APPEARANCES
BAND
Drums : Dennis Chambers
Drums : Cindy Blackman
(Carlos Santana’s wife)
Bass: Marcus Miller
Bass: Victor Wooten
Bass: Alissia Benveniste
Gtr:  Buckethead,
Gtr:   Dave stewart
Gtr: Marlon McClain
Keyboards: Lachlan Doley
 
VOCALS
Vocalist Overlord: Bootsy
Rapper: Baby Triggy
Rapper: Fantaazma

Thu, 06/15/2023 - 9:57 am

Today, Cordovas announce the release of their fourth studio album, The Rose of Aces, released via ATO Records on August 11. Produced by Cory Hanson (Drag City, Wand, Ty Segal), the album is a timeless set of free spirited country rock, from the band led by singular storied singer-songwriter and mystic classicist, Joe Firstman. Presave the album HERE.

Cordovas also announced they are hitting the road, with a headline tour with dates across Europe and the US. through June, July, August and October 2023, with shows at iconic Garcia's At The Capitol Theater in Port Chester, NY and a celebration of the album’s release on August 11 at the Fox Theatre in Boulder CO. Tickets are on sale now, please visit http://cordovasband.com for more information.

Today Cordovas released, "Fallen Angels of Rock ‘n’ Roll," a freewheeling song that fans will have heard live for years, a road tested wistful ode to “the  friends back in the day who didn’t make it.” Says Firstman, adding, “the important part is don’t forget what music does for you. It can make you sad, it can make you happy, it can remind you of a better time."

The song was premiered by Bluegrass Situation HERE, listen to the song HERE and watch the music video HERE.

There’s no better way to kick off The Rose of Aces and Cordovas’ new chapter. The communal living rock outfit that have already caught the attention of everyone from Rolling Stone to CBS Saturday, are back with a new album that showcases a band at their very best, hitting their creative stride after logging thousands of hours on the road, developing dexterous musical chops and pushing their vocals to the limit. The band has long cited influences like the Allman Brothers, Grateful Dead, and the Band. And while Cordovas can certainly jam, they’ve also long been acclaimed as tapping into the more songwriting-oriented side of those forebears. From “Fallen Angels” onward, you can hear the band honing their craft, soon to establish them as “Nashville’s best rock and roll band.”

Cordovas are fueled by the long strange trip of frontman Joe Firstman, who had a circuitous path through his young adulthood. Raised by a weed dealing veteran father and an opera singer mother in Charlotte, the young Firstman took a Greyhound to Los Angeles in the early ‘00s and quickly became a buzzy young songwriter opening for Sheryl Crow and Willie Nelson. His era as a chaotic “drunken nightmare” and industry famous Atlantic Records drop-out is the stuff of legend. Landing on his feet with a stint as Carson Daly house band host, Joe eventually became the fearless leader of Cordovas. Now 43, Firstman is at a reflection point in his career, finding peace in the insights that come with accepting the bumps in the road on the long strange trip that is life. “Everything is victory as long as you can pull it out of the trash and polish it off and identify it as such,” says Joe.

Cordovas is a state of constant flow: Firstman, guitarist Lucca Soria, and their various co-conspirators gathering in their twin outposts — a farm in Nashville, and a hideout in the artist community and spiritual home of the Baja California town Todos Santos — to jam out ideas. Before the dust remotely began to settle on their latest release, Destiny Hotel, Cordovas were already back in the shop, working up a trove of songs from which The Rose of Aces would emerge. Drawing on fragments of various American and classic traditions, from The Grateful Dead to Marcel Proust, the musical result is as refreshing as a summer breeze blowing through the palm trees.

Firstman will be the first to credit the great results to the collective. Cordovas are made up of co-conspirator guitarist Lucca Soria, plus a revolving cast of characters who feature in the live band or join in the studio. From the songwriting contributions from singer songwriter Mark Cline Bates to the studio magic of CH McCoy, Kelsey Lepperd, Colton Stephens, Tyler Nuffer, Firstman brings together a group of like-minded individuals who together can conjure pure free wheeling rock. There are all kinds of characters in Cordovas’ orbit, including the namesakes of the album — hotel owners Ace and Rose down in Mexico, who Firstman paid tribute to via an imagined Tarot card of an album name.

Their tales share stories of surviving getting low down in the high roller room, resisting the allure of the fallen angels of rock ’n’ roll, and being inspired by the landscapes they inhabit from the southern rivers of Nashville to beautiful beaches of Baja. “We started to catch a flow.” said Firstman of their process, “We set the songs to the wind. And slowly the figure emerged from the block of clay.”

Torch bearers of rock and roll’s spirit, joints are still lit and roads are still rambled down, finding contentment in the sunshine, healing in the music and the knowledge that love is all it takes. Cordovas ramble with purpose, seeking salvation from the sordid corners of life, paying homage to the friends back in the day who didn’t make it, and changing brains to make them useful for society. Firstman says. “What happens when you let that stuff in and you become it? What does your brain tell you then? Go feel that, and the standard you set and the call you make to your friends and the thing you said you were gonna do that mattered. How did you feel the next morning? What song did you write?”

TOUR DATES INCLUDE:                               
Thu-Jul-20-23 - Venice Beach, CA - Venice West                       
Sat-Jul-22-23 - San Diego, CA - Casbah            
Mon-Jul-24-23 - Felton, CA - Felton Music Hall              
Wed-Jul-26-23 - Sacramento, CA - Folsom Hotel           
Thu-Jul-27-23 - Healdsburg, CA - Little Saint                
Sat-Jul-29-23 - Camino, CA - Delfino Farms                  
Fri-Aug-11-23 - Boulder, CO - Fox Theatre                                
Sat-Aug-12-23 - Denver, CO - Ophelia's Electric Soapbox                      
Sun-Aug-13-23 - Fort Collins, CO -The Aggie                                                     
Wed-Aug-16-23 - Indianapolis, IN - HI-FI           
Thu-Aug-17-23 - Hamilton, OH - RiversEdge Amph.       
Fri-Aug-18-23 - Harrisburg, PA - Harrisburg Midtown Arts Ctr     
Sun-Aug-20-23 - Morristown, NJ - The Homestead                    
Tue-Aug-22-23 - Port Chester, NY - Garcia's                                                     
Fri-Aug-25-23 - Evanston, IL                 
Fri-Oct-13-23 - Roswell, GA - From the Earth                 
Sat-Oct-14-23 - Macon, GA - Capitol Theatre

Track List

    Fallen Angels of Rock 'n' Roll
    What Is Wrong?
    High Roller
    Sunshine
    Sky, Land & Sea
    Deep River
    Stone Cold Stoned
    Change The Way You Talk
    Last To Know
    Skyline
    Love Is All It Takes
    Somos Iguales (feat. La Marisoul)

Sat, 07/01/2023 - 9:45 am

Robert Finley announces his fourth studio album Black Bayou, set for release October 27 on Easy Eye Sound. Finley is joined again by frequent collaborator and producer Dan Auerbach for a thundering, swaggering record that tells Finley’s story of his life in the bayou of Louisiana. Today, Finley also released his first single “What Goes Around (Comes Around)” – a sweltering, swampy rock track that shows off Finley’s smooth-as-whiskey vocals. Watch the accompanying music video, directed by Tim Hardiman, featuring Finley in a larger than life and stylish visual HERE.

On the track Finley stated, “You gotta reap what you sow... do to another what you would have done to you. Be real, tell the truth. For all those out there hurting, you just have to keep the faith. I've seen it over the years, especially with my career - you got to put joy out into the world and it will come back. It's never been anything short of the truth for me.”

Pre-order Black Bayou + listen to “What Goes Around (Comes Around)” HERE

Finley recently spoke to American Songwriter, who stated, “The 11-track album, a portrait of a life that comes together in strokes of gospel, blues, and rock and roll, is set to be like its lead single – simple, relatable, and wise, but above all honest.” “I think that’s one of the biggest things about the album is it tells the truth and the truth will set you free,” added Finley.

Black Bayou, Finley’s fourth studio album, is a portrait of Louisiana from an insider who’s lived there all his life and coalesces all of the vibrant genres bubbling in the bayou from gospel, blues, rock and roll and more. With this Auerbach-produced album, they created a vivid collection of songs that depict life in North Louisiana, with Finley playing the role of charismatic and knowledgeable tour guide.

“It’s amazing to realize how much of an impact Louisiana has had on the world’s music,” says Auerbach, “and Robert embodies all of that. He can play a blues song. He can play early rock and roll. He can play gospel. He can do anything, and a lot of that has to do with where he’s from.”

Finley recorded Black Bayou at producer Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound Studio in Nashville. It’s the fourth time the duo have worked together, although for this record they did things a little differently. Rather than write songs beforehand—as they did on 2017’s Goin’ Platinum and 2021’s Sharecropper’s Son—they devised everything in the studio, with Auerbach leading a band of some of the finest players around: drummers Patrick Carney (The Black Keys) and Jeffrey Clemens (G. Love & Special Sauce), bassist Eric Deaton, and legendary Hill Country blues guitarist Kenny Brown along with vocalists Christy Johnson and LaQuindrelyn McMahon—who just happen to be Finley’s daughter and granddaughter. They worked quickly, devising their parts spontaneously and using getting everything in one take.

“I started singing, and they started playing,” Finley explains. “That’s how we made the album. It wasn’t written out. Nobody used a pencil and paper. We just sang and played together in the studio.”

If Finley’s previous albums established him as a formidable blues and soul artist - overcoming losing his sight in his 60s to become a music star - Black Bayou reveals Finley as something even more distinctive: a truly original Louisiana storyteller who evokes the place and its unique culture for the rest of the world. Finley doesn’t plan to call any other place home. “I’m not interested in living in no big city,” he says. “There’s good places here for hunting and fishing. I can fall asleep in my yard or sleep out on my porch, and nobody’s gonna bother me. Nothing bad is gonna come and get me.”

Struggle and celebration commingle in the stories of Black Bayou. In everyday life death looms. Through the jaws of an alligator on “Alligator Bait,” where Finley shares a true tale of his grandfather using him as as bait to catch an alligator when he was a child or just the gradual pace of time, on “Nobody Wants To Be Lonely” a poignant track spotlighting the generation forgotten in nursing homes across the nation. On “Sneakin’ Around” or “Miss Kitty,” Finley’s tales of lust and love are a timeless induction into the canon of the blues tradition. In all, a collection set to establish Finley as perhaps one of the last true bluesmen of our time.

Tracklist

01. Livin' Out A Suitcase

02. Sneakin' Around

03. Miss Kitty

04. Waste Of Time

05. Can't Blame Me For Trying

06. Gospel Blues

07. Nobody Wants To Be Lonely

08. What Goes Around (Comes Around)

09. Lucky Day

10. You Got It (And I Need It)

11. Alligator Bait

Tour dates:

Saturday, 4 November 2023 - Groningen, NL - Take Root Festival

Sunday, 5 November 2023 - Brussels, BE - Rotonde @ Botanique

Wednesday, 8 November 2023 - London, UK - Jazz Café

Thursday, 9 November 2023 - Manchester, UK - Blues Kitchen

Friday, 10 November 2023 - Pandrup, DK - Blues Heaven Festival

Tuesday, 14 November 2023 - Toulouse, FR - Salle Nougaro

Wednesday, 15 November 2023 - Saint-Nazaire, FR - VIP

Thursday, 16 November 2023 - Amiens, FR - La Lune des Pirates

Saturday, 18 November 2023 - Šumperk, CZ - Blues Alive Festival

Monday, 20 November 2023 - Tourcoing, FR - Le Grand Mix

Tuesday, 21 November 2023 - Paris, FR - Maroquinerie

Thursday, 23 November 2023 - La Roche-Sur-Yon, FR - Quai M

Friday, 24 November 2023 - La Rochelle, FR - La Sirène

Saturday, 25 November 2023 - Castres, FR - Lo Boegason

Sunday, 26 November 2023 - Saint-Etienne, FR - Le Fil

Tue, 07/11/2023 - 12:44 pm

Today, Cordovas premiered “High Roller,” the second single to their upcoming fourth studio album, The Rose of Aces, released via ATO Records on August 11. Listen to the single HERE and presave the album HERE.

A classic ode to getting low down in the casinos and dens of iniquity, “High Roller” presented a colorful sonic palette of both melancholy and cheap thrills with images of chemical clouds and flashing cruisers alike. On the timeless and defiant declaration, music publication Glide Magazine, praised the track’s, “slow-churning piano boogie and twangy pedal steel,” adding “the tune is a proper work of alt-country. In true Cordovas fashion, there is a timelessness to the music that makes it feel like this tune could have come out of the cosmic country-rock eras of the 1970s, 90s, or right now.”

Discussing the single, Joe Firstman stated, “Salvation is sought, but characters stumble into sordid corners. The narrator and his compatriot Stanley are having a chaotic bender at a casino but salvation is still on their minds.“

Cordovas are hitting the road this summer, having just wrapped up the European headline dates and upcoming U.S. dates through July, August and October 2023, with shows at iconic Garcia's At The Capitol Theater in Port Chester, NY and a celebration of the album’s release on August 11 at the Fox Theatre in Boulder CO. Tickets are on sale now, please visit http://cordovasband.com for more information.

Kicking off The Rose of Aces and Cordovas’s new chapter with the previous single, “Fallen Angels of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” the communal living rock outfit that have already caught the attention of everyone from Rolling Stone to CBS Saturday. They are back with a new album that showcases a band at their very best, hitting their creative stride after logging thousands of hours on the road, developing dexterous musical chops and pushing their vocals to the limit. The band has long cited influences like the Allman Brothers, Grateful Dead, and the Band. And while Cordovas can certainly jam, they’ve also long been acclaimed as tapping into the more songwriting-oriented side of those forebears. From the first single and onward, you can hear the band honing their craft, soon to establish them as “Nashville’s best rock and roll band.”

Cordovas are fueled by the long strange trip of frontman Joe Firstman, who had a circuitous path through his young adulthood. Raised by a weed dealing veteran father and an opera singer mother in Charlotte, the young Firstman took a Greyhound to Los Angeles in the early ‘00s and quickly became a buzzy young songwriter opening for Sheryl Crow and Willie Nelson. His era as a chaotic “drunken nightmare” and industry famous Atlantic Records drop-out is the stuff of legend. Landing on his feet with a stint as Carson Daly house band host, Joe eventually became the fearless leader of Cordovas. Now 43, Firstman is at a reflection point in his career, finding peace in the insights that come with accepting the bumps in the road on the long strange trip that is life. “Everything is victory as long as you can pull it out of the trash and polish it off and identify it as such,” says Joe.

Cordovas is a state of constant flow: Firstman, guitarist Lucca Soria, and their various co-conspirators gathering in their twin outposts — a farm in Nashville, and a hideout in the artist community and spiritual home of the Baja California town Todos Santos — to jam out ideas. Before the dust remotely began to settle on their latest release, Destiny Hotel, Cordovas were already back in the shop, working up a trove of songs from which The Rose of Aces would emerge. Drawing on fragments of various American and classic traditions, from The Grateful Dead to Marcel Proust, the musical result is as refreshing as a summer breeze blowing through the palm trees.

Firstman will be the first to credit the great results to the collective. Cordovas are made up of co-conspirator guitarist Lucca Soria, plus a revolving cast of characters who feature in the live band or join in the studio. From the songwriting contributions from singer songwriter Mark Cline Bates to the studio magic of CH McCoy, Kelsey Lepperd, Colton Stephens, Tyler Nuffer, Firstman brings together a group of like-minded individuals who together can conjure pure free wheeling rock. There are all kinds of characters in Cordovas’ orbit, including the namesakes of the album — hotel owners Ace and Rose down in Mexico, who Firstman paid tribute to via an imagined Tarot card of an album name.

Their tales share stories of surviving getting low down in the high roller room, resisting the allure of the fallen angels of rock ’n’ roll, and being inspired by the landscapes they inhabit from the southern rivers of Nashville to beautiful beaches of Baja. “We started to catch a flow.” said Firstman of their process, “We set the songs to the wind. And slowly the figure emerged from the block of clay.”

Torch bearers of rock and roll’s spirit, joints are still lit and roads are still rambled down, finding contentment in the sunshine, healing in the music and the knowledge that love is all it takes. Cordovas ramble with purpose, seeking salvation from the sordid corners of life, paying homage to the friends back in the day who didn’t make it, and changing brains to make them useful for society. Firstman says. “What happens when you let that stuff in and you become it? What does your brain tell you then? Go feel that, and the standard you set and the call you make to your friends and the thing you said you were gonna do that mattered. How did you feel the next morning? What song did you write?”

TOUR DATES INCLUDE:

Sat-Jul-15-23 - Roseberry, ID - The Summer Festival 2023

Thu-Jul-20-23 - Venice Beach, CA - Venice West

Sat-Jul-22-23 - San Diego, CA - Casbah

Mon-Jul-24-23 - Felton, CA - Felton Music Hall

Wed-Jul-26-23 - Sacramento, CA - Folsom Hotel

Thu-Jul-27-23 - Healdsburg, CA - Little Saint

Sat-Jul-29-23 - Camino, CA - Delfino Farms

Fri-Aug-11-23 - Boulder, CO - Fox Theatre  

Sat-Aug-12-23 - Denver, CO - Ophelia's Electric Soapbox

Sun-Aug-13-23 - Fort Collins, CO -The Aggie

Wed-Aug-16-23 - Indianapolis, IN - HI-FI

Thu-Aug-17-23 - Hamilton, OH - RiversEdge Amph.

Fri-Aug-18-23 - Harrisburg, PA - Harrisburg Midtown Arts Ctr

Sun-Aug-20-23 - Morristown, NJ - The Homestead

Tue-Aug-22-23 - Port Chester, NY - Garcia's

Fri-Aug-25-23 - Evanston, IL

Fri-Oct-13-23 - Roswell, GA - From the Earth

Sat-Oct-14-23 - Macon, GA - Capitol Theatre

Track List

    Fallen Angels of Rock 'n' Roll
    What Is Wrong?
    High Roller
    Sunshine
    Sky, Land & Sea
    Deep River
    Stone Cold Stoned
    Change The Way You Talk
    Last To Know
    Skyline
    Love Is All It Takes
    Somos Iguales (feat. La Marisoul)

Sat, 07/15/2023 - 9:29 am

Irish singer-songwriter Mick Flannery announced his signing to John Prine’s Oh Boy Records, making him the first international artist to join the legendary label’s roster.

Flannery also announced fall tour dates kicking off on September 21 at the annual Americanafest in Nashville, TN, with a highly anticipated show at New York’s Le Poisson Lounge on September 26.

Regarding the signing, Flannery stated: “I can hardly believe that my latest album will be released on John Prine’s label. I have loved John Prine’s songs for a long time now. That those who John loved and trusted have put their faith in me is something I will never forget.”

Fiona Whelan, who was born in Ireland herself stated, “Oh Boy Records continues to be the home label for singer songwriters who are dedicated to their craft. The body of work created by my husband, John Prine, remains our North Star when making decisions about the artists we bring onto our label. Mick Flannery is arguably one of the best songwriters to emerge from Ireland’s long and storied history of writers, poets and musicians.  I couldn’t  be more delighted to welcome Mick, as the first international signing, to our Oh Boy Records family. John was proud to be part of the music community on Ireland’s western coast and I know he would be proud of this new partnership with Mick and his team.”

A former Stonemason renowned for his singular voice and immediate songwriting, switched his craft from rock to words, and became a household name in Ireland. His second studio album White Lies went platinum in Ireland, and was nominated for the Choice Music Prize. His recent duets album with Susan O’Neill saw another Choice Music Prize nomination, and became the best-selling independent record in Ireland in 2021.  Flannery’s debut album Evening Train is currently in development as a stage musical, due to be back on the stage later in 2024.

The label will release Flannery’s forthcoming album Goodtime Charlie, set for release on September 15 via Oh Boy Records. His eighth studio album features songwriting and performance collaborations with luminary artists such as Valerie June, Tianna Esperanza, Anaïs Mitchell, Ana Egge, Justin Stanley, Adam Landry, Andrew House (Christy Skulls) as well as longtime collaborator Tony Buchen. Watch the album EPK here.

Pre-order your exclusive Oh Boy vinyl here:

https://ohboy.com/products/pre-order-mick-flannery-goodtime-charlie-ora…

Recorded in Cork with old friend, drummer and producer Christina Best, and featuring long time musical companions Alan Comerford on guitar and Mikey O’Connell on bass, Goodtime Charlie fluently expresses the layered aspects of the human condition, its flaws, triumphs, and uncertainty.

The title track for the upcoming album was recently released alongside a moody music video– a modern pop jam with lush textures and a vintage touch. Listen to the song here and Watch the music video here.  

On the track Flannery stated, “For a while I had a barter system going with a Jiu Jitsu black belt. I would tutor him on songwriting for a while and then he’d beat the shit out of me. It was a good deal.” He said, adding, “Not a very serious song about a gambler who is liable to do anything at any time, as long as it’s a goodtime.”

Flannery has built up a reputation over the past decade as one of Ireland's hardest working musicians attracting fans from Phoebe Bridgers and Dermot Kennedy. His live shows are renowned for his self-deprecating humor, audience engagement and the ability to bring people on a journey of both heartbreak and joy, often in the same instance. Touring extensively at home and in more recent years abroad as his songs have been reaching folks farther afield. Ireland's best kept secret appears to be no more.

Track List

    Neon Tonight

    Goodtime Charlie

    OKLA

    Machine

    Someone To Tell It To

    Give Me Up

    Old Friend (Feat: Tianna Esperanza)

    Shalom

    Young

    The Fact (Feat: Valerie June)

    Morning Rain

    Minnesota (Feat: Anaïs Mitchell)

    What They Say

    Push The Cart

Tour Dates

Sep 21    Americanafest - Nashville TN

Sep 22    Zanzabar - Louisville KY

Sep 23    The Ark - Ann Arbor MI

Sep 24    Horseshoe Tavern - Toronto ON

Sep 26    Le Poisson Rouge - New York NY

Sep 27    Crystal Ballroom - Somerville MA

Sep 28    Word Barn - Exeter NH

Sep 29    Parlour Room - Northampton MA

Sep 30    The Falcon - Marlboro NY

Oct 1    NPR Mountain Stage - Blacksburg VA

Fri, 08/04/2023 - 2:16 pm

Today, Robert Finley released “Sneakin’ Around,” the second single to his highly anticipated fourth studio album, Black Bayou, due October 27 via Easy Eye Sound. Watch the accompanying music video directed by Andy M Hawkes, starring 69 year young Finley as the epitome of cool. Watch HERE.

“Sneakin’ Around” dazzles with Finley swagger, his formidable vocals musing on stories of deception and deceit, soundtracked by a laid back groove, funky guitar chops and a R&B horn line straight out of Hitsville USA. Finley shares “Whatever is in the dark is gonna come to the light, so don’t play around.”  

On “Sneakin’ Around,” Brooklyn Vegan stated, “It's a funky, bluesy song fueled by Robert's soulful Southern grit.”

Pre-order Black Bayou + listen to “Sneakin’ Around” HERE

Finley recorded Black Bayou at Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound Studio in Nashville. It’s the fourth time the duo have worked together, although for this record they did things a little differently. Rather than write songs beforehand—as they did on 2017’s Goin’ Platinum and 2021’s Sharecropper’s Son—they devised everything in the studio, with Auerbach leading a band of some of the finest players around: drummers Patrick Carney (The Black Keys) and Jeffrey Clemens (G. Love & Special Sauce), bassist Eric Deaton, and legendary Hill Country blues guitarist Kenny Brown along with vocalists Christy Johnson and LaQuindrelyn McMahon—who just happen to be Finley’s daughter and granddaughter. They worked quickly, devising their parts spontaneously and getting everything in one take.

Black Bayou, is a portrait of North Louisiana from an insider who’s lived there all his life. It coalesces all of the vibrant genres bubbling in the bayou from southern soul, jazz, folk, blues, rock and roll and more. A vivid collection of songs that depict life in North Louisiana, with Finley playing the role of charismatic and knowledgeable tour guide. Tales include surviving the jaws of an alligator on “Alligator Bait,” a true story of his grandfather using him as bait to catch an alligator when he was a child. “Nobody Wants To Be Lonely” is a poignant track spotlighting the generation forgotten in nursing homes across the nation. Songs like “Miss Kitty,” a tale of lust and love are an instant induction into the canon of the blues tradition. In all, a collection set to establish Finley as perhaps one of the last true bluesmen of our time and a truly original Louisiana storyteller who evokes the place and its unique culture for the rest of the world.

“It’s amazing to realize how much of an impact Louisiana has had on the world’s music,” says Dan Auerbach, “and Robert embodies all of that. He can play a blues song. He can play early rock and roll. He can play gospel. He can do anything, and a lot of that has to do with where he’s from.”

If Finley’s previous albums established him as a formidable blues and soul artist - overcoming losing his sight in his 60s to become a music star - Black Bayou Finley hopes will help put North Louisiana on the musical map and launch the next generation of stars. Finely still plays small clubs around the region—even the occasional nursing home. Rather than move to where the music industry is, Finley is bringing the industry down to Bernice and working to boost regional acts and has plans for a new local recording studio in the works. “We got a lot of good talent down here in North Louisiana, but nobody’s really done much with it.” Finley stated, adding, “A lot of people just haven’t had the opportunity to record—or even just be heard. It worked for me, so I might as well try to help someone else get discovered, too.”

Tracklist

01. Livin' Out A Suitcase

02. Sneakin' Around

03. Miss Kitty

04. Waste Of Time

05. Can't Blame Me For Trying

06. Gospel Blues

07. Nobody Wants To Be Lonely

08. What Goes Around (Comes Around)

09. Lucky Day

10. You Got It (And I Need It)

11. Alligator Bait

Tour dates:

Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023 - Nashville, Tn - Brooklyn Bowl Nashville With the Black Keys
Saturday Aug. 12, 2023 - Rauma, Finland - Rauma Blues 2023
Thursday Oct. 26, 2023 - New York, NY - Knitting Factory
Saturday, 4 November 2023 - Groningen, NL - Take Root Festival
Sunday, 5 November 2023 - Brussels, BE - Rotonde @ Botanique
Wednesday, 8 November 2023 - London, UK - Jazz Café
Thursday, 9 November 2023 - Manchester, UK - Blues Kitchen
Friday, 10 November 2023 - Pandrup, DK - Blues Heaven Festival
Tuesday, 14 November 2023 - Toulouse, FR - Salle Nougaro
Wednesday, 15 November 2023 - Saint-Nazaire, FR - VIP
Thursday, 16 November 2023 - Amiens, FR - La Lune des Pirates
Saturday, 18 November 2023 - Šumperk, CZ - Blues Alive Festival
Monday, 20 November 2023 - Tourcoing, FR - Le Grand Mix
Tuesday, 21 November 2023 - Paris, FR - Maroquinerie
Thursday, 23 November 2023 - La Roche-Sur-Yon, FR - Quai M
Friday, 24 November 2023 - La Rochelle, FR - La Sirène
Saturday, 25 November 2023 - Castres, FR - Lo Boegason
Sunday, 26 November 2023 - Saint-Etienne, FR - Le Fil

Fri, 08/11/2023 - 12:51 pm

Today, Cordovas released the collective’s fourth studio album, The Rose of Aces via ATO Records. Produced by Cory Hanson (Drag City, Wand, Ty Segall), the unfettered country rock album encapsulated the timeless craft of Cordovas’ current rotation of musicians, led by singular storied frontman, Joe Firstman. Listen to the album HERE.

Arriving 20 years on from the formation of Cordovas, The Rose of Aces is the grandiose of the band’s true rock spirit and all of the conjuring tales along the way, receiving support with premieres and reviews from tastemakers including All Music, No Depression, Glide Magazine, Holler, Nashville Lifestyle, Bluegrass Situation and many more.

The instant classic album shares stories of surviving getting low down in the high roller room, resisting the allure of the fallen angels of rock ’n’ roll, and being inspired by the landscapes they inhabit from the southern rivers of Nashville to beautiful beaches of Baja. “We started to catch a flow.” said Firstman of their process, “We set the songs to the wind. And slowly the figure emerged from the block of clay.”

Breezing in with a celebratory, honey-smooth melody, the highlight track “Sunshine” arrives like sweet destiny. Mining timeless funky folk rock and bluesy rings from the yesteryears, Joe Firstman sings of shadowless happiness and rainbow-lit sanctuary. Grounded by a groovy bass line, carefully tucked away to compliment the sprightly guitar lyric orchestrated by Lucca Soria, “Sunshine” is refreshingly illuminated by percussion and organs with the brightest tones. Listen HERE.

On “Sunshine,” Firstman stated: “‘Sunshine’ is a song that seemed like it was always there. I couldn’t believe it wasn’t and that it was ours.”

Continuing their U.S. headline run, Cordovas is set to play their album release show tonight at the Fox Theatre in Boulder, Colorado. New additional tour dates include a New York City show at Hill Country on August 19, as well as a second show at the iconic Garcia's At The Capitol Theater in Port Chester, NY on August 23. Remaining dates of Cordovas’ 2023 tour included below.

The story of Cordovas is fueled by the long strange trip of frontman Joe Firstman, who had a circuitous path through his young adulthood. Raised by a weed dealing veteran father and an opera singer mother in Charlotte, the young Firstman took a Greyhound to Los Angeles in the early ‘00s and quickly became a buzzy young songwriter opening for Sheryl Crow and Willie Nelson. His era as a chaotic “drunken nightmare” and industry famous Atlantic Records drop-out is the stuff of legend. Landing on his feet with a stint as Carson Daly house band host, Joe eventually became the fearless leader of Cordovas. Now 43, Firstman is at a reflection point in his career, finding peace in the insights that come with accepting the bumps in the road on the long strange trip that is life. “Everything is victory as long as you can pull it out of the trash and polish it off and identify it as such,” says Joe.

Cordovas is a state of constant flow: Firstman, guitarist Lucca Soria, and their various co-conspirators gathering in their twin outposts — a farm in Nashville, and a hideout in the artist community and spiritual home of the Baja California town Todos Santos — to jam out ideas. Drawing on fragments of various American and classic traditions, from The Grateful Dead to Marcel Proust, the musical result is as refreshing as a summer breeze blowing through the palm trees.

Firstman will be the first to credit the great results to the collective. Cordovas are made up of co-conspirator guitarist Lucca Soria, plus a revolving cast of characters who feature in the live band or join in the studio as well as songwriting contributions from singer songwriter Mark Cline Bates to the studio magic of CH McCoy, Kelsey Lepperd, Colton Stephens, Tyler Nuffer. There are all kinds of characters in Cordovas’ orbit, including the namesakes of the album — hotel owners Ace and Rose down in Mexico, who Firstman paid tribute to via an imagined Tarot card of an album name.

Torch bearers of rock and roll’s spirit, joints are still lit and roads are still rambled down, finding contentment in the sunshine, healing in the music and the knowledge that love is all it takes. Cordovas ramble with purpose, seeking salvation from the sordid corners of life, paying homage to the friends back in the day who didn’t make it, and changing brains to make them useful for society. Firstman says. “What happens when you let that stuff in and you become it? What does your brain tell you then? Go feel that, and the standard you set and the call you make to your friends and the thing you said you were gonna do that mattered. How did you feel the next morning? What song did you write?”

Track List

    Fallen Angels of Rock 'n' Roll
    What Is Wrong?
    High Roller
    Sunshine
    Sky, Land & Sea
    Deep River
    Stone Cold Stoned
    Change The Way You Talk
    Last To Know
    Skyline
    Love Is All It Takes
    Somos Iguales (feat. La Marisoul)

TOUR DATES

Fri-Aug-11-23 - Boulder, CO - Fox Theatre  

Sat-Aug-12-23 - Denver, CO - Ophelia's Electric Soapbox

Sun-Aug-13-23 - Fort Collins, CO - Aggie Theatre

Wed-Aug-16-23 - Indianapolis, IN - HI-FI

Thu-Aug-17-23 - Hamilton, OH - RiversEdge at Marcum Park

Fri-Aug-18-23 - Harrisburg, PA - Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center

Sat-Aug-19-23 - New York, NY - Hill Country

Sun-Aug-20-23 - Morristown, NJ - The Homestead

Tue-Aug-22-23 - Port Chester, NY - Garcia's

Wed-Aug-23-23 - Port Chester, NY - Garcia’s

Fri-Aug-25-23 - Evanston, IL - SPACE

Sat-Aug-26-23 - Moline, IL - Mo Live

Sun-Sep-17-23 - Albuquerque, NM - KiMo Theatre

Fri-Oct-13-23 - Roswell, GA - From the Earth

Sat-Oct-14-23 - Macon, GA - Capitol Theatre

Sun-Oct-15-23 - Nashville, TN - Eastside Bowl

Mon, 09/04/2023 - 9:43 am

Irish indie folk-rock singer-songwriter Mick Flannery releases his third single “Young,” a visceral, soulful study of adolescence, free will and finding the energy to pick the important fights. The single follows the delicate “Morning Rain” and free-wheeling 70s inspired “Goodtime Charlie,” the title track from his forthcoming eighth studio album set for release on September 15 on Oh Boy Records, featuring Anaïs Mitchell, Valerie June and others.

Flannery will be on tour in the US this fall, with dates including Americanafest and New York City’s Le Poisson Rouge.

Pre-order Goodtime Charlie HERE

Listen to “Young” HERE

“Young” is a bluesy, soulful and poignant meditation on youth, aggression and free will. It was premiered with Atwood Magazine, who described it as “Visceral, vulnerable, uncompromising, and unapologetic…a breathtaking display of inner tension and striking, resounding affirmation of Flannery’s renowned talents – not to mention his deeply evocative and gristly voice."

“Young” begins with Flannery’s graveled, ominous voice taunting his subject, but it opens up like sun streaming through a stormy sky in the chorus, in echoed meditation. Flannery’s skill lies in examining the human condition from all angles, peering into all walks of life with a poetic take.

Says Flannery about the track, “one of the ideas is that we don’t really have free will. You aren’t the author of your own thoughts. Also, I was taken by an interview of Tupac Shakur’s, which appears on a Kendrick Lamar album- to pick your fights when you’re young, when you have the energy.”

A former Stonemason, Flannery has become a household name in Ireland, renowned for his singular voice and immediate songwriting. Though he left the art of stonemasonry behind, he has built his career brick by brick, beloved for his folk-rock sound and stone-rough vocals. He started his career by winning two international songwriting competitions, writing several No. 1 hits in Ireland after signing with EMI, going platinum for his album White Lies which landed him a Choice Music Prize, and culminated in 2021’s wildly successful album with songwriter Susan O’Neill, In The Game, which landed them the top-selling independent album of 2021, the No. 2 spot on the music charts after Drake, critical acclaim and a fan in Phoebe Bridgers who proclaimed, “I fucking love this album” and invited the duo to open for her in Philadelphia.

Now, Flannery’s career has come full circle in the United States, signing to his hero John Prine’s record label Oh Boy Record.  The label will release Flannery’s forthcoming album Goodtime Charlie, set for release on September 15 via Oh Boy Records. His eighth studio album features songwriting and performance collaborations with luminary artists such as Valerie June, Tianna Esperanza, Anaïs Mitchell, Ana Egge, Justin Stanley, Adam Landry, Andrew House (Christy Skulls) as well as longtime collaborator Tony Buchen. Watch the album EPK here

Pre-order your exclusive Oh Boy vinyl here:

https://ohboy.com/products/pre-order-mick-flannery-goodtime-charlie-ora…

Recorded in Cork with old friend, drummer and producer Christina Best, and featuring long time musical companions Alan Comerford on guitar and Mikey O’Connell on bass, Goodtime Charlie fluently expresses the layered aspects of the human condition, its flaws, triumphs, and uncertainty.

Flannery has built up a reputation over the past decade as one of Ireland's hardest working musicians attracting fans from Phoebe Bridgers and Dermot Kennedy. His live shows are renowned for his self-deprecating humor, audience engagement and the ability to bring people on a journey of both heartbreak and joy, often in the same instance. Touring extensively at home and in more recent years abroad as his songs have been reaching folks farther afield. Ireland's best kept secret appears to be no more.

Track List

    Neon Tonight
    Goodtime Charlie
    OKLA
    Machine
    Someone To Tell It To
    Give Me Up
    Old Friend (Feat: Tianna Esperanza)
    Shalom
    Young
    The Fact (Feat: Valerie June)
    Morning Rain
    Minnesota (Feat: Anaïs Mitchell)
    What They Say
    Push The Cart

Tour Dates

Sep 21 Americanafest - Nashville TN

Sep 22 Zanzabar - Louisville KY

Sep 23 The Ark - Ann Arbor MI

Sep 24 Horseshoe Tavern - Toronto ON

Sep 26 Le Poisson Rouge - New York NY

Sep 27 Crystal Ballroom - Somerville MA

Sep 28 Word Barn - Exeter NH

Sep 29 Parlour Room - Northampton MA

Sep 30 The Falcon - Marlboro NY

Oct 1 NPR Mountain Stage - Blacksburg VA

Tue, 09/05/2023 - 8:54 am

S.G. Goodman continues to soar to new heights this year with sold out headline shows and tours with Jason Isbell, Margo Price and Tyler Childers, plus Fall US Headline tour dates, major debuts at the Ryman and Opry, and a nomination at 2023 Americana Awards for Best Emerging Artist.

This all follows on the success of her critically acclaimed sophomore album Teeth Marks, released last summer. Check out a recent episode of PBS Storytellers featuring S.G. Goodman in her hometown of Murray, KY. Watch S.G. Goodman’s NPR Tiny Desk Concert. Watch her music videos for "If You Were Someone I Loved" + "All My Love Is Coming Back To Me" + "Space And Time"

S.G. Goodman has had a busy year, having toured extensively on her own, selling out shows around the United States, as well as opening performances for Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit and Tyler Childers. More dates to come this fall, including a run with Margo Price (Sept 11-17), Red Rocks with Tyler Childers (Sept 27-28), the Ryman with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (Oct 15), and a headline tour starting in October. Full dates can be found below and at sggoodman.net

Tyler Childers recently announced the track list for his highly anticipated new album Rustin In the Rain: the last track is a cover of Goodman’s aching, heartbreaking song “Space And Time.” Goodman sings backing vocals alongside Margo Price and Erin Rae on that song and Luke 2:8-10.  Further information here. | Watch Tyler Childers cover “Space And Time” for Healing Appalachia.

At Americanafest, Goodman will perform at the Americana Awards Show on September 20, 2023. She’ll also participate on two panels: The first discusses the history, legacy and current state of Kentucky’s music scene alongside Kentucky’s poet laureate Silas House, Kelsey Waldon and Nat Myers. The second is the Recording Academy’s official panel celebrating 100 years of Hank Williams. She’ll also perform at the Country Music Hall of Fame Theater for a Hank Williams tribute. Further information here and below.

OPRY DEBUT – SEPTEMBER 5

Tonight, S.G. is performing as part of Tyler Childers and Friends, which also features performances from Margo Price, Travelin McCourys, and Erin Rae. This is Goodman’s Opry Debut. The Opry performance will stream live on Willie's Roadhouse and Outlaw on Sirius XM. Further information here.

AMERICANAFEST

S.G. Goodman is an official Americana Awards nominee this year in the category of Best Emerging Artist alongside Adeem the Artist, Sunny War, Thee Sacred Souls, and William Prince.. This is Goodman’s first Americana nomination and will mark her debut performance on the stage of The Ryman Auditorium. She will be back opening for Jason Isbell + the 400 Unit on October 15.

Kentucky Panel - Sept 20

Three of Kentucky's finest contemporary musicians--S.G. Goodman, Kelsey Waldon and Nat Myers, along with the state's poet laureate and bestselling novelist Silas House, join forces to discuss the history, legacy, and current state of Kentucky's music and the way it has helped to shape American music since the beginning. September 20 at XX.

Recording Academy Hank Williams at 100  – Sept 21

This panel will explore the continued influence of Hank Williams, particularly among the artists driving a sparkling revival of traditional country and folk music. It will be moderated by Grammy Executive Vice President Sean Smith, a former Obama administration official and editor of Saddle Mountain Post, and features panelists Lynne Sheridan, S.G. Goodman, Donald Cusic, and William Prince.

FALL US HEADLINE TOUR DATES

9/9 Chattanooga,TN       Moon River

9/10 Lexington, KY      Burl Fest

9/11 St Louis, MO      Delmar Hall w/ Margo Price

9/14 Tulsa, OK      Cain’s Ballroom w/ Margo Price

9/15 Bloomington, IL      The Castle w/ Margo Price

9/16 Madison, WI      Live on King w/ Margo Price

9/17 Bayfield, WI      Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua w/ Margo Price

9/18 Des Moines, IA      Wooly’s w/ Margo Price

9/20 Nashville, TN      Americanafest Panel w/ Silas, AMA Performance at the Ryman

9/21 Nashville, TN      Hank Williams Panel, Hank 100 performance at CMHOF

9/23 St. Augustine, FL      Sing Out Loud

9/27 Morrison, CO      Red Rocks Amphitheatre w/ Tyler Childers

9/28 Morrison, CO      Red Rocks Amphitheatre w/ Tyler Childers

9/29 Boulder, CO      eTown

10/14 Asheville, NC      Burial Brewing Burnpile Fest

10/15 Nashville, TN      Ryman Auditorium w/ Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

10/21 Atlanta, GA      Futurebirds Festival

10/23 Charleston, SC      Pour House w/ She Returns from War

10/24 Charlotte, NC      Neighborhood Theatre w/ She Returns from War

10/26 Charlottesville, VA      Southern w/ She Returns from War

10/27 Washington, DC      Union Stage w/ Why Bonnie?

10/28 Baltimore, MD      Metro Gallery w/ Why Bonnie?

10/29 York, PA      Kable House w/ Why Bonnie?

10/30 Philadelphia, PA      Underground Arts w/ Why Bonnie?

11/2   Brooklyn, NY      Music Hall of Williamsburg w/ Why Bonnie?

11/3   Boston, MA      Sinclair w/ Why Bonnie?

11/6  Toronto, Canada      Drake w/ Why Bonnie?

11/7  Pittsburgh, PA      Thunderbird Music Hall w/ Why Bonnie?

11/9  Chicago, IL      Lincoln Hall w/ Why Bonnie?

11/10 Nelsonville, OH      Stuarts Opera House w/ Why Bonnie?

11/11 Cleveland, OH      Beachland Tavern w/ Why Bonnie?

11/13 Ferndale, MI      Magic Bag w/ Why Bonnie?

11/14 Bloomington, IN      Bishop Bar w/ Why Bonnie?

11/15 Indianapolis, IN      Hi-Fi w/ Why Bonnie?

11/17 Louisville, KY      Headliners w/ Why Bonnie?

Sat, 09/16/2023 - 2:55 pm

Today, British breakout band The Wandering Hearts, who have already created much acclaim due to their transatlantic blend of classic pop and folk, return with their latest double single featuring two tracks, “About America” and “Not Misunderstood.” The release was accompanied by a captivating music video for “About America,” featuring the trio of The Wandering Hearts, Tara Wilcox, A.J. Dean , Francesca “Chess” Whiffin, watch HERE. Listen HERE

The new singles feature their signature harmony-laden melodies, and subtle acoustic guitar, blending Laurel Canyon and British folk sensibilities, narrating a timeless tale of loss, an ode to their adopted sonic home that is the United States, as well as a journey of conquering the metaphorical storms of changing seasons. Following their UK chart success, the band quickly found fans in the U.S, including co-signs from country legends such as Marty Stuart, debuts at The Ryman and Grand Ole Opry and press support from media from Paste to Atwood.

On “About America,” the band stated, “We wrote this song with our friend Emily Phillips after talking about a real-life tragedy, one of loss and birth and life. We took on the perspective of writing the story as outsiders and put it all together into a multi-generational folk tale of love, loss, grief and ultimately the comfort and kindness we need from those that love us, to navigate those trials.About America represents the songs we sometimes have to sing to ourselves as well as with others to get us through the hard times.”

“When the dust settles and all is revealed, the extent of the destruction is spectacular,” said The Wandering Hearts on “Not Misunderstood,” “The hurricane has raged behind closed doors. Nothing can stay hidden forever. Every lie comes to the surface eventually. It all catches up. You know that it's coming like watching a storm approach from the distance. Before you know it, it is right on top of you, crying and shouting down and demanding you answer. We wanted to recreate the looming threat of this storm in the music of ‘Not Misunderstood.’”

The British band are rare in their ability to enrapture audiences with enchanting harmonies and heartfelt songwriting, and often draw comparison to harmonic legends Simon & Garfunkel, Fleetwood Mac, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Their albums, "Wild Silence" (2018)  and “The Wandering Hearts” (2021) have received critical acclaim in the UK and charted #1 on the UK Americana Charts, as well as amassing over 16 millions streams in the UK & USA.

The Wandering Hearts are continuing their tour across continents, traveling through America, UK and Ireland. In September, the band will be part of the official Americana Fest showcase in Nashville, TN, with a UK acoustic set in the legendary Printer’s Alley included.

Tour Dates

Sep 12, 2023 - Annapolis, MD - Rams Head On Stage

Sep 14, 2023 - Austin, TX - Antone’s

Sep 15, 2023 - Minneapolis, MN - Pryes Brewing (w/ Diana DeMuth)

Sep 16, 2023 - Deadwood, SD - Deadwood Jam @ Outlaw Square

Sep 19, 2023 - Atlanta, GA - Smith’s Olde Bar

Sep 20, 2023 - Nashville, TN - Americana Fest UK Acoustic Set @ Alley Taps

Sep 20, 2023 - Nashville, TN - Official Americana Fest Showcase @ Analog Hotel

Sep 22, 2023 - Redondo Beach, CA - BeachLife Ranch 2023

Oct 2, 2023 - Pioneertown, CA - Pappy & Harriet’s

Oct 3, 2023 - San Diego, CA - Casbah

Oct 4, 2023 - Venice, CA - The Venice West

Oct 6, 2023 - San Jose, CA - The Ritz

Dec 15, 2023 - Gateshead, UK - Christmas Special Headline Show at Sage Gateshead

Mar 26, 2024 - Edinburgh, UK - The Queen’s Hall

Mar 27, 2024 - Belfast, UK - The Deer’s Head

Mar 28, 2024 - Dublin, Ireland - The Workmans Cellar

Mar 31, 2024 - Birmingham, UK - The Mill

Apr 2, 2024 - Manchester, UK - Gorilla

Apr 3, 2024 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club

Apr 4, 2024 - Nottingham, UK - Rescue Rooms

April 5, 2024 - Sheffield, UK - Leadmill

Apr 7, 2024 - Bristol, UK - The Fleece

Apr 8, 2024 - Brighton, UK - Komedia

Apr 9, 2024 - Oxford, UK - O2 Academy Oxford

Apr 11, 2024 - Norwich, UK - Norwich Arts Centre

Apr 12, 2024 - London, UK - Electric Brixton

Apr 13, 2024 - Cardiff, UK - Tramshed

Apr 18, 2024 - Miramar Beach, FL - Seascape Golf, Beach and Tennis Resort

Sat, 09/16/2023 - 5:05 pm

Marcus King today announced an online auction which will raise funds for MusiCares and The Onsite Foundation, and awareness for National Suicide Prevention Week, which begins today. The auction hosted through CharityBuzz will see one winner receive a signed Gibson ES-335 guitar, plus a personal guitar lesson with King himself. The auction begins immediately, and closes September 25 at 5pm ET. For information on how to bid and more, please visit: www.charitybuzz.com/marcusking

King has been open about his personal challenges with mental health, which was the subject of his recent album Young Blood that he discussed extensively with publications including The New York Times and NPR’s Here And Now.

On the auction, and importance of mental health, King stated, “I have struggled with Depression and anxiety my entire life, As do many others in the arts community and otherwise. Mental health often goes overlooked as it resides below the surface and shows itself when we are most vulnerable. My efforts go toward removing the stigma attached to Mental health and speaking about it openly, while also making appropriate treatment more widely available to those who truly need it.”

Theresa Wolters, Vice President of Health & Human Services at MusiCares stated, "In the United States, one person dies by suicide every 11 minutes. (CDC, 2022) Our MusiCares 2023 Wellness in Music Survey found that affordability and lack of insurance are barriers for many working in music when it comes to prioritizing therapy and other mental health resources. We’re proud to support suicide prevention efforts for music professionals by providing emergency financial assistance to access mental health services, weekly support groups and ongoing education. To access support from MusiCares, please email [email protected] or please call 988 if you or a loved one need urgent help."

John Huie, The Onsite Foundation Board Member, which provides mental health counseling services for parents who’ve lost a child, stated, “Suicide is a hard reality we face every day. It’s a tragedy to lose a child and then society often forgets, as time passes, the trauma and intense grief of the family left behind. Our mission at The Onsite Foundation, through the Life after Loss Program, is to help parents who have lost a child navigate the pain and grief so they can carry on and honor the one who has passed.”

King continues to shape the fabric of American rock, following a breakout album release, he has toured the world, and this fall performs at Healing Appalachia, Crossroads festival, as well as opening for Zac Brown Band. Time and again, King continues to tear up the rulebook, with a timeless sound and a singular voice which has established him as one of the most soulful vocalists of his generation.

Sat, 10/14/2023 - 3:24 pm

The Band Of Heathens today announced the release of Simpler Things, a stripped back acoustic LP, exploring an even simpler version of their critically acclaimed album Simple Things. Single “Heartless Year (Acoustic)” dropped today, premiered with The Tennessean, who stated, “The version features emotive harmonies with plucky instrumentals and a sincere Americana sound; fans can hear the earnestness in Quist and Jurdi's voices.” Keeping it simple has been the band’s motto for years, but it is now really starting to pay off.

Listen to “Heartless Year (Acoustic)” HERE

On the new version of the song, the band stated: “We’ve weathered many ups and downs as an independent band, but the will to persevere through the darkest of times in music, and in life, echoes even stronger in the bare bones arrangement of ‘Heartless Year.’ It only makes sense that the songs from the Simple Things album should work stripped down in this even Simpler Things acoustic format.”

The Band Of Heathens recently celebrated a unique achievement, becoming one of the few unsigned bands with a gold status for their recording of “Hurricane.'' Written by Thom Schuyler, Keith Stegall, and Stewart Harris, "Hurricane" was originally recorded by Levon Helm for his 1980 album American Son, and then again by Leon Everette; but it was not until The Band Of Heathens recorded the song did it become a runaway streaming success, a song that helped the band amass over 400 million streams, over 40 years after the song was written. Whatsmore, Simple Things received high praise from tastemakers NPR Music, POPMATTERS, AMERICAN SONGWRITER, and GLIDE. They made their national TV debut on CBS This Morning’s Saturday sessions, and performed at Grand Ole Opry, and the Bridgestone Arena.

Reflecting on the achievement, the band stated, “Our goal has always been to have the freedom to make the music we want to make without having to answer to anybody. To have a recording reach Gold status without the muscle of a label or outside funding is something we never dreamed of and is a testament to the power of the song. We’re honored that our arrangement of it is resonating like this.”

One of the writers of “Hurricane,” Keith Stegall, stated: “It’s amazing how songs can have several lives. Levon (Helm), Leon (Everett) and now The Band of Heathens. Thank you Band of Heathens for giving Hurricane life again!!”

From day one, The Band of Heathens have remained proudly, fiercely independent—turning down label offers, maintaining complete ownership of their catalog, building their audience one show at a time. From their humble roots as a rag tag local bar band - where they first formed in the early 2000s when Quist and Jurdi were among four songwriters playing regular weekly sets at the late, lamented club Momo's - to award winning, streaming giant status, The Band Of Heathens are true to their name as outliers to the traditional music industry model of success.

Tour Dates

Sat, OCT 14 - Todd, Hayes & The Heathens, Fredericksburg, TX^^

Fri, OCT 27 - Tumbleroot Brewery and Distillery, Santa Fe, NM*

Sat, OCT 28 - Hotel Congress, Tucson, AZ*

Sun, OCT 29 - Pappy & Harriet’s, Pioneertown, CA*

Mon, OCT 30 - Belly Up, Solana Beach, CA*

Wed, NOV 1 - Knitting Factory - North Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA*

Thu, NOV 2 - The Siren, Morro Bay, CA^

Fri, NOV 3 - Moe's Alley, Santa Cruz, CA^

Sat, NOV 4 - Hopmonk Tavern, Sebastopol, CA^

Sun, NOV 5 - Humboldt Brews, Arcata, CA^

Mon, NOV 6 - Polaris Hall, Portland, OR#

Wed, NOV 8 - Tractor Tavern, Seattle, WA#

Thu, NOV 9 - Treefort Music Hall, Boise, ID#

Fri, NOV 10 - The State Room, Salt Lake City, UT#

Sat, NOV 11 - Orpheum Theater, Flagstaff, Flagstaff, AZ#

Thu, NOV 16 - The Heights Theater, Houston, TX&

Fri, NOV 17 - Longhorn Ballroom, Dallas, TX&%

Sat, NOV 18 - Paramount Theatre, Austin, TX**

Jan. 6 - 11, 2024 - The Musicfest Steamboat 2024, Steamboat Springs, CO

Jan. 13-20, 2024 - Sandy Beaches Cruise, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Jan. 23 - 27, 2024 - Mile 0 Fest 2024, Key West, FL

^^ with Todd Snider and Hayes Carll

* with The Watson Twins

^ with Taylor Rae

# with Alex Jordan

& with B.R. Lively

% co-headline with Josh Weathers

** with Greyhounds

Thu, 10/26/2023 - 2:01 pm

Today, British breakout band The Wandering Hearts, who have gained fans across the US for their transatlantic blend of classic pop and folk, released their newest single, “Still Waters.” The music video was premiered by Bluegrass Situation, watch the music video HERE and read the feature HERE.

“Still Waters” is the third single from the band in 2023, who previously released “About America” and “Not Misunderstood.” The band is gearing up for more music next year.

In “Still Waters,” a soft vocal line ripples over a steady beat, while piano bookends the vulnerable refrain. Tranquil and emotionally turbulent all at once, “Still Waters” carries The Wandering Hearts’ signature folk sensibilities with silky instrumentations.

On “Still Waters,” Chess Whiffin (vocals, mandolin) of The Wandering Hearts stated, “It has a serene feeling of water flowing. You’re living in a world where there’s so much destruction. COVID highlighted the isolation of social media and life at the time. You’re trying to stay afloat, keep your head above water, and breathe. It was born out of the feeling of attempting to navigate difficult times, have the conversations we need to have, and get rid of what we don’t need in our lives.”

The Wandering Hearts teased their next chapter with the release of double singles “Not Misunderstood” and “About America.” On the latter track, bright acoustic guitar and tambourine offset the heavy weight of an intense story: an ode to their adopted sonic home that is the United States, as well as a journey of conquering the metaphorical storms of changing seasons, narrating a timeless tale of loss.

For the latest singles, as well as what’s to come, The Wandering Hearts peeled back the previously subtle pop layer, sanded it down, and stripped the sound to its bare essentials—captivating lyrics, organic instrumentation, and, as always, starkly powerful harmonies. In doing so, they realized their vision at its purest and most powerful. They also found a like minded partner and the perfect home for this body of work in Chrysalis renowned for pioneering British folk rock stars in the 1970s and relaunched itself as a front line label in 2020 working with artists from Laura Marling to Liz Phair.

The band has carefully taken one step at a time to get here. Initially a four-piece, they found their footing and cemented their sound with the core of Tara, Chess, and A.J. on a series of fan favorite albums.  Thus far, they’ve notched back-to-back #1 debuts on the UK Americana Albums Chart with Wild Silence [2018] and The Wandering Hearts [2021]. The latter marked a big turning point for the band, finding an incredible chemistry in the studio. Plus, they have garnered two nominations for “UK Album of the Year” at the UK Americana Awards. Beyond amassing tens of millions of cumulative streams, they enraptured audiences on both sides of the pond with a spellbinding live show. Word spread quickly to the U.S, making its way to the one and only Marty Stuart who invited The Wandering Hearts to play with him at The Ryman, Grand Ole Opry and Graceland.

The Wandering Hearts recently wrapped their latest tour across continents, traveling through America, UK and Ireland, with highlights including various showcases at Americanafest 2023.

Tour Dates

Dec 15, 2023 - Gateshead, UK - Christmas Special Headline Show at Sage Gateshead

Mar 26, 2024 - Edinburgh, UK - The Queen’s Hall

Mar 27, 2024 - Belfast, UK - The Deer’s Head

Mar 28, 2024 - Dublin, Ireland - The Workmans Cellar

Mar 31, 2024 - Birmingham, UK - The Mill

Apr 2, 2024 - Manchester, UK - Gorilla

Apr 3, 2024 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club

Apr 4, 2024 - Nottingham, UK - Rescue Rooms

April 5, 2024 - Sheffield, UK - Leadmill

Apr 7, 2024 - Bristol, UK - The Fleece

Apr 8, 2024 - Brighton, UK - Komedia

Apr 9, 2024 - Oxford, UK - O2 Academy Oxford

Apr 11, 2024 - Norwich, UK - Norwich Arts Centre

Apr 12, 2024 - London, UK - Electric Brixton

Apr 13, 2024 - Cardiff, UK - Tramshed

Apr 18, 2024 - Miramar Beach, FL - Seascape Golf, Beach and Tennis Resort

Mon, 10/30/2023 - 7:59 am

Robert Finley releases his anticipated fourth studio album Black Bayou, an 11-track tour de force that coalesces gospel, blues, soul, and rock into a raw, thundering tribute to Finley’s home state of Louisiana. Telling tales of the bayou from childhood to now, the 69-year old Finley takes listeners on a journey that showcases his growly vocals, sultry falsetto and cements him as a living legend.

Watch Finley’s new music video for “Waste Of Time,” filmed at Easy Eye Studios and featuring appearances from The Black Keys’ Patrick Carney and Dan Auerbach. The video is a snapshot of the creation of the album, set to the gristly, crunchy, swaggering blues number from Black Bayou.

Listen to Black Bayou HERE

Black Bayou has already been heaped with praise from SPIN, The FADER, American Songwriter, UNCUT, Paste, MOJO, Brooklyn Vegan and a slew of other outlets, including The Bluegrass Situation who have hailed Finley as their Artist of the Month for November. Finley recently performed the new album on CBS Saturday Morning, giving a rousing performance of his singles “What Goes Around (Comes Around)” , “Sneakin’ Around”, and “Nobody Wants To Be Lonely.”

Finley recorded Black Bayou at Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound Studio in Nashville. It’s the fourth time the duo have worked together, although for this record they did things a little differently. Rather than write songs beforehand—as they did on 2017’s Goin’ Platinum and 2021’s Sharecropper’s Son—they conceived everything in the studio, with Auerbach leading a band of some of the finest players around: drummers Patrick Carney (The Black Keys) and Jeffrey Clemens (G. Love & Special Sauce), bassist Eric Deaton, and legendary Hill Country blues guitarist Kenny Brown along with vocalists Christy Johnson and LaQuindrelyn McMahon—who just happen to be Finley’s daughter and granddaughter. They worked quickly, devising their parts spontaneously and getting everything in one take.

Black Bayou is a portrait of North Louisiana from an insider who’s lived there all his life. It coalesces all of the vibrant genres bubbling in the bayou from southern soul, jazz, folk, blues, rock and roll and more. A vivid collection of songs that depict life in North Louisiana, with Finley playing the role of charismatic and knowledgeable tour guide. Tales include surviving the jaws of an alligator on “Alligator Bait,” a true story of his grandfather using him as bait to catch an alligator when he was a child. Songs like “Miss Kitty,” a tale of lust and love are an instant induction into the canon of the blues tradition. In all, a collection set to establish Finley as perhaps one of the last true bluesmen of our time and a truly original Louisiana storyteller who evokes the place and its unique culture for the rest of the world.

“It’s amazing to realize how much of an impact Louisiana has had on the world’s music,” says Dan Auerbach, “and Robert embodies all of that. He can play a blues song. He can play early rock and roll. He can play gospel. He can do anything, and a lot of that has to do with where he’s from.”

If Finley’s previous albums established him as a formidable blues and soul artist - overcoming losing his sight in his 60s to become a music star - Black Bayou, Finley hopes, will help put North Louisiana on the musical map and launch the next generation of stars. Finley still plays small clubs around the region—even the occasional nursing home. Rather than move to where the music industry is, Finley is bringing the industry down to Bernice and working to boost regional acts and has plans for a new local recording studio in the works. “We got a lot of good talent down here in North Louisiana, but nobody’s really done much with it.” Finley stated, adding, “A lot of people just haven’t had the opportunity to record—or even just be heard. It worked for me, so I might as well try to help someone else get discovered, too.”

Robert Finley will begin his tour in support of Black Bayou in Europe at the top of November. Full list of dates below.

Tracklist

01. Livin' Out A Suitcase

02. Sneakin' Around

03. Miss Kitty

04. Waste Of Time

05. Can't Blame Me For Trying

06. Gospel Blues

07. Nobody Wants To Be Lonely

08. What Goes Around (Comes Around)

09. Lucky Day

10. You Got It (And I Need It)

11. Alligator Bait

Tour dates:

Friday, 3 November 2023 - Kaiserslautern, Germany - Kammgarn with Kai Strauss

Saturday, 4 November 2023 - Groningen, NL - Take Root Festival

Sunday, 5 November 2023 - Brussels, BE - Rotonde @ Botanique

Wednesday, 8 November 2023 - London, UK - Jazz Café

Thursday, 9 November 2023 - Manchester, UK - Blues Kitchen

Friday, 10 November 2023 - Pandrup, DK - Blues Heaven Festival

Tuesday, 14 November 2023 - Toulouse, FR - Salle Nougaro

Wednesday, 15 November 2023 - Saint-Nazaire, FR - VIP

Thursday, 16 November 2023 - Amiens, FR - La Lune des Pirates

Saturday, 18 November 2023 - Šumperk, CZ - Blues Alive Festival

Monday, 20 November 2023 - Tourcoing, FR - Le Grand Mix

Tuesday, 21 November 2023 - Paris, FR - Maroquinerie

Thursday, 23 November 2023 - La Roche-Sur-Yon, FR - Quai M

Friday, 24 November 2023 - La Rochelle, FR - La Sirène

Saturday, 25 November 2023 - Castres, FR - Lo Boegason

Sunday, 26 November 2023 - Saint-Etienne, FR - Le Fil

Thu, 11/09/2023 - 9:57 am

Julien’s Auctions announced Music Health Alliance’s “Lyrics for a Cause” benefit auction in collaboration with Julien’s 20th anniversary week-long  celebration in Music City. The online auction opens today — Monday, October 23, and will be held live  — for the first time — on Tuesday, November 14, at 6:00pm CST at Hard Rock® Cafe Nashville and  online at Julien’s Live Auctions. Proceeds will benefit Music Health Alliance, a nonprofit organization that provides free healthcare advocacy and support, and access to critical life-saving health and financial resources for the music industry.

In its fourth consecutive year, Julien’s Auctions has partnered with Music Health Alliance in offering a rare collection of handwritten lyrics from some of the most legendary singers and songwriters from the  20th and 21st centuries. Spanning in genres from country, pop, rock, gospel/CCM, americana, and  alternative rock, they generously offered to handwrite and sign the lyrics of some of their greatest hits  and music’s most enduring classics to aid and support underserved members of the music community in  times of need.

In celebration of its 20th anniversary as the industry leading music memorabilia auction house and its  collaboration with Music Health Alliance, Julien’s will present the auction live for the first time in  Nashville and display the lyrics — written on mediums from paper to guitars — at Hard Rock® Cafe  Nashville from November 6-14. Exclusive highlights include lyrics inscribed and signed by artists on  guitars donated by Gibson–the iconic American-made instrument brand’s charitable arm Gibson Gives,  whose mission is to support nonprofit organizations that advance musicians, youth-focused education,  music, and wellness initiatives.

Highlighted handwritten song lyrics signed by the songwriter  and/or recording artist (estimated value of $600-$2,000 unless  otherwise indicated) include:

• Brenda Lee, “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” on  Brenda Lee’s two silver-tone California Magdesians short wedge shoes featuring the award-winning vocalist’s handwritten scribe that reads, “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” and on the right shoe “Love, Brenda Lee”
• Brothers Osborne, “Younger Me”
• David Foster handwritten bars and lyrics, signed, “The Prayer” (recorded by Celine Dion/Andrea Bocelli)
• Tina Parol, signed “The Gift” (recorded by Celine Dion) with CD  of the soundtrack of the film, “Love Again”, which features the  song and includes a handwritten inscription that reads “Love is The  Gift!”
• Chris Stapleton signed, “Tennessee Whiskey” handwritten by Dean  Dillon
• Cole Swindell, “She Had Me at Head’s Carolina” (co-written with Thomas Rhett) and handwritten lyrics on a Lone Star cowboy hat signed by Cole Swindell and Ashley Gorley and branded with initials AG received at the ACM’s After Party after winning Song Of The Year
• Toby Mac/Mark Heimermann, “Jesus Freak” (recorded by DC Talk, handwritten and signed by Toby Mac)
• Eric Church handwritten and signed, “Springsteen”
• Garth Brooks, “If Tomorrow Never Comes,” handwritten by co-writer Kent Blazy in graphite and color pencils. Other song lyrics offered by the #1 selling solo artist in US music history, selling more than $157M in album sales and the first-ever, seven-time recipient of CMA’s Entertainer of the Year award include “The Dance”, (photo below) handwritten and signed by co-writer Tony Arata, and “Unanswered Prayers”, handwritten by co-writer Pat Alger accompanied by an original black-and-white photo of Brooks and his fellow creators commemorating the song and record at ASCAP’s #1 party, dated February 1991. All three sets  of lyrics will be personally signed by Brooks to the winning bidders
• GAYLE signed “abdcefu”, co-written with Sara Davis/David Pittenger and handwritten and  signed by Sara Davis
• Jim Rushing handwritten, “Nothing Sure Looked Good on You” (recorded and signed by Gene Watson)
• Dickey Lee, “She Thinks I Still Care” (recorded by George Jones)
• George Strait, “I Can Still Make Cheyenne” (co-written with and signed by Strait and Erv Woolsey)
• George Strait, “Troubadour” (co-written and signed by Monty Holmes and Leslie Satcher)
• Hardy/Lainey Wilson, “Wait in the Truck”, (handwritten on a Gibson G45 acoustic guitar in natural finish, signed by Hardy, Wilson, and co-writer Hunter Phelps; guitar donated by Gibson’s charitable arm, Gibson Gives)
• Hozier, “Take Me to Church”, (signed on a signature Hozier branded canvas tote bag depicting a black paint-printed illustration of a single flower standing in a pot with the message, “to share the space with simple living things”)
• Jason Aldean signed “She’s Country” (cowritten with Danny Myrick/Bridgette Tatum and signed by Danny Myrick)
• Jelly Roll, “Son of a Sinner” (handwritten and signed on an Epiphone Songmaker DR 100 acoustic guitar in Vintage Sunburst finish; donated by Gibson’s charitable arm, Gibson Gives) (photo below)
•  Joe Bonamassa, "Dust Bowl" (handwritten lyrics along with signed Gibson Les Paul Custom electric guitar in Black Gloss finish housed in an original Gibson hard-shell case; donated by Gibson’s charitable arm, Gibson Gives) (photo below)
• John Michael Montgomery, “I Can Love You Like That”, (handwritten by Jennifer Kimball/band and signed by co-writers Maribeth Derry/Steve Diamond/Jennifer Kimball)
• Jon Pardi, “Heartache on the Dance Floor”, (handwritten by Brice Long)
• Keith Urban, “Blue Ain’t Your Color” (on a Gibson Les Paul Custom electric guitar in Black Gloss finish, housed in an original Gibson hard-shell case; donated by Gibson’s charitable arm, Gibson Gives)
• Kelsea Ballerini, “Half of my Hometown” (recorded with Kenny Chesney and co-written with Ross Copperman/Nicolle Galyon/Shane McAnally/Jimmy Robbins; lyrics handwritten by Kelsea Ballerini and signed  by Kenny Chesney on an Epiphone Hummingbird Studio acoustic guitar in faded Cherry Gloss finish; donated by Gibson’s charitable arm, Gibson Gives)
• Lainey Wilson, handwritten and signed “Heart Like a Truck"
• Luke Bryan signed “Play It Again” (handwritten by award winning songwriter Ashley Gorley and Dallas Davidson)
• Mandisa handwritten and signed “Stronger”
• Maren Morris signed, “I Could Use a Love Song” (co-written with Jimmy  Robbins/Laura Veltz and handwritten by Laura Veltz)
• Mark Chesnutt, “Blame It On Texas” (written by Mark Wright/Ronnie Rogers and signed by  Mark Chesnutt/Mark Wright)
• Mark Chesnutt, “Your Love is a Miracle” (co-written by Bill Kenner/Mark Wright)
• Martina McBride, “Blessed” (handwritten by Troy Verges/Hillary Lindsey)
• Melissa Etheridge, “I’m the Only One” (handwritten and signed on an Epiphone Hummingbird Guitar in a faded Cherry Gloss finish)
• Melissa Etheridge with the guitar in center with Music Health Alliance’s Suzanne Berg (L), and Laura Crowell (R)
• Otis Redding, “Sittin’ on The Dock of the Bay” (handwritten by co-writer Steve Cropper and accompanied with Cropper’s hand-painted watercolor illustration of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge as visual elements highlighting the Bay Area) (photo below)
• Burton Collins/Karen Taylor-Good, “How Can I Help You Say Goodbye” (recorded by Patty Loveless and signed by Loveless/Collins/Taylor-Good)
• Rick Springfield, “Jessie’s Girl” (on a Fender Squier SA-105 acoustic guitar)
• Roger Cook, “l’d Like to Teach the World to Sing” (co-written with Roger Greenaway/Bill Backer)
• Russell Dickerson, “Yours” (on a Gibson 1960s Style J-45 acoustic guitar, housed in an original Gibson hard-shell case with an included Gibson accessory kit)
• Sara Evans, “Born to Fly” (on an Epiphone Hummingbird Studio acoustic guitar in faded Cherry Gloss finish)
• The Band Perry, “If I Die Young” (2010) and “If I Die Young Pt. 2” (2023) (handwritten and signed by Kimberly Perry)
• Two of The Eagles’ great original recorded hits written by legends JD Souther, Glenn Frey, and Don Henley, “Best of My Love” (handwritten/signed by JD Souther) and #1 hit, “New Kid in Town” (handwritten/signed by JD Souther)
• The Love Junkies, “Girl Crush” (on a Gibson J-45 Standard acoustic guitar, housed in an original Gibson hard-shell case)
• Wood Newton/Dan Tyler/Adele Tyler, “Bobbie Sue” (recorded by The Oak Ridge Boys and  handwritten/signed by Wood Newton with the band’s signatures, Duane Allen/Richard  Sterban/Joe Bonsall/William Lee Golden)
• Thomas Rhett, “Die A Happy Man”
• Tim McGraw, “Humble and Kind” (handwritten/signed by co-writer Lori McKenna)

“Julien’s Auctions is honored and privileged to partner again with Music Health Alliance on our annual benefit relief initiative”, said Martin

Music Health Alliance’s mission is to #HealTheMusic by providing safe and confidential guidance to  gain access to healthcare — including mental health — through programs and services that protect,  direct, and connect the music community with medical and financial solutions. In its first 10 years,  MHA has provided free healthcare advocacy and support to more than 20,000 clients, saving more than $107M in healthcare costs for the music community nationwide. If you would like to help support our  mission, learn five ways you can help at HealTheMusic.com.

JULIEN’S AUCTIONS PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS
Hard Rock® Cafe Nashville, 100 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37201
November 6–14 / Open Daily from 11:00am to 12:00am CST
Free to the Public

JULIEN’S AUCTIONS LIVE AUCTION LOCATION
Hard Rock® Cafe Nashville
100 Broadway
Nashville, TN 37201

LIVE AND ONLINE AUCTION (INVITE ONLY)
Music Health Alliance’s “Lyrics for a Cause”
Tuesday, November 14 / 6:00pm CST

REGISTERING TO BID
Registration is required to bid in this online auction and can be done in person at the exhibition, or  online before the sale at the JuliensAuctions.com. Visit the registration page to bid by phone, proxy, or  in person, or bid online at JuliensLive.com or by calling 310-836-1818. For inquiries, please email  [email protected] or call 310-836-1818.

PLACING BIDS
There are four ways to bid in this sale:
1. Bid via Julien's Auctions Online Live in real time at JuliensLive.com.
2. Bid via phone through an auction house representative at 310-836-1818.
3. Submit a bid in person at the Julien’s Auctions at Hard Rock Cafe® Nashville. 4. Enter Absentee bids. Absentee bid forms are included in the back of each catalog, and are also  available by calling Julien's Auctions or visiting JuliensAuctions.com. Nolan, Executive Director and Co Founder of Julien’s Auction. “For 20 years, Julien’s has included philanthropy in our auctions to give back to the music community that has touched our lives through their artistry and gifts. We look forward to presenting this auction for the first time in Nashville where the public will be offered a chance to own these special and unique lyrics of some of the biggest songs in music history while supporting this critical and important cause.”

Mon, 11/13/2023 - 10:10 am

Following his widely successful breakthrough year, critically acclaimed Vermont singer and songwriter Noah Kahan receives a GRAMMY® Award nomination for Best New Artist.

After months of fans begging for a collaboration and following a surprise performance together in Nashville, today, Kahan finally joins forces with RIAA Diamond-certified Irish singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Hozier for a new version of “Northern Attitude” out now—the latest release in his Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever) collaboration series. Listen to “Northern Attitude” with Hozier HERE!

The fan favorite song soars to new heights, as the two troubadours’ voices blend together and culminate into a stadium-ready anthem as they belt out, “If I get too close and I’m not how you hoped, forgive my northern attitude, oh, I was raised out in the cold. If the sun don’t rise ‘til the summertime, forgive my northern attitude, oh, I was raised on little light.”

Noah says, “If you know me at all, you know this collaboration is something very deeply special and important to me. I used to sit down at the table with my guitar and just try to capture a fraction of the emotion and beauty that Hozier encapsulates in each song he writes. It never quite worked, but each song was better for trying. To have one of my heroes performing this song with me is something I’ll tell my grandkids, or at least my next dog.”

Hozier chimes in, “This song left an instant mark on me when I first heard it, I loved it immediately. I’ve had the great pleasure of getting to know Noah more since we first sang together at Iron Blossom Festival this year, and I’m so glad we could get together on this version of his beautiful song.”

“Northern Attitude” follows a slew of recent star-studded collaborations with Kacey Musgraves on “She Calls Me Back,” Lizzy McAlpine on “Call Your Mom,” and Post Malone on “Dial Drunk.” Not to mention, Noah teamed up with Zach Bryan on his song “Sarah’s Place,” and Olivia Rodrigo covered his Double Platinum-Certified “Stick Season” during her performance in the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge—watch HERE. Kahan has also recently collaborated with a slew of artists on-stage, including Mumford & Sons, Gregory Alan Isakov, Wesley Schultz of The Lumineers, Nathaniel Rateliff of Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, The Milk Carton Kids, Joy Oladokun, and more.

Surrounding the one-year anniversary of Stick Season’s original release, the breakout hit single has seen a massive resurgence on the charts as temperatures drop and “stick season” begins—climbing to the Top 10 overall on the Spotify Top 200 Chart in the US, UK, and Canada and peaking at #1 on the Spotify Top 200 Chart in Ireland. It’s also a greatest gainer on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and Top 10 single on the UK Singles Chart. The beloved album recently re-appeared in the Top 10 on Billboard’s 200 Chart at #9, following a debut at #3 earlier this summer.

Noah has taken the highly successful, sold-out “Stick Season Tour” to Europe and the UK ahead of his highly anticipated 2024 “We’ll All Be Here Forever World Tour,” which has sold nearly one million tickets globally and will see him perform sold-out shows in stadiums, arenas, and amphitheaters around the world, including two nights at Boston’s Fenway Park, New York’s Madison Square Garden, Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, London’s Wembley Arena, and more. See the full list of upcoming tour dates below.

Noah recently garnered two 2023 Billboard Music Award nominations in the “Top Rock Artist” and “Top Rock Album” categories, and The New York Times’ Popcast also dedicated an episode to his “Rootsy Rock Revival”—listen HERE.

Last month on World Mental Health Day, Noah proudly shared that his mental health initiative The Busyhead Project has excitingly surpassed its initial goal of “$1 million for mental health” and generated over $2 million dollars to date—with the purpose of creating a world where mental healthcare is acceptable and accessible for everyone. Read Noah’s statement HERE, read an op-ed he penned for TIME HERE, and watch his honoree toast at the TIME100 Next Gala HERE.

In July, Noah released Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever), an extension of 2022’s Platinum-Certified Stick Season and his most successful offering to date. The deluxe version featured “Dial Drunk,” which peaked at #1 on both the Alternative and AAA Radio Charts in the US and currently sits in the Top 20 at Top 40 Radio and Top 15 at Hot AC Radio. The album debuted at #3 on Billboard 200 Chart, #1 on Top Americana/Folk Albums Chart, #1 on Billboard Top Alternative Albums Chart, #1 on Billboard Top Rock Albums Chart, and more. Impressively, Noah became the 5th artist in history with 18 songs on Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Charts in one week, alongside David Bowie and Taylor Swift.

Stay tuned for more to come from Noah Kahan this fall!

STICK SEASON TOUR 2023 REMAINING DATES:

November 13 Manchester, UK O2 Victoria Warehouse - SOLD OUT *

November 15 Dublin, Ireland The National Stadium - SOLD OUT *

November 16 Glasgow, UK O2 Academy - SOLD OUT *

November 17 Birmingham, UK O2 Academy - SOLD OUT *

November 19 Bristol, UK O2 Academy - SOLD OUT *

November 20 London, UK O2 Forum Kentish Town - SOLD OUT *

November 21 London, UK O2 Forum Kentish Town - SOLD OUT *

WE’LL ALL BE HERE FOREVER TOUR 2024 AUSTRALIA, EUROPE + UK DATES:

January 17 Melbourne, AU Sidney Myer Music Bowl - SOLD OUT

January 18 Melbourne, AU Sidney Myer Music Bowl

January 20 Brisbane, AU Riverstage - SOLD OUT

January 23 Sydney, AU The Hordern Pavilion - SOLD OUT

January 27 Perth, AU Red Hill Auditorium - SOLD OUT

February 08 Dublin, IE                3Arena - SOLD OUT *

February 10  Glasgow, UK           OVO Hydro - SOLD OUT *

February 11 Leeds, UK               First Direct Arena - SOLD OUT *

February 13 Cardiff, UK              Cardiff International Arena - SOLD OUT *

February 14 London, UK             OVO Arena Wembley - SOLD OUT *

February 15  London, UK             OVO Arena Wembley - SOLD OUT *

February 17  Paris, FR                 L’Olympia - SOLD OUT *

February 18 Cologne, DE           Palladium - SOLD OUT *

February 21 Berlin, DE               Columbiahalle - SOLD OUT *

February 23   Copenhagen, DK    K.B. Hallen - SOLD OUT *

February 25 Amsterdam, NL       AFAS Live - SOLD OUT *

February 26 Brussels, BE           Forest National *

WE’LL ALL BE HERE FOREVER TOUR 2024 NORTH AMERICA DATES:

March 26 Vancouver, BC       Rogers Arena - SOLD OUT

March 28 Calgary, AB            Scotiabank Saddledome - SOLD OUT

March 29   Edmonton, AB        Rogers Place - SOLD OUT

March 30  Saskatoon, SK        SaskTel Centre

April 02  Winnipeg, MB         Canada Life Centre

April 06   Toronto, ON            Scotiabank Arena - SOLD OUT

April 07  London, ON            Budweiser Gardens - SOLD OUT

April 09  Ottawa, ON             Canadian Tire Centre - SOLD OUT

April 10 Quebec City, QC    Videotron Centre

April 13   Montreal, QC          Bell Centre - SOLD OUT

April 14   Toronto, ON           Scotiabank Arena - SOLD OUT

April 16   Toronto, ON           Scotiabank Arena

May 20   Asheville, NC         ExploreAsheville.com Arena - SOLD OUT

May 22   Asheville, NC          ExploreAsheville.com Arena - SOLD OUT

May 24  Nashville, TN         Bridgestone Arena

May 25 Nashville, TN          Bridgestone Arena - SOLD OUT

May 28 Cuyahoga Falls, OH   Blossom Music Center - SOLD OUT

May 29  Burgettstown, PA    The Pavilion at Star Lake - SOLD OUT

June 04  St. Louis, MO          Hollywood Casino Amphitheater - SOLD OUT

June 05    Kansas City, MO     Azura Amphitheatre *

June 07    St. Paul, MN           Xcel Energy Center

June 08  St. Paul, MN           Xcel Energy Center

June 11  Dallas, TX               Dos Equis Pavilion

June 13 Houston, TX            The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

June 14    Austin, TX               Moody Center

June 18  Chula Vista, CA      North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre

June 21    Los Angeles, CA     Hollywood Bowl - SOLD OUT

June 25  Denver, CO             Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre - SOLD OUT *

June 26 Denver, CO            Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre - SOLD OUT *

June 29  George, WA            The Gorge - SOLD OUT

July 01  Ridgefield, WA        RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater - SOLD OUT

July 03  Wheatland, CA       Toyota Amphitheatre

July 05     Berkeley, CA           The Greek Theatre - SOLD OUT *

July 06    Berkeley, CA           The Greek Theatre - SOLD OUT *

July 09   Salt Lake City, UT  USANA Amphitheatre - SOLD OUT

July 13    East Troy, WI          Alpine Valley Music Theatre - SOLD OUT

July 15 New York, NY        Madison Square Garden - SOLD OUT

July 16   New York, NY         Madison Square Garden - SOLD OUT

July 18  Boston, MA            Fenway Park - SOLD OUT ^

July 19     Boston, MA             Fenway Park - SOLD OUT ^

* Non-Live Nation Date

^ With Mt. Joy

Mon, 11/20/2023 - 8:34 am

Today, The McCrary Sisters announce the full lineup for A McCrary Kind of Christmas, the 14th annual holiday celebration and concert that benefits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as well as individual families in need in the greater Nashville area. It will be held on Friday, December 8 at 7pm at Riverside Revival in Nashville, TN. Tickets are on sale now HERE and donations can be made HERE. The event will also be live streamed by VEEPS, a streaming service that allows access to concerts around the world with award-winning artists at iconic venues. Live stream tickets can be purchased HERE.

The event will feature performances by The McCrary Sisters, legendary singer-songwriter Emmylou Harris, Margo Price, Buddy Miller, Kyla Jade, Etta & Bob Britt, Tammy & Steve Crawford, Travis Logan Unity Choir, BIZZ, Danny & Mabel Flowers, Gayle Mays, Dwight Ross, Wil, Will Barrow, Dave Pomeroy, and more.

The McCrary Sisters have been dubbed as “Nashville music royalty” by NPR, and hailed by critics for their “roof-raising, pew shaking music” (Associated Press) and for their ability to “seize and hold the spotlight” (New York Times).  For over fourteen years, The McCrary Sisters have generously given back to their community by hosting and organizing their annual Christmas concert that not only benefits the important work of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, but also benefits local families in need who have experienced tragedy, loss and need a helping hand.

Says Regina McCrary, “The program, the benefit, is a God-sent show that we’ve been doing for 14 years. Around the holidays, people get depressed and lonely. Sometimes they feel like they are by themselves. This is The McCrary Sisters’ way of reassuring people that they’re never alone. We are about helping people and making sure that people know we care and this is our ministry. This is what God has called us to do.”

Ann McCrary continues, “St. Jude, to me, is one of the most spectacular hospitals in the world. Because if you have children, and they become ill, it is bad enough to be concerned about them and praying that they’re gonna be alright. But at St. Jude, you don’t have to worry about the bills. That’s what touches my heart, because the bills will kill you. Without worrying about the condition of your child, those bills will take you down. And not having to worry about a place to stay, or anything like that, that is just wonderful to me.”

Says Freda McCrary, “We never know a situation until it knocks at your home, knocks at your own door.  It’s an honor to be able to help who we can at this time or any time during the year. We do almost four benefits each year, but this is the greatest of them all.”

Says Buddy Miller, “I always look forward to A McCrary Kind Of Christmas. It’s like a great family reunion with the best music. Their giving hearts and love for people overflows from the stage. A partnership with St Jude’s makes the evening even more meaningful. The McCrary Sisters bring joy to the world and are a treasure.”

Says Doug Hall, of Big Feat PR “We are honored to be helping the McCrary Sisters, making sure this event is the biggest of the holiday season. The McCrary Sisters are Nashville music icons but the work they do to help others is also truly remarkable. Raising funds and attention for St Jude’s is absolutely vital, who provide support for families in the most drastic of need. I implore anyone who can, to buy a ticket and get involved.”

ABOUT ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL

The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of our founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family's ability to pay.

ABOUT THE McCRARY SISTERS

The McCrary Sisters sing gospel that melds traditional with contemporary and incorporates their influences of classic soul, Americana, blues, rock, and R&B music. Central to their work and any show is their boundless joy in singing, and a desire to spread hope, love, healing (and dancing).

Daughters of the late Rev. Samuel McCrary — a founding member of the legendary gospel quartet The Fairfield Four — Ann, Regina, Alfreda and Deborah (who passed away in 2022) grew up in Nashville surrounded by music, artists, community, and faith. The daughters were raised in harmony, singing at home and at their father’s church. In their formative years, the sisters had many accomplishments — individually and together — sharing in their family legacy performing with artists including Bob Dylan, Elvis, Isaac Hayes and Stevie Wonder.

In 2011, the Sisters officially formed their own group, The McCrary Sisters, and have since recorded or performed with notable artists Delbert McClinton, Black Keys, Martina McBride, Eric Church, Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller, Jonny Lang, Robert Randolph, The Winans, Donnie McClurkin, Rosanne Cash, Carrie Underwood, Hank Williams Jr., Dr. John, Widespread Panic, Sheryl Crow, Maren Morris, Gregg Allman and many more.

Their own recordings previous to these include a single "Amazing Grace" (2021), and albums A Very McCrary Christmas (2019), Live (2017), Let’s Go (2015), All The Way (2013), Our Journey (2011).

Sat, 12/02/2023 - 10:31 am

GRAMMY® Best New Artist Award nominated Noah Kahan will perform as musical guest on Saturday Night Live tonight, December 2nd. Ahead of his SNL debut, the critically acclaimed Vermont singer and songwriter teams up with fellow GRAMMY® Best New Artist nominee, singer and songwriter Gracie Abrams, to reveal a new version of “Everywhere, Everything” today—listen HERE!

“Everywhere, Everything” is the latest artist pairing in Kahan’s beloved Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever) collaboration series, following his recent releases with Hozier on “Northern Attitude,” Kacey Musgraves on “She Calls Me Back,” Lizzy McAlpine on “Call Your Mom,” and Post Malone on “Dial Drunk.”

Noah shares, “Gracie puts her whole heart into every song she writes and note she sings, and I found myself completely swept into her world the first time I heard her. So incredibly excited for you all to hear her incredible take on ‘Everywhere, Everything.’”

Gracie adds, “I’m so honored that Noah asked me to join him on ‘Everywhere, Everything.’ I'm constantly in awe of the heart and sincerity behind each of his songs, and I feel crazy lucky for the opportunity to sing on one of my favorites. Noah really is the best, and I am simply a fan.”

Beyond his fan favorite Stick Season collaborations, Noah recently performed a cover of Olivia Rodrigo’s “lacy” during his BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge, following her cover of “Stick Season” earlier this fall. He also delivered a live version of the Double Platinum breakout hit—watch HERE. This performance tops a massive year filled with star-studded live collaborations, with the likes of Mumford & Sons, Gregory Alan Isakov, Wesley Schultz of The Lumineers, Nathaniel Rateliff of Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, The Milk Carton Kids, Joy Oladokun, and more.

Kahan currently has three songs simultaneously charting in the Top 100 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart—“Stick Season” at #37, “Dial Drunk” at #41, and “Northern Attitude” at #79. Not to mention, Kahan recently captured the #1 spot on two Billboard 2023 year-end charts—Top New Rock & Alternative Artist and Adult Alternative Airplay Artist. He also received two Billboard Music Awards nominations for “Top Rock Artist” and “Top Rock Album” earlier this fall.

On the one-year anniversary of Stick Season’s original release, the album’s hit single saw a massive resurgence on the charts as temperatures dropped and “stick season” began—climbing to the Top 5 overall on the Spotify Top 200 Chart in the US, UK, and Canada and peaking at #1 on the Spotify Top 200 Chart in Ireland. It was also a #1 single on the Official Irish Singles Chart and Top 5 single on the UK Singles Chart. The beloved album recently re-appeared in the Top 10 on Billboard’s 200 Chart at #9, following a debut at #3 earlier this summer, and jumped to the Top 10 on the Official UK Albums Chart.

Noah recently wrapped his highly successful, sold-out “Stick Season Tour” in Europe and the UK after a year of non-stop touring. Next year, he’ll embark on his highly anticipated “We’ll All Be Here Forever World Tour,” which will see him perform sold-out shows in stadiums, arenas, and amphitheaters around the world, including two nights at Boston’s Fenway Park, New York’s Madison Square Garden, Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, London’s OVO Arena Wembley, and more. See the full list of upcoming tour dates below. Not to mention, Kahan will headline several festivals, including Shaky Knees Festival, Osheaga Festival, and High Water Festival.

In October on World Mental Health Day, Noah proudly shared that his mental health initiative The Busyhead Project has excitingly surpassed its initial goal of “$1 million for mental health” and generated over $2 million dollars to date—with the purpose of creating a world where mental healthcare is acceptable and accessible for everyone. Read Noah’s statement HERE, read an op-ed he penned for TIME HERE, and watch his honoree toast at the TIME100 Next Gala HERE.

In July, Noah released Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever), an extension of 2022’s Platinum-Certified Stick Season and his most successful offering to date. The deluxe version featured “Dial Drunk,” which peaked at #1 on both the Alternative and AAA Radio Charts in the US and currently sits in the Top 20 at Top 40 Radio and Top 15 at Hot AC Radio. The album debuted at #3 on Billboard 200 Chart, #1 on Top Americana/Folk Albums Chart, #1 on Billboard Top Alternative Albums Chart, #1 on Billboard Top Rock Albums Chart, and more. Impressively, Noah became the 5th artist in history with 18 songs on Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Charts in one week, alongside David Bowie and Taylor Swift.

WE’LL ALL BE HERE FOREVER TOUR 2024 AUSTRALIA, EUROPE + UK DATES:

January 17 Melbourne, AU Sidney Myer Music Bowl - SOLD OUT

January 18 Melbourne, AU Sidney Myer Music Bowl

January 20 Brisbane, AU Riverstage - SOLD OUT

January 23 Sydney, AU The Hordern Pavilion - SOLD OUT

January 27 Perth, AU Red Hill Auditorium - SOLD OUT

February 08 Dublin, IE                3Arena - SOLD OUT *

February 10  Glasgow, UK           OVO Hydro - SOLD OUT *

February 11 Leeds, UK               First Direct Arena - SOLD OUT *

February 13 Cardiff, UK              Cardiff International Arena - SOLD OUT *

February 14 London, UK             OVO Arena Wembley - SOLD OUT *

February 15  London, UK             OVO Arena Wembley - SOLD OUT *

February 17  Paris, FR                 L’Olympia - SOLD OUT *

February 18 Cologne, DE           Palladium - SOLD OUT *

February 21 Berlin, DE               Columbiahalle - SOLD OUT *

February 23   Copenhagen, DK    K.B. Hallen - SOLD OUT *

February 25 Amsterdam, NL       AFAS Live - SOLD OUT *

February 26 Brussels, BE           Forest National *        

WE’LL ALL BE HERE FOREVER TOUR 2024 NORTH AMERICA DATES:

March 2 Tempe, AZ Extra Innings Festival ~

March 26 Vancouver, BC       Rogers Arena - SOLD OUT

March 28 Calgary, AB            Scotiabank Saddledome - SOLD OUT

March 29   Edmonton, AB        Rogers Place - SOLD OUT

March 30  Saskatoon, SK        SaskTel Centre

April 02  Winnipeg, MB         Canada Life Centre

April 06   Toronto, ON            Scotiabank Arena - SOLD OUT

April 07  London, ON            Budweiser Gardens - SOLD OUT

April 09  Ottawa, ON             Canadian Tire Centre - SOLD OUT

April 10 Quebec City, QC    Videotron Centre

April 13   Montreal, QC          Bell Centre - SOLD OUT

April 14   Toronto, ON           Scotiabank Arena - SOLD OUT

April 16   Toronto, ON           Scotiabank Arena - SOLD OUT

April 20 North Charleston, SC High Water Festival ~

May 3 Atlanta, GA Shaky Knees Festival ~

May 20   Asheville, NC         ExploreAsheville.com Arena - SOLD OUT

May 22   Asheville, NC          ExploreAsheville.com Arena - SOLD OUT

May 24  Nashville, TN         Bridgestone Arena - SOLD OUT

May 25 Nashville, TN          Bridgestone Arena - SOLD OUT

May 28 Cuyahoga Falls, OH   Blossom Music Center - SOLD OUT

May 29  Burgettstown, PA    The Pavilion at Star Lake - SOLD OUT

June 04  St. Louis, MO          Hollywood Casino Amphitheater - SOLD OUT

June 05    Kansas City, MO     Azura Amphitheatre *

June 07    St. Paul, MN           Xcel Energy Center

June 08  St. Paul, MN           Xcel Energy Center - SOLD OUT

June 11  Dallas, TX               Dos Equis Pavilion

June 13 Houston, TX            The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion - SOLD OUT

June 14    Austin, TX               Moody Center - SOLD OUT

June 18  Chula Vista, CA      North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre

June 21    Los Angeles, CA     Hollywood Bowl - SOLD OUT

June 25  Denver, CO             Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre - SOLD OUT *

June 26 Denver, CO            Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre - SOLD OUT *

June 29  George, WA            The Gorge - SOLD OUT

July 01  Ridgefield, WA        RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater - SOLD OUT

July 03  Wheatland, CA       Toyota Amphitheatre

July 05     Berkeley, CA           The Greek Theatre - SOLD OUT *

July 06    Berkeley, CA           The Greek Theatre - SOLD OUT *

July 09   Salt Lake City, UT  USANA Amphitheatre - SOLD OUT

July 13    East Troy, WI          Alpine Valley Music Theatre - SOLD OUT

July 15 New York, NY        Madison Square Garden - SOLD OUT

July 16   New York, NY         Madison Square Garden - SOLD OUT

July 18  Boston, MA            Fenway Park - SOLD OUT ^

July 19     Boston, MA             Fenway Park - SOLD OUT ^

August 2 Montreal, QC Osheaga Festival ~

* Non-Live Nation Date

~ Festival Date

^ With Mt. Joy

Sun, 12/03/2023 - 1:01 pm

GRAMMY® Best New Artist nominee Noah Kahan made his highly anticipated musical debut on Saturday Night Live last night, delivering electrifying performances of his massive hit singles “Dial Drunk” and “Stick Season,” from his critically acclaimed Stick Season album and deluxe Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever).

WATCH HIS PERFORMANCES OF “DIAL DRUNK” HERE & “STICK SEASON” HERE!

Fri, 12/15/2023 - 8:14 am

Today, Bootsy Collins Foundation and Funk Not Fight announced Bootsy Collins has created an official theme song for the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame*, the free, family-focused attraction founded by Hamilton County Board of Commissioners Alicia Reece, who helped raise $20 million publicly and privately raised funds for the project. The song features Penny Ford, Terry Troutman, Reggie Calloway, Vincent Calloway, Tnava Avant, alongside Bootsy Collins who performs bass, guitar, drums & vocals on the track. The song will be unveiled at a celebratory event hosted at the Cincinnati Black Music Walk Of Fame today, December 15, from 5.30-7.30pm, details below.

Listen HERE to "Cincinnati Black Music Walk Of Fame"

FUNK NOT FIGHT RALLY4 PEACE WEST COAST CHAPTER COMPTON: UNITING COMMUNITIES FOR A SAFER TOMORROW
Today the Bootsy Collins Foundation and Funk Not Fight announce their inaugural Funk Not Fight Rally4 Peace, in response to recent incidents of violence impacting our communities. This pivotal event is scheduled to take place on December 30, 2023, at the Victory Outreach Ministries Compton in the heart of Compton, CA 90221. The rally aims to address the pressing issue of violence affecting the lives of Compton residents, particularly the younger generation. With a focus on fostering positivity, engagement, and understanding, the event seeks to provide opportunities that will contribute to the well-being of the Compton community.

In celebration of this event, Bootsy Collins wrote the song "We Outta B' Funkin" - Listen HERE

The program promises to be both concise and impactful, bringing together community leaders, organizations, and individuals dedicated to creating a safer environment for our youth and families.

Speakers include: Patti Collins (Princess Pepperminte Patti), the wife of the illustrious and Iconic Bootsy Collins and President of the Bootsy Collins Foundation, Superior Court Judge, Kelvin D Filer, Mayor of the city of Compton, Emma Sharif, Victory Outreach Compton, Pastor Hector Monarrez, Faith in Christ Family Church, Pastor William Reddick, Psychologist Joseph Banks, NAACP Compton, Paulette Gipson President, NAEJA, Johnathan Taylor CFO, FA’ ATASIUA O USO’S Brotherhood...and more.

Location: Victory Outreach Ministries Compton, 4205 East Alondra Blvd., Compton CA 90221
Date: December 30, 2023
Time: 11 am - 4 pm

*MORE INFO ON CINCINNATI BLACK MUSIC WALK OF FAME
Commissioner Alicia grew up in the music industry and later served as the Deputy Director of Ohio Tourism. Her mother, Barbara Howard, was a recording artist, and her father, Steven Reece Sr., worked with Motown Records and helped to bring both the Beatles and Aretha Franklin to town for their first-ever Cincinnati dates. Built on a former lot filled with gravel and rocks, Reece called for the creation of a Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame to celebrate the legacy and untold stories of music artists, songwriters, producers, and musicians from Cincinnati, Hamilton County, and Southwest Ohio. Cincinnati was the home to pioneering label King Records, where a number of very early rock n’ roll, funk and R&B songs were cut by the likes of James Brown, Bootsy Collins, Otis Williams and Billboard Magazine was founded in the city in 1894.

This legacy includes the previously inducted Bootsy Collins, who is based in Cincinnati and helped put it on the musical map with his work with fellow Black Music Walk Of Fame inductee James Brown, alongside Bootsy’s work with Parliament-Funkadelic and later solo work. Other Cincinnati black music legends inducted including The Charms doo-wop singer Otis Williams, The Isley Brothers and Philippe Wynne, lead vocalist for The Spinners, Louise Shropshire, who penned the original lyrics to civil rights anthem “We Shall Overcome.” Other inductees include important local artists such as  Klymaxx/Snap! singer Penny Ford, funk group Midnight Star and hip-hop producer  Hi-Tek (50 Cent, Snoop Dogg) to name a few.

The Dedication & Induction Ceremony held in July 2023 featured a free live performance by Ohio Players, and the unveiling of the new official launch of the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame with 4,000 people in attendance of the festivities. Since its launch, the exhibit has welcomed over 20,000 visitors and counting.

The permanent and free exhibit honors the city’s Black music legends of pop, rock, funk, gospel, hip-hop, jazz and classical music. It is an exhibit like no other, an international state-of-the-art, outdoor interactive permanent tourism attraction and exciting music corridor on the Ohio River Banks.

"From a gravel lot covered with rocks to becoming one of the greatest world-renowned outdoor Black music tourism attractions is historic.” Alicia stated, adding, “Through the interactive elements and use of the latest technology, we will connect our rich black music legacy as inspiration to the generations of future music legends to come. The historical part of this place is that African-American slaves lived in this flood plain and [the Hall of Fame] is across from Paycor Stadium, where the annual Cincinnati Music Festival takes place."

The Walk of Fame is lined with stars, commemorating different local legends and music pioneers. Every year a new class of artists is unveiled and added to the walk. Inductees are nominated by community members and selected by a special panel of judges. ‍The Cincinnati Black Walk of Fame utilizes AI technology to create an immersive experience. Visitors are able to sing along with some of Cincinnati’s music icons and haptic panels will let guests feel the music through vibrations. Each attraction features QR codes visitors can scan to learn more about the artists and listen to their music in real-time. There is a dance area and interactive kiosk with augmented reality experiences. According to Billboard, the feature called the “Beatmaker,” features “8 drum heads that interact with the lights and an adjacent fountain, acting like a kind of Simon Says game in which visitors follow Hi-Tek’s instructions to keep up with the music, as well as areas with three-minute video clips about each act and panels with the stories of local music influencers.”

For more information visit: https://www.cincyblackmusicwalkoffame.org/

Thu, 12/21/2023 - 5:03 am

Musician Ron Artis II is a multi-instrumentalist and touring artist who has played with some of the greats on stage including Mick Fleetwood, Booker T Jones, Jack Johnson and more. This holiday season, he returned home to Hawaii, where he grew up in Haleiwa as part of a musical family, to help bring instruments to kids who lost theirs in the devastating Maui fires four months ago.

Good Morning America and GMA3 profiled this heartwarming event in the segment, highlighting the spirit of ‘mele’ and speaking with Ron Artis II, who teamed up with Ben Dudley, CEO of Free Guitars 4 Kids who donated over 200 instruments to the island. This past weekend, Artis II helped organize multiple events and performances, meet and greets, tutorials and personal giveaways to kids. The two national television segments also highlighted the spirit of ‘mele’ and the power of music on Hawaii.

Ron Artis II told GMA, “We want to give you something to help with your journey and help keep music in your life.”  His song “No Weight” was highlighted in the segment, performed with his daughter Ida Marie Artis and performed throughout the weekend, an anthem of healing and giving back.

Yesterday, Ron also gave away the last instruments to local kids during the Maui Classic Basketball Tournament during halftime at both games, performing “No Weight.”

About Ron Artis II

Ron Artis II is an award winning multi-instrumentalist (guitar, ukulele, vocals, and more) hailing from Haleiwa, HI – he lived there from age of 4 to 24. He has performed and collaborated with Mick Fleetwood (Fleetwood Mac), Jack Johnson, Jake Shimabukuro, Booker T Jones, Eric Krasno (Soulive, Lettuce) and G Love among others. Artis II hails from a musical family – one of 10 siblings all of whom are musical – they had a family band called the Artis Family Band. His father Ron was a Motown session musician who played with Michael Jackson and his brother Thunderstorm Artis is a musician in his own right. Artis II currently makes a living as a touring musician, living just outside Nashville. He tours with his wife Julia and their five musically-inclined children. He has released seven studio albums, 60+ songs and toured around the world.

Wed, 01/17/2024 - 3:12 pm

Today, British trio The Wandering Hearts announced the release of their new album, MOTHER, out March 22. Produced by Steve Milbourne, their Chrysalis Records debut is a handcrafted patchwork of folk-style storytelling, pop hooks and rock energy threaded together by their luminous signature harmonies. You could think of it as a long-lost seventies album originally made in Laurel Canyon and dusted off in some vintage London record store 50 years later. The Wandering Hearts, who recently completed an extensive North American tour are soon to embark on a tour of US radio stations across the US, and will be performing a special intimate shows at Rockwood Music Hall in NYC, Tuesday January 23 and WMOT’s Finally Friday live broadcast from 3rd & Lindsley on February 2. They will also tour the UK in March and April, dates below.

Available now for pre-order, Mother will be released digitally, on CD and LP, including exclusive, signed coloured vinyl and a limited number of test pressings. Taken from the new album, single “River To Cry” is available now, premiere by HOLLER MAGAZINE, who stated, XXX.

On the new single, A.J. Dean of The Wandering Hearts stated, "Our friend and wonderful songwriter Dee Adam played us a rough demo of ‘River To Cry’ sometime last year. We loved it straight away and decided to mess around with it. Jamming it out in the studio felt incredible and it just became so much fun to play live with the band, as it has this huge classic sound and big shift of gear in the middle. We got carried away and it runs a little longer than what they tell us as right for streaming these days, but it had to be done - we channelled some pivotal Fleetwood Mac and The Band style energies whilst keeping it very uniquely us. It follows themes that run throughout our new album - holding on to things from the past, struggling to let go, but eventually having to make painful decisions and owning them. It comes at a great point in the running order of the record, we’ve been closing our recent live sets in the U.S. with it too and it certainly brings a ton of energy."

WATCH VIDEO TO NEW SINGLE “RIVER TO CRY”

LISTEN TO NEW SINGLE “RIVER TO CRY”

PRE-ORDER NEW ALBUM MOTHER

Motherhood changes everything. Little moments assume a much greater significance, and every memory holds the potential to last forever. Responsibilities expand, yet joy does as well. The Wandering Hearts intimately explore this maternal transformation on their aptly titled third full-length offering Mother. The band, Tara Wilcox [vocals], A.J. Dean [vocals, acoustic guitar] and Francesca “Chess” Whiffin [vocals, mandolin], chronicle this season of growth and change across eleven tracks.

“I was pregnant when we started making the record, and Tara was pregnant when we finished it,” notes Chess. “During the process, we really found ourselves as a band. Motherhood has helped us grow and find meaning. It brought our writing and performing to a different level.”

The group worked out of Chess’s home studio in Darlington, drawing on everything from folk to rock. Surrounded by guitars, a vintage piano and classic equipment, the music gestated in a room affectionately dubbed, “The Music Womb.” A.J. goes on, “This album started as a folk EP and grew into something entirely different.  It has elements of folk, rock, blues, pop and more with our voices tying it all together. We were really just making an album for us. We think the result is the best music we've ever made.”

Earlier releases had brandished a bit of a subtle pop sheen. With Mother, The Wandering Hearts peeled back this layer, sanded it down and stripped the sound to its bare essentials—captivating lyrics, organic instrumentation, and, as always, starkly powerful harmonies. In doing so, they realised their vision at its purest and most powerful. On “About America,” bright acoustic guitar and tambourine offset the heavy weight of an intense story given life by breathy harmonies. Echoes of a soft vocal line ripple over a steady beat on “Still Waters,” piano bookending the vulnerable refrain, “My body’s made up, but my mind is a mess, so hard to focus when I feel like this.”

Crystalline harmonies transmit a tender message uplifted even higher by organ on “Letter To Myself.” As electric guitar wails, “Hold Your Tongue” pierces passive-aggressive “compliments” with sharp lyrics and angular vocal melodies. Album highlight “Not Misunderstood,” broods and builds, warning of a looming emotional storm. “What Fools Believe” concludes on a breezy chant laced with whistling and lithe strumming. “It’s an anthem to everyone to keep on going—even if life is hard,” A.J. notes. In the end, motherhood has ultimately enabled The Wandering Hearts to be themselves. “The album has all of the elements of who we are, but we’ve landed in a place that feels like us,” reflects Chess.

Mother Track Listing:

1. About America                

2. Still Waters                    

3. Tired                    

4. Letter To Myself                

5. Hold Your Tongue                

6. Waiting

7. Dance Again

8. Not Misunderstood

9. River To Cry

10. Will You Love Me

11. What Fools Believe

Febuary

Tue 23             NYC             Rockwood Music Hall

Fri 2             Nashville        WMOT’s Finally Friday @ 3rd & Lindsley

March

Tues 26th        Edinburgh        The Queen’s Hall

Weds 27th        Belfast            The Deer’s Head

Thurs 28th        Dublin            The Workman’s Cellar

Sun 31st        Birmingham        The Mill

April

Tues 2            Manchester        Gorilla

Weds 3rd        Leeds            Brudenell Social Club

Thurs 4th        Nottingham        Rescue Rooms

Fri 5th            Sheffield        Leadmill

Sun 7th            Bristol            The Fleece

Mon 8th        Brighton        Komedia

Tues 9th        Oxford            O2 Academy

Thurs 11th        Norwich        Arts Centre

Fri 12th            London        Electric Brixton

Sat 13th        Cardiff            Tramshed

Ticket link here: https://tix.to/TWHPR

Sun, 01/21/2024 - 12:07 pm

Today Marcus King announced the release of his new Rick Rubin-produced song “F*ck My Life Up Again,” via American/Republic records. Listen to the song, HERE. Watch the visualizer video, HERE.

The new song marks a significant sonic shift for Marcus King, who has historically been hailed for his virtuosic guitar riffs and preternatural talent. But on “F*ck Up My Life Again,” King lets the spotlight shine on his deeply soulful and arresting vocals, perfectly enhanced with r&b percussion, shimmering organ, lush string arrangements and even a Marcus King guitar solo, though in true Rick Rubin experimental fashion, glitched up and played backwards. The hook is unshakeable, harkening timeless symphonic soul with a decidedly modern take. King lays his feelings bare, reflecting on his tendency to chase unhealthy codependent relationships.

On the song, King stated, “I was hesitant to record a song with such a foul word in it given my southern, Christian upbringing, but there were no other words I could find to capture the emotion I felt, the anger associated with missing someone you know is only going to bring you pain, missing a relationship that only hurts you, feeling hopeless to the point of wanting them to come back because the only thing worse than the co-dependent hell you created together is the profound loneliness you feel."

King is a GRAMMY® nominated fourth generation musician from Greenville, SC, who started playing guitar at 8 years old following in the footsteps of his guitarist Father and Grandpa. Logging thousands of miles on the road as “The Marcus King Band,” he established himself with unparalleled performance prowess and a dynamic live show. His solo debut El Dorado, garnering a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best Americana Album.” In between packing venues on his own, he performed alongside Chris Stapleton, Greta Van Fleet, and Nathanial Rateliff in addition to gracing the bills of Stagecoach and more with one seismic show after the next. He has been open about his challenges with mental health in his songs and throughout his career, and has launched various mental health initiatives, most recently a guitar auction collaboration with MusiCares.

Thu, 01/25/2024 - 8:33 am

Today legendary roots star Taj Mahal announced the release of Swingin’ Live at the Church in Tulsa, released on March 8 2024 via Lightning Rod Records. Pre-order the album HERE. His latest project is an extraordinary set recorded live at the Tulsa studio best known as the home base of the late, great Leon Russell, a huge influence and personal friend of Taj. The ten songs reach across multiple genres that he has explored in his incomparable career, and feature “The Taj Mahal Sextet,” which includes Taj’s long-time quartet—bassist Bill Rich, drummer Kester Smith, and guitarist/Hawaiian lap steel player Bobby Ingano—augmented by dobro player Rob Ickes and guitarist and vocalist Trey Hensley. Taj also announced a U.S., Canada and Australia tour with dates including Los Angeles’ Luckman Fine Arts Complex. Tickets are on sale now - details below.

Accompanying the announcement, Taj released a single and live recording of his classic “Queen Bee,” which began as a Taj instrumental fingerpicking piece inspired by his mentor Mississippi John Hurt before it became the song that featured on his acclaimed 1977 studio album Evolution (The Most Recent), and later on Señor Blues, his GRAMMY winning 1997 studio album. Listen to “Queen Bee” HERE

“It's a fun song. It's a positive song, from a male's perspective, you know, to speak good about women,” says Taj about “Queen Bee,” adding, “I feel like there's an awful lot of angst between men and women these days, from whatever stripe or ethnic group or culture they're coming from, there's a lot of tension. You've only got so much string in this ball of yarn, and if you waste your time fighting with one another, you're gonna look back one day and realize that, boy, did I waste a lot of time, I could have been feeling good, talking nice, being nice to people, so many things you could be doing.”

At 81 years old, Taj can easily claim musical legend status. He has four Grammy Awards to his name (out of fifteen nominations) alongside a lifetime of other achievements and a career spanning seven decades, releasing nearly 50 albums, Taj is both an architect and custodian of the roots music sound. Proficient in 20 different instruments and a serial collaborator, Taj has worked with musicians including the Rolling Stones, Etta James, Angelique Kidjo, Ziggy Marley and more. There are few musicians that Taj’s music has not touched.

“Some of us were gifted by our ancestors to be in a long line of musicians,” says Taj Mahal. “It's in your DNA. Others are lucky to find it and put in the dedication that it takes to be able to get there. So that’s my life as an 81-year-old—still playing music, still enjoying it, still getting to do the things I want to do.”

“The Church” was purchased by Russell in 1972, who converted it into a recording studio / office for his famed Shelter Records label, which became a creative home to artists including, Tom Petty, Jimmy Buffett, Willie Nelson, and Stevie Wonder, among others. Current owners Ivan Acosta and Teresa Knox completed their renovation of the space in 2022, dedicating it to showcasing the legacy of the “Tulsa Sound” and creating opportunities for the next generation of musicians.

Taj first became aware of Oklahoma’s central role in American music through a family friend named James Brewer. “He was one of the coolest guys that we ever met,” says Taj. “Dressed sharp all the time, played alto a little bit with those territory bands out there like Ernie Fields and Bennie Moten.” Later, he solidified a connection to the region’s musicians through guitarist and close collaborator Jesse Ed Davis, who introduced him to such Tulsa-based players as JJ Cale, Bobby Keys, and, eventually, the force of nature known as Leon Russell.

Tulsa holds rich and tragic historical significance to Black history and culture. It was a hotbed for jazz and blues, with Tulsa a stop on the famed Chitlin’ Circuit and home to the Greenwood neighborhood known as Black Wall Street due to its thriving Black community, Black businesses and home to roughly 10,000 residents. It was all destroyed in the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 where a white mob killed hundreds of residents, burned more than 1,250 homes and erased years of Black success in the area.

“A lot of the people that caused that Massacre to happen were highly unevolved human beings.” stated Taj, “Unfortunately, this country didn't start with the best of people, some of them didn't have brains above their ankles and they did not know how to handle the success of people they viewed as relegated to the bottom of society. Fortunately there has been a tremendous amount of music and art, to come out of the state of Oklahoma and there's a great diverse population that's there. The people have tried to make their way and there's been some progress that has been slow. Clearly and obviously, people have been working to evolve themselves past those kinds of ugly examples of what human beings can do, to and with, and against one another. Let's hope that the lesson from that doesn't fall on deaf ears, and that we continue to evolve.”

The album was recorded in front of a live audience and features Taj’s sextet and continues his legacy of confounding genre where he has pioneered an eclectic roots music sounds that draws on Blues, Soul, reggae, Latin, R&B, Cajun, Caribbean, gospel, West African, jazz, calypso, Hawaiian slack-key, and countless other musical styles which he weaves throughout an astonishing body of work. The set ranges from some of the songs he is best known for—“Corinna,” “Queen Bee”—to the instrumental “Twilight in Hawaii” (representing his long association with the Aloha State’s musical traditions, especially through his Hula Blues Band) to a glorious closing jam on T-Bone Walker’s “Mean Old World” that stretches beyond the ten-minute mark.

Taj studied Animal Husbandry at the University of Massachusetts before heading to Los Angeles in 1964 to pursue music. He began his solo career with such pioneering projects as The Natch’l Blues and the expansive double album Giant Step/De Old Folks at Home, demonstrating his ambitious sense of possibility for American roots music. The 21st Century has seen Taj working with many of the remarkable musicians who were directly influenced by his work and his example, including Keb’ Mo, Los Lobos, and Ben Harper. His reunion with Ry Cooder on 2022’s Get On Board won his latest Grammy, for Best Traditional Blues Album, and his most recent studio release, Savoy, is a collection of classic jazz songs.

With Swingin’ Live at the Church in Tulsa, all the variables came together—a well-seasoned band being pushed by talented guests sitting in; a musically sophisticated audience; a venue that not only offered a sense of history, but also top-of-the-line acoustics as both a performance and recording space.

“People don't pay me for the music,” says Taj Mahal. “They pay me for what it takes me to get there. I would gladly play music for free if I could be heard, but I found I can make a living at it. And then I can come to a place like the Church, and it's all the great things at one time.”

Track List

01 - Betty And Dupree

02 - Mailbox Blues

03 - Queen Bee

04 - Lovin' In My Baby's Eyes

05 - Waiting For My Papa To Come Home

06 - Slow Drag

07 - Sitting On Top Of The World

08 - Twilight In Hawaii

09 - Corrina

10 - Mean Old World

2024 Tour Dates

Jan 28 - Feb 4, 2024    Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise 2024, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Feb 22, 2024    Campbell Hall, Santa Barbara, CA

Feb 23, 2024    Luckman Fine Arts Complex, Los Angeles, CA

Feb 24, 2024    Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, CA

Feb 25, 2024    Annenberg Theater, Palm Springs, CA

Feb 26, 2024    Ikeda Theater, Mesa, AZ

Feb 27, 2024    Fox Tucson Theatre, Tucson, AZ

Mar 01, 2024    Lensic Performing Arts Center, Santa Fe, NM

Mar 02, 2024    Pikes Peak Center, Colorado Springs, CO

Mar 03, 2024    Paramount Theatre, Denver, CO

Mar 05, 2024    The Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield, CT

Mar 06, 2024    Music Hall, Portsmouth, NH

Mar 07, 2024    Hart Theatre At The Egg, Albany, NY

Mar 09, 2024    Koerner Hall, Toronto, ON

Mar 10, 2024    National Arts Centre, Ottawa, ON

(All featuring Sona Jobarteh except Ridgefield Playhouse)

Mar 30 - 31, 2024    Byron Bay Bluesfest 2024, Tyagarah, Australia

Sun, 02/11/2024 - 10:54 am

Marcus King announced the release of his new Rick Rubin produced album, Mood Swings, released on April 5 via American/Republic Records. In support of this new album, King also announced his 2024 headlining tour across North America and Europe produced by Live Nation and FPC Live!, in addition to dates supporting Chris Stapleton. More information available on https://www.marcuskingofficial.com/ - for information on tickets and pre-sale see below.

Mood Swings is King’s magnum opus, an eclectic symphony of soul that is uniquely timeless and current.  Drawing on King’s darkest moments, it became a beacon of hope for King as he created it, and will be a refuge for anyone going through similar challenges in their lives.

Accompanying the album announcement, King released the title track, “Mood Swings,” the perfect introduction to an album that will redefine any perceived notions around Marcus King. The song smolders with a slow burn electro drum stomp and jazzy guitar, leaving space for King’s soulful vocal to shine. Sharing his innermost fears whilst standing in the strength of being fully vulnerable and honest.

Listen to “Mood Swings” HERE
Pre-order Mood Swings HERE
Watch album trailer HERE

On “Mood Swings” King stated, “In the early summer of 2020 I arrived at Shangri-La for my first meeting with my hero, the legend, Mr. Rick Rubin. As soon as Rick & I met it was like a spark in the room! I immediately felt welcomed, appreciated and mutually admired. Rick and I had a wonderful first introduction and he left me in the capable hands of his Ace engineer Jason Lader, an incredible engineer who would become a dear dear friend. Jason and I toured the space and just for fun decided to track something, what we tracked was the title track “Mood Swings.” I laid down guitar and vocals, we added Rhythm Ace R77 drum machine with tape delay to achieve the swing we desired, added bass & piano and after half an hour the track was finished. The track and album title “Mood Swings” is a play on the swinging nature of the material while also referencing my up and down shifts in mood while I was either abusing the wrong substances, in between mood stabilizing meds and anti-psychotics, self-medication on top of that, along with a foot locker FULL of repressed childhood trauma all being taken out on my relationship at the time.”

Legendary producer Rick Rubin who has worked with everyone from Adele to Johnny Cash, was instantly drawn to King’s guitar playing, singular voice and songwriting, and after witnessing a King live performance, one day randomly cold-called him to float the idea of working together.

Rick Rubin stated, “I love the way listening to this album makes me feel. I can’t think of another project quite like this one. Marcus’s playing and singing are from another planet.”

The pair secretly holed up for sessions in Italy and Malibu during the promotion of King’s critically acclaimed album, Young Blood. The result is King’s most sonically astute and personal album to date and a landmark moment for Marcus who for the first time lets his voice take center stage. “There was no hiding behind the guitar at all,” he grins. His smoldering country soul vocal, part Al Green, Bobby Womack, Marvin Gaye, Adele and Chris Stapleton, is set to establish him as one of the greatest vocalists of our time, no longer in the shadow of his own guitar greatness.

Yet Marcus King didn’t plan on making his new album Mood Swings.

He didn’t even plan on living much longer before he started working on it. Heartache, addiction, and mental health brought him to the brink and during a North American tour, Marcus had designs to drink himself to death. He admits, “I had an escape route already decided for myself and a backup if that didn’t work.”

Around the same time, King went into Dan Auerbach studio and despite his mental health, drinking and substance abuse reaching untenable limits, he was able to create the critically acclaimed album Young Blood. There is consequently an ocean of depth to King’s lyrics. Mood Swings once again takes us back to that dark period of King’s life where he was on the brink, firmly believing that he was destined to die young, most likely at his own hand.

Despite its often bleak subject matter, Mood Swings is an album with a message of hope. Rubin helped King find a new personal and sonic approach and instead of crumbling under the weight of his anxiety, Rubin inspired him to shift his perspective. “He helped me view mental health as a writing partner in a way,” recalls Marcus. “I’ve learned it can give me that creative spark.”

King is a GRAMMY® nominated fourth generation musician from Greenville, SC, who started playing guitar at 8 years old following in the footsteps of his guitarist Father and Grandpa. Logging thousands of miles on the road as “The Marcus King Band,” he established himself with unparalleled performance prowess and a dynamic live show. His solo debut El Dorado, garnering a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best Americana Album.” In between packing venues on his own, he performed alongside Chris Stapleton, Greta Van Fleet, and Nathanial Rateliff in addition to gracing the bills of Stagecoach and more with one seismic show after the next. He has been open about his challenges with mental health in his songs and throughout his career, and has launched various mental health initiatives, most recently a guitar auction collaboration with MusiCares.

Mood Swings takes us in a very different sonic direction to his considerable catalog of studio albums. Combining elements as diverse as modern pop, R&B, aughts hip hop, piano driven classic rock and the warm production and symphonic instrumentation of classic era soul, R&B and jazz. Previously released song “F*ck My Life Up Again” is a considerable departure stadium sized rock, with strings that accent over a smoky jazz beat, while his soulful delivery booms, “Come f*ck my life up again, don’t deserve to live without pain.” A guitar solo “played backwards” channels stark confusion offset by the unshakable hook. On “Hero,” his croon rises over acoustic guitar towards a fluttering crescendo. The same naked emotion defines “Delilah” where over piano led pop rock and innovative tracks such as “Inglewood Motel (Halestorm)” are an alt R&B masterpiece. The album closes with “Cadillac,” steeped in psychedelic symphonic soul it is an arresting tale of dark desires and suicidal ideation.

On Mood Swings we find King gracefully standing in his own truth, accepting the challenges he’s faced and coming out the otherside a man renewed. It is a rebirth of both his sound and of his mind. “Without this assembly of songs, I don’t think I’d be around,” King shares, “I hope this album can act as a safety blanket, a rescue, or a refuge for anybody struggling with mental health, substance abuse, or relationship issues. That’s what it is for me.”

TRACKLIST

    Mood Swings
    F*ck My Life Up Again
    Soul It Screams
    Save Me
    Hero
    Delilah
    Inglewood Motel (Halestorm)
    This Far Gone
    Bipolar Love
    Me Or Tennessee
    Cadillac

MOOD SWINGS THE WORLD TOUR DATES

TICKETS: Tickets for the North America dates will be available starting with Citi presale (details below) beginning Monday, February 12. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general onsale beginning Friday, February 16 at 10am local time at LiveNation.com.

PRESALE: Citi is the official card of the MARCUS KING: MOOD SWINGS THE WORLD TOUR North America dates. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Monday, February 12 at 10am local time until Thursday, February 15 at 10PM local through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com.

March 7, 2024 - Love Rocks NYC - New York, NY
March 9, 2024 - The Capitol Theatre - Port Chester, NY
April 6, 2024 – U.S. Bank Stadium - Minneapolis, MN w/ Chris Stapleton
April 13, 2024 – 10 Annual Major Rager - Augusta, GA
April 19, 2024 - Moon Crush “Pink Moon” Festival - Miramar Beach, FL
May 06, 2024 - The Moore Theater - Seattle, WA
May 07, 2024 - Crystal Ballroom - Portland, OR
May 08, 2024 - Crystal Ballroom - Portland, OR
May 10, 2024 - The Masonic - San Francisco, CA
May 11, 2024 - Grand Sierra Ballroom - Reno, NV
May 14, 2024 - The Wiltern - Los Angeles, CA
May 15, 2024 - The Van Buren - Phoenix, AZ
May 17, 2024 - The Complex - Salt Lake City, UT
May 18, 2024 - Fillmore Auditorium - Denver, CO
May 22, 2024 - The Monument - Rapid City, SD w/ Chris Stapleton
May 24, 2024 - Denny Sanford PREMIER Center - Sioux Falls, SD w/ Chris Stapleton
May 25, 2024 - Harrah’s Stir Cove - Council Bluffs, IA
May 26, 2024 - EPIC Event Center - Green Bay, WI*
May 29, 2024 - The Pageant - St Louis, MO
May 30, 2024 - GLC Live at 20 Monroe - Grand Rapids, MI
May 31, 2024 - Blossom Music Center - Cleveland OH w/ Chris Stapleton
June 01, 2024 - Railbird Festival - Lexington, KY
June 02, 2024 - Salt Shed - Chicago, IL
June 04, 2024 - College Street Music Hall - New Haven, CT*
June 06, 2024 - Freedom Mortgage Pavilion - Philadelphia, PA w/ Chris Stapleton
June 07, 2024 - Jiffy Lube Live - Bristow, VA w/ Chris Stapleton
June 08, 2024 - Landmark Theatre - Syracuse, NY
June 10, 2024 - Ruby Amphitheater - Morgantown, WV*
June 12, 2024 - T-Mobile Center - Kansas City, MO w/ Chris Stapleton
June 13, 2024 - Thunder Ridge Nature Arena - Ridgefield, MO w/ Chris Stapleton
June 14, 2024 - The Criterion - Oklahoma City, OK
June 15, 2024 - Globe Life Field - Arlington, TX w/ Chris Stapleton
July 11, 2024 - Darien Lake Amphitheater - Darien Center, NY w/ Chris Stapleton
July 12, 2024 - The Pavilion at Star Lake - Pittsburgh, PA w/ Chris Stapleton
July 13, 2024 - Palace Theatre - Albany, NY
July 16, 2024 - Egyptian Room - Indianapolis, IN
July 18, 2024 - Huntington Center - Toledo, OH w/ Chris Stapleton
July 19, 2024 - Schottenstein Center - Columbus, OH w/ Chris Stapleton
July 20, 2024 - The Fillmore Detroit - Detroit, MI
September 04, 2024 - Orpheum - Vancouver, BC
September 06, 2024 - Grey Eagle Event Center - Calgary, AB
September 07, 2024 - Midway Music Hall - Edmonton, AB
September 09, 2024 - Burton Cummings Theatre - Winnipeg, MB
September 13, 2024 - Massey Hall - Toronto, ON
September 14, 2024 - London Music Hall - London, ON
September 17, 2024 - Kemba Live! - Columbus, OH
September 19, 2024 - Warner Theatre - Washington, D.C.
September 20, 2024 - Warner Theatre - Washington, D.C.
September 21, 2024 - The Ritz - Raleigh, NC
September 24, 2024 - Avondale Brewing - Birmingham, AL
September 26, 2024 - Riverside Theater - Milwaukee, WI
September 28, 2024 - The Sylvee, Madison, WI
September 29, 2024 - Vibrant Music Hall - Des Moines, IA
October 07, 2024 - Roxian Theatre - Pittsburgh, PA
October 09, 2024 - State Theatre - Portland, ME
October 11, 2024 - House of Blues Boston - Boston, MA
October 12, 2024 - The Fillmore - Philadelphia, PA
October 13, 2024 - Brooklyn Paramount – Brooklyn, NY
October 17, 2024 - La Riviera - Madrid, Spain
October 18, 2024 - Sala Apolo - Barcelona, Spain
October 20, 2024 - Fabrique Milano - Milan, Italy
October 21, 2024 - Komplex 457 - Zurich, Switzerland
October 23, 2024 – Le Transbordeur – Lyon, France
October 25, 2024 - Essigfabrik - Cologne, Germany
October 27, 2024 - Markthalle - Hamburg, Germany
October 28, 2024 - De Roma - Antwerp, Belgium
October 29, 2024 - AFAS Live - Amsterdam, Netherlands
October 31, 2024 - Metropol - Berlin, Germany
November 01, 2024 – The Grey Hall - Copenhagen, Denmark
November 03, 2024 - Bataclan - Paris, France
November 05, 2024 - Eventim Apollo - London, UK
November 06, 2024 - Albert Hall - Manchester, UK
November 07, 2024 - Barrowland Ballroom - Glasgow, UK
November 09, 2024 - O2 Institute - Birmingham, UK
November 10, 2024 - The Great Hall - Cardiff, UK
November 12, 2024 - Olympia - Dublin, Ireland

*No Citi Presale

Sun, 02/11/2024 - 2:22 pm

Today, Ugandan singer-songwriter Jon Muq announces his debut album Flying Away produced by Dan Auerbach, set for release May 31 on Easy Eye Sound. His new single “Shake Shake” is a joyous afropop-inspired dance song accompanied today by a music video  from noted director Robert "RoboShobo" Schober (The Killers, Green Day, Hermanos Gutiérrez).

Watch music video for “Shake Shake” + Listen Here
Watch music video for previous single “Runaway” Here
Pre-Order Flying Away Here

“Shake Shake” is a perfect introduction to the ebullient Jon Muq, buoyed by a sense of purpose in his songwriting and performing, and inspired by his upbringing in a surrounding village of Kampala, Uganda. The song blends lilting beats, rhythmic finger picking and Muq’s warmly vulnerable and melodious voice… as well as Muq’s simple invitation to dance.

Says Jon Muq: “Growing up around over 50 tribes that had different kinds of dances, each tribe focused on a specific part of the body when dancing, and the joy was endless. That moment of joy and happiness will always be yours, as long as you can “Shake Shake” what you got.”

The announcement of Muq’s debut album follows an already storied, nearly Odyssean journey from Kampala, Uganda to Austin, TX – and he’s already opened for legendary performers Billy Joel, Mavis Staples, Norah Jones, Corinne Bailey Rae as well as signing to The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach’s prominent label Easy Eye Sound.

When Muq was a kid in Uganda, dealing with issues like food scarcity, he found his cousin's CD of “We Are The World.” He listened to the track every day, learned every note, imitating all of the different singers on the track like Stevie, Michael and Lionel, and learning to sing in English, and even learning to write in English (one of his songs is inspired by a Cyrano De Bergerac moment in which Muq’s English letter helped his friends’ lovers heart back).

He would sing in the streets of Mutungo – a village near Kampala – singing Western songs and hiding in the shadows at night, too shy to reveal himself as the mysterious singer, but all the while practicing. One day he happened upon two musicians with a guitar rehearsing for church. That guitar changed his life, leading him to a local hotel gig, as well as performing for homeless children in the streets of Mutungo, all rehearsal for his future.

A video of him performing in the streets made its way to Norwegian Cruise Lines, who were seeking job applicants in his hometown. “They saw the video and asked me if I wanted to sing on a boat.” Said Muq, “This was like a city on the water. I couldn’t believe it would float. My friends thought the pictures I showed them had been Photoshopped.”

This led him on the beginning of many more adventures, eventually leading him to Austin, TX where he has become ingrained in the local music scene.

Soon, Muq caught the attention of Dan Auerbach, who signed and started developing with Muq his debut project.

They’ve been in the studio, and the debut record is sure to be a major statement from a young artist who is sharing his diasporic influences, raw talent, and optimistic outlook with audiences.

“I never expected it to work this way. I never said, I’m going to get a job at a hotel. I’m going to get a job on a cruise line. I’m going to work with Dan Auerbach. Everything happened because I was following sound. I was chasing it. I was just singing.”

US TOUR DATES
Feb. 10 Austin TX  04 Center
Feb. 13 Houston TX McGonigels Mucky Duck
Feb. 20 Los Angeles CA Hotel Cafe, 7pm
Feb. 22 Kansas City MO Folk Alliance
March 1-7 Miami FL Cayamo Festival
March 13 Austin TX Continental Club SXSW, 10pm
March 15 Austin TX SXSW
April 8 Washington D.C.  Pearl Street Warehouse
April 11 New York NY Rockwood Music Hall
April 13 Philadelphia PA World Cafe Live
July 5 Marshfield MA Levitate Festival

Flying Away Track Listing
1. Runaway
2. One You Love
3. Shake Shake
4. Lucky Love
5. Bend
6. Love, Love, Love
7. Crying, Laughing, Loving, Lying
8. Butterflies
9. Hello Sunshine
10. Dark Door
11. Flying Away From Home
12. Riding

Tue, 02/13/2024 - 8:51 am

Today, British trio The Wandering Hearts released a new single, “Letter To Myself,” off of their forthcoming Chrysalis Records debut, Mother, out March 22nd. Mother will be released digitally, on CD and LP, including exclusive, signed coloured vinyl and a limited number of test pressings. The album is available for pre-order now HERE

WATCH VIDEO TO NEW SINGLE “LETTER TO MYSELF” HERE
LISTEN TO NEW SINGLE “LETTER TO MYSELF” HERE

A confessional, diaristic ballad reminiscing over an easier time through sheer melodies and bright organs. The soothing vocal lines paint dreamy tales of Americana, from trains to old towns to blue sky that remind you to slow down. “I was talking about my sister-in-law,” Wilcox revealed about “Letter To Myself,” “Every time I saw her, she’d be like, ‘I just turned 21, and I’m turning 22 next year’. She’s always inches away from the next big milestone..”

The Wandering Hearts recently announced the release of their new album, Mother, out March 22. Produced by Steve Milbourne (session credits for Shania Twain and Alanis Morissette), their Chrysalis Records debut is a handcrafted patchwork of folk-style storytelling, pop hooks and rock energy threaded together by their luminous signature harmonies. You could think of it as a long-lost seventies album originally made in Laurel Canyon and dusted off in some vintage London record store 50 years later.

The band recently embarked on a tour of US radio stations and performed special intimate shows at Rockwood Music Hall in NYC and WMOT’s Finally Friday live broadcast from Nashville’s 3rd & Lindsley. They will also tour the UK in March and April, dates below.

Mother, an exploration of motherhood and personal growth, captures the little moments that assume a much greater significance. Every memory holds the potential to last forever, responsibilities expand, yet joy does as well. The Wandering Hearts intimately explore this maternal transformation on their aptly titled third full-length offering Mother. The band, Tara Wilcox [vocals], A.J. Dean [vocals, acoustic guitar] and Francesca “Chess” Whiffin [vocals, mandolin], chronicle this season of growth and change across eleven tracks.

“I was pregnant when we started making the record, and Tara was pregnant when we finished it,” notes Chess. “During the process, we really found ourselves as a band. Motherhood has helped us grow and find meaning. It brought our writing and performing to a different level.”

The group worked out of Chess’s home studio in Darlington, drawing on everything from folk and rock. Surrounded by guitars, a vintage piano and classic equipment, the music gestated in a room affectionately dubbed, “The Music Womb.” A.J. goes on, “This album started as a folk EP and grew into something entirely different.  It has elements of folk, rock, blues, pop and more with our voices tying it all together. We were really just making an album for us. We think the result is the best music we've ever made.”
 
Earlier releases had brandished a bit of a subtle pop sheen. With Mother, The Wandering Hearts peeled back this layer, sanded it down and stripped the sound to its bare essentials—captivating lyrics, organic instrumentation, and, as always, starkly powerful harmonies. In doing so, they realized their vision at its purest and most powerful.

In the end, motherhood has ultimately enabled The Wandering Hearts to be themselves. “The album has all of the elements of who we are, but we’ve landed in a place that feels like us,” reflects Chess.

Mother Track Listing:

1. About America

2. Still Water

3. Tired

4. Letter To Mysel

5. Hold Your Tongue

6. Waiting

7. Dance Again

8. Not Misunderstood

9. River To Cry

10. Will You Love Me

11. What Fools Believe

March
Fri 22 - Kingston, Banquet Records*
Sat 23 - London, Rough Trade East*
Mon 25 - Leeds, Vinyl Whistle*
Tues 26 - Edinburgh, The Queen’s Hall
Weds 27 - Belfast, The Deer’s Head
Thurs 28 - Dublin, The Workman’s Cellar
Sun 31 - Birmingham, The Mill

*In-store show

April
Tues 2 - Manchester, Gorilla
Weds 3 - Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
Thurs 4 - Nottingham, Rescue Rooms
Fri 5 - Sheffield, Leadmill
Sun 7 - Bristol, The Fleece
Mon 8 - Brighton, Komedia
Tues 9 - Oxford, O2 Academy
Thurs 11 - Norwich, Arts Centre
Fri 12 - London, Electric Brixton
Sat 13 - Cardiff, Tramshed

TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE

Thu, 02/22/2024 - 8:55 am

Today, legendary roots star Taj Mahal announced the release of his single, “Lovin' In My Baby's Eyes,” which will feature on Swingin’ Live at the Church in Tulsa, a dynamic live album, released on March 8, 2024, via Lightning Rod Records. Pre-order the album HERE.

The track, which was originally released on the critically acclaimed album Phantom Blues, features vocals from Taj and GRAMMY nominated guitarist and vocalist Trey Hensley who breathe new life into this classic country soul Taj fan favorite. The song also became a runaway streaming hit, with millions of streams across platforms for Taj. Listen to “Loving In My Baby’s Eyes” HERE.

On the song, Taj stated, “I am personally just thrilled to be presenting and releasing “Lovin’ In My Baby’s Eyes” at this moment in time. My vocal verses are augmented by that stand out East Tennessee singer and fantastic guitar picker Trey Hensley, the one and only Rob Ickes on Dobro, plus that rock solid rhythm section in The Taj Mahal Sextet, all set the mood n’ movement for a romantic “Country..Slow-Dance.””

His latest project is an extraordinary set recorded live at the Tulsa studio, best known as the home base of Shelter Records and the late, great Leon Russell, a huge influence and personal friend of Taj. The ten songs reach across multiple genres that he has explored in his incomparable career and feature “The Taj Mahal Sextet,” which includes Taj’s long-time quartet—bassist Bill Rich, drummer Kester Smith, and guitarist/Hawaiian lap steel player Bobby Ingano—augmented by dobro player Rob Ickes and guitarist and vocalist Trey Hensley. Taj also announced a U.S., Canada, and Australia tour with dates including Los Angeles’ Luckman Fine Arts Complex. Tickets are on sale now - details are below.

At 81 years old, Taj can easily claim musical legend status. He has four Grammy Awards to his name (out of fifteen nominations), alongside a lifetime of other achievements and a career spanning seven decades, releasing nearly 50 albums, Taj is both an architect and custodian of the roots music sound. Proficient in 20 different instruments and a serial collaborator, Taj has worked with musicians including the Rolling Stones, Etta James, Angelique Kidjo, Ziggy Marley, and more. There are few musicians that Taj’s music has not touched.

"Some of us were gifted by our ancestors to be in a long line of musicians,” says Taj Mahal. “It's in your DNA. Others are lucky to find it and put in the dedication that it takes to be able to get there. So that’s my life as an 81-year-old—still playing music, still enjoying it, still getting to do the things I want to do.”

Constructed in 1915 as Grace M.E. Church, the Church Studio was purchased by Russell in 1972, who converted it into a recording studio / office for his famed Shelter Records label, which became a creative home to artists including, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Eric Clapton, The Gap Band, JJ Cale, Jimmy Buffett, Willie Nelson, and Stevie Wonder, among others. Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, current owners Ivan Acosta and Teresa Knox completed their renovation of the space in 2022 bringing it back to life as an analog recording studio, including a NEVE 8068 console and a museum-quality vintage microphone collection. The historic studio is dedicated to showcasing the legacy of the “Tulsa Sound” and creating opportunities for the next generation of musicians.

Taj first became aware of Oklahoma’s central role in American music through a family friend named James Brewer. “He was one of the coolest guys that we ever met,” says Taj. “Dressed sharp all the time, played alto a little bit with those territory bands out there like Ernie Fields and Bennie Moten.” Later, he solidified a connection to the region’s musicians through guitarist and close collaborator Jesse Ed Davis, who introduced him to such Tulsa-based players as JJ Cale, Bobby Keys, and, eventually, the force of nature known as Leon Russell.

Tulsa holds rich and tragic historical significance to Black history and culture. It was a hotbed for jazz and blues, with Tulsa being a stop on the famed Chitlin’ Circuit and home to the Greenwood neighborhood known as Black Wall Street due to its thriving Black community, Black businesses, and home to roughly 10,000 residents.  It was all destroyed in the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, where a white mob killed hundreds of residents, burned more than 1,250 homes, and erased years of Black success in the area.

"A lot of the people that caused that Massacre to happen were highly unevolved human beings,” stated Taj, “Unfortunately, this country didn't start with the best of people; some of them didn't have brains above their ankles, and they did not know how to handle the success of people they viewed as relegated to the bottom of society. Fortunately, there has been a tremendous amount of music and art to come out of the state of Oklahoma, and there's a great, diverse population that's there. The people have tried to make their way, and there's been some progress that has been slow. Clearly and obviously, people have been working to evolve themselves past those kinds of ugly examples of what human beings can do, to and with, and against one another. Let's hope that the lesson from that doesn't fall on deaf ears and that we continue to evolve."

The album was recorded in front of a live audience, features Taj’s Sextet, and continues his legacy of confounding genres where he has pioneered an eclectic roots music sound that draws on Blues, Soul, reggae, Latin, R&B, Cajun, Caribbean, gospel, West African, jazz, calypso, Hawaiian slack-key, and countless other musical styles that he weaves throughout an astonishing body of work. The set ranges from some of the songs he is best known for—“Corinna,” “Queen Bee”—to the instrumental “Twilight in Hawaii” (representing his long association with the Aloha State’s musical traditions, especially through his Hula Blues Band) to a glorious closing jam on T-Bone Walker’s “Mean Old World” that stretches beyond the ten-minute mark.

Taj studied Animal Husbandry at the University of Massachusetts before heading to Los Angeles in 1964 to pursue music. He began his solo career with such pioneering projects as The Natch’l Blues and the expansive double album Giant Step/De Old Folks at Home, demonstrating his ambitious sense of possibility for American roots music. In the twenty-first century, Taj has collaborated with many of the remarkable musicians who were directly influenced by his work and his example, including Keb’ Mo, Los Lobos, and Ben Harper. His reunion with Ry Cooder on 2022’s Get On Board won his latest Grammy, for Best Traditional Blues Album, and his most recent studio release, Savoy, is a collection of classic jazz songs.

With Swingin’ Live at the Church in Tulsa, all the variables came together—a well-seasoned band being pushed by talented guests sitting in; a musically sophisticated audience; a venue that not only offered a sense of history but also top-of-the-line acoustics as both a performance and recording space.

People don't pay me for the music,” says Taj Mahal. “They pay me for what it takes me to get there. I would gladly play music for free if I could be heard, but I found I can make a living at it. And then I can come to a place like the Church Studio, and it's all the great things at one time.”

Track List

01 - Betty And Dupree

02 - Mailbox Blues

03 - Queen Bee

04 - Lovin' In My Baby's Eyes

05 - Waiting For My Papa To Come Home

06 - Slow Drag

07 - Sitting On Top Of The World

08 - Twilight In Hawaii

09 - Corrina

10 - Mean Old World

2024 Tour Dates

Feb 22, 2024 Campbell Hall, Santa Barbara, CA

Feb 23, 2024 Luckman Fine Arts Complex, Los Angeles, CA

Feb 24, 2024 Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, CA

Feb  25, 2024 Annenberg Theater, Palm Springs, CA

Feb 26, 2024 Ikeda Theater, Mesa, AZ

Feb 27, 2024 Fox Tucson Theatre, Tucson, AZ

Mar 01, 2024 Lensic Performing Arts Center, Santa Fe, NM

Mar 02, 2024 Pikes Peak Center, Colorado Springs, CO

Mar 03, 2024 Paramount Theatre, Denver, CO

Mar 05, 2024 The Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield, CT

Mar 06, 2024 Music Hall, Portsmouth, NH

Mar 07, 2024 Hart Theatre At The Egg, Albany, NY

Mar 09, 2024 Koerner Hall, Toronto, ON

Mar 10, 2024 National Arts Centre, Ottawa, ON

(All featuring Sona Jobarteh except Ridgefield Playhouse)

Mar 30 - 31, 2024 Byron Bay Bluesfest 2024, Tyagarah, Australia

Thu, 02/22/2024 - 4:13 pm

Today, The John & Alice Coltrane Home and the Coltrane Family, in partnership with Impulse! Records, Detroit Jazz Festival, Hammer Museum, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, The New York Historical Society, and many more, have declared 2024-2025 to be THE YEAR OF ALICE, celebrating the extensive life work of spiritual leader, composer, and musician Alice Coltrane.

Alice Coltrane’s pioneering and trailblazing career has changed the course of history. She forged masterful creative works, created music that beams universal love and spirituality to anyone that is listening, and laid the groundwork for musicians for years to come to do the same. She was prolific in her creation, with iconic works that include Journey In Satchidananda (one of Rolling Stone’s 500 greatest albums), A Monastic Trio, Universal Consciousness, Ptah, the El Daoud, and continued creating music when she started her ashram in California – music from that time would later be released to critical acclaim. Beyond her recorded output (elegantly explored in The New York Times’ Five Minutes That Will Make You Love Alice Coltrane), Coltrane was a beloved and wise spiritual leader, a pragmatic person with a keen eye for business, and a deeply giving human, who emphasized the importance of charitable giving, education, and spiritual guidance.

To honor her legacy, 2024 and 2025 will see a slew of tributary music events, programming, concert series, music releases and more to celebrate the life and legacy of Alice Coltrane.

Michelle Coltrane, daughter of Alice Coltrane, says: “The Coltrane family & The Coltrane Home organization present ‘The Year of Alice’ through tributary music events, spiritual, educational programming and more. We are honored and delighted to offer insight into the legacy of my mother… Alice, Turiya Coltrane. My mother engaged herself in the spiritual process known as God-realization. Her life on earth consolidated artistic expression, spiritual principles, and charitable giving. She emphasized selfless service that uplifted the giver as well as  recipients of the giving. She understood well the relevance of all life in terms of universal consciousness.”

Ravi Coltrane, son of Alice Coltrane, says: “Alice was ahead of her time, one of the first people to move outside the mainstream, and certainly one of the first female, black, American jazz musicians to record her own music in her own studio, and to release music on her own terms. There is something to be said about timing. It can take a moment for people to recognize where the energies are, where the weight is...  But now people across all generations are finding their way to Alice's music in a myriad of different ways. It's hard to pinpoint what makes her music so powerful,  but there's something in her spirit , in her intention that is very clear - and people can feel that immediately.”

Brent Leggs, executive director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund and SVP of the National Trust for Historic Preservation says, “Alice Coltrane’s boundless creativity and immense talent are a testament to the transformative power of music. Her dedication to uplifting marginalized communities has been an inspiration to millions of people across the globe. The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund is proud to work alongside the Coltrane family and other local organizations to preserve the John and Alice Coltrane Home, a sacred sanctuary where Alice’s work can inspire future generations to create art and seek beauty in their own lives.”

In celebration of the enduring legacy of Alice Coltrane, THE YEAR OF ALICE presents a series of initiatives, detailed below:

ALICE COLTRANE – MUSIC RELEASES
On March 22, Impulse! will release Alice Coltrane - The Carnegie Hall Concert, a captivating performance recorded in 1971, which marked Coltrane’s first show as a leader at Carnegie Hall and features an all-star lineup including Pharoah Sanders, Archie Shepp, Jimmy Garrison, Cecil McBee and Ed Blackwell, among others. Listen to “Shiva-Loka” out now. In June, UMe/Verve will re-release A Monastic Trio, the first solo album from Alice Coltrane originally released and recorded in 1968 in her studio at The John & Alice Coltrane Home. A third Impulse! release will be announced later this year, for release during the holiday season.

AN ORAL HISTORY OF ALICE COLTRANE
Michelle Coltrane, vocalist and daughter of Alice Coltrane, and rising star harpist Brandee Younger, have joined forces for An Oral History of Alice Coltrane. This program is part panel and performance, and will feature oral histories and biographical stories about Alice Coltrane from her daughter, inter-weaved with performance and demonstrations from Brandee to bring the stories to life. An Oral History of Alice Coltrane will be presented at universities, colleges and museums across the country.

Dates are currently being set at the Center for Women’s History at the New York Historical Society, Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art, Oberlin, University of Michigan, and more to follow.

Brandee Younger says, “It is my honor to be a part of Year Of Alice and to pay tribute to the pianist and organist; harpist, vocalist; composer and author; Alice Coltrane, also known as Swamini Turiyasangitananda. Her musical & spiritual journey helped define and shape a life and an entire musical genre. Spiritual, meditative, cathartic, exciting, transformative, transcendental, soulful & Black.”

ALICE COLTRANE’S HARP RESTORATION
In 1967, John Coltrane gifted a harp to Alice, which arrived at her doorstep shortly after his passing. This was Alice’s first harp – she had never played the instrument before – and the harp on which she recorded her seminal works, including Journey In Satchidananda, A Monastic Trio and countless others.

This year, Lyon & Healy, renowned Chicago-based instrument manufacturer, are restoring Alice’s harp to peak performance condition, after which it will be on loan to Brandee Younger from the Coltrane Family. Special performances will feature Brandee and Alice’s harp throughout the year.

ALICE COLTRANE: THE CONCERTS
Detroit, New York and Los Angeles are three cities that have deep importance and historical relevance in the life of Alice Coltrane – marking her early life surrounded by the gospel churches of Detroit, her New York life with John Coltrane and start of her musical career, and her time in California when she founded her ashram and continued her spiritual journey.

On Labor Day weekend of 2024, the Detroit Jazz Festival will present an ambitious musical event on the opening night of their season, curated by Ravi Coltrane, featuring some of Ravi’s closest musical associates, as well as string players culled from local orchestras including the Detroit Symphony. This is a world premiere performance and the first time Ravi Coltrane has undertaken a project of this magnitude, in service to his mother’s work, and will be the first concert of the YEAR OF ALICE. More details will be announced on April 10 during the livestreamed 2024 Detroit Jazz Festival Preview Event.

“To truly honor and celebrate the artists who have left an indelible mark on history, especially someone as deep as our Detroit sister Alice Coltrane, we must develop an accurate understanding of the gifts they left behind and build on those gifts with new perspectives, generations and artistry,” says Chris Collins, president and artistic director of the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation. “For 45 years the Detroit Jazz Festival has sought to propagate the living breathing jazz legacy and the artists as agents of inspiration. We are very proud to work with the Coltrane house and the Coltrane family to rediscover Alice’s music from the source and present a world premiere that brings her voice to new generations and embodies her legacy of challenging boundaries, evolving the art and inspiring all of us to new heights.”

https://www.detroitjazzfest.org/

In New York and Los Angeles, large-scale concerts curated by Ravi Coltrane are being developed for 2025. More details to be announced.

ALONZO KING LINES BALLET
During the 2024-2025 season, the famed Alonzo King LINES Ballet company of San Francisco, will present two world premiere dance works, choreographed by famed founder Alonzo King. The first is to Coltrane’s 1971 iconic album Journey In Satchidananda, and the second will be choreographed to a brand new world premiere work by Ravi Coltrane, inspired by his mother.

“The music of Alice Coltrane was inspiration for some of my earliest choreographic works,” says Alonzo King, founder of the Alonzo King LINES Ballet company. “Her transcendent music is a world that I had dreamed of and had at last found.  Its inspiration is unending. I’m so looking forward to working with Ravi Coltrane on this creation.”

https://linesballet.org/

THE JOHN & ALICE COLTRANE HOME: First-Ever Community Programming in Brooklyn
This year, The John & Alice Coltrane Home will present their first-ever community programming in Brooklyn, New York, bringing lectures, performances and more – in addition to the Dix Hills on Long Island programming – to ShapeShifter Plus, in partnership with the School For Improvisational Music.

The first event of this series will be a listening party and conversation with Ravi Coltrane and Reggie Workman around Alice Coltrane’s album Transfiguration and will take place at ShapeShifter Plus this spring. More programming to be announced.

https://shapeshifterplus.org/

HAMMER MUSEUM – UCLA
In early 2025, the Hammer Museum at UCLA will host an Alice Coltrane-inspired exhibit – featuring 10,000 square feet of multimedia artistic contributions, including architectural installations and works from new artists, all  inspired by Coltrane’s creative legacy.

https://hammer.ucla.edu/

LITERARY WORKS OF ALICE COLTRANE
In 1977, Alice Coltrane-Turiyasangitananda published Monument Eternal, a devotional text and autobiography that traced and chronicled her spiritual evolution and philosophies of wisdom. There are plans in the works for a re-release of Monument Eternal.

Additionally – a yet unreleased devotional literary work from Coltrane entitled Endless Wisdom III will see the light of day.

More information to be announced.

Sat, 02/24/2024 - 10:45 am

Dustin Kensrue, singer-songwriter (and frontman of Thrice) announced the upcoming release of his third solo album, Desert Dreaming, out April 5 via BMG. The album is an epic alt-country masterpiece, summoning the spirit of the American southwest, flush with tremolo guitar and shuffling percussion that echo off canyon walls. Pre-order Desert Dreaming HERE. Kensrue also announced a U.S. tour with stops including Brooklyn’s Music Hall of Williamsburg. Pre-sale tickets available now HERE.

Accompanying the announcement is the release of Desert Dreaming’s first single, “Death Valley Honeymoon,” which details the wild but true story of how Kensrue’s grandparents met and recounts their honeymoon in the seemingly unlikely destination of Death Valley. Listen to “Death Valley Honeymoon” HERE and watch the heartwarming video of the newlywed couple celebrating their love at a Death Valley saloon where Kensrue is joined by Cat Clyde soulfully singing and strumming their guitars HERE.

“There were multiple moments while writing that I felt like I was channeling my grandparents’ spirits in one way or another,” says Kensrue. “Having Cat Clyde sing my grandmother’s verse in the song really brought the whole thing home for me and she absolutely nailed it. Even the actor who plays my grandpa in the video showed up on set and gave me and my sister a start when we saw how eerily his face and smile made him resemble my mom’s dad.”

“Kensrue has taken another sharp left turn by crafting a beautifully old-fashioned country song,” states FLOOD on the premiere of “Death Valley Honeymoon.” “Coupled with the wonderfully nostalgic video, it’s a touching homage to the legacy and love of family, as well as the genre itself.”

The self-produced album is Kensrue’s epic love letter to the southwest. He takes us on a personal travel journey through his own experiences in learning how to open his eyes to the world right in front of him. “The setting really is the main character of the record,” claims Kensrue as he approached the songs like a Western novelist, filling them with details of the desert–the sound of coyotes howling in the distance, the smell of sage and lilac in the dry wind, the lure of hidden treasures in the hills.

Inspired partially by childhood trips spent with his grandparents in the Mojave Desert, these ten tunes mix biography, history, and fiction and were recorded by Kensrue with the help of collaborators like upright bassist Seth Richardson, pedal steel guitarist Abe Levy, and drummer James McAlister. Reflecting on themes including learning to experience the world as it is and not as you expect it to be, Kensrue weaves timeless tales of people too blinded by goldlust or misplaced obligation to see the riches all around them, and of souls quietly moved by the stark beauty of the desert landscape.

With Desert Dreaming Kensrue heralds a new sense of appreciation for the desert he had begun to overlook after living in the southwest for most of his life, reminding us sometimes all we need is to open our eyes, to fully appreciate what was in front of us all along. “There are things we can only learn in encounters in the hinterlands, both of the world and of our souls,” claims Kensrue. “It’s so easy to miss what’s right in front of us when we are set on finding something else and looking through mental and spiritual lenses that filter out so much.”

Track List

1. Death Valley Honeymoon

2. High Scalers

3. Treasure in the West

4. Lift Your Eyes

5. Western Skies

6. The Heart of Sedona

7. Sage & Lilac

8. The Light of the Moon

9. Leaving Tonight for Santa Fe

10. Desert Dreaming

2024 Tour Dates

4/24/24 - Austin, TX - The Parish

4/25/24 - Dallas, TX - Sons of Hermann Hall

4/27/24 - Orlando, FL - The Social

4/28/24 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl

4/29/24 - Nashville, TN - Eastside Bowl

5/1/24 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar

5/2/24 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg

5/3/24 - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall

5/4/24 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts

5/6/24 - Lakewood, OH - Mahall’s

5/7/24 - Detroit, MI - Magic Stick

5/8/24 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge

5/9/24 - St. Louis, MO - Off Broadway

5/11/24 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater

5/12/24- Salt Lake City, UT - Commonwealth

5/14/24- Seattle, WA - Neumos

5/15/24 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios

5/17/24 - San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill

5/18/24 - Los Angeles, CA - The Roxy Theatre

5/19/24 - Santa Ana, CA - Observatory

Fri, 03/08/2024 - 7:43 am

Today, legendary roots star Taj Mahal released Swingin’ Live at the Church in Tulsa, a dynamic live album, out now via Lightning Rod Records. Order HERE.

His latest project is an extraordinary set recorded live at the Tulsa studio, best known as the home base of Shelter Records and the late, great Leon Russell, a huge influence and personal friend of Taj. The ten songs reach across multiple genres that he has explored in his incomparable career and feature “The Taj Mahal Sextet,” which includes Taj’s long-time quartet—bassist Bill Rich, drummer Kester Smith, and guitarist/Hawaiian lap steel player Bobby Ingano—augmented by dobro player Rob Ickes and guitarist and vocalist Trey Hensley. Taj also announced a U.S., Canada, and Australia tour with dates including Los Angeles’ Luckman Fine Arts Complex. Tickets are on sale now - details are below.

The album has received high praise from SPIN, American Songwriter, No Depression, Riff Magazine, Folk Alley and more, with No Depression exclaiming: “It’s like hearing the voice of God. He commands your attention, a mix of the stern Old Testament God laying down the law and the New Testament one inviting sinners to gather round and learn something while they get cleansed.”

At 81 years old, Taj can easily claim musical legend status. He has four Grammy Awards to his name (out of fifteen nominations), alongside a lifetime of other achievements and a career spanning seven decades, releasing nearly 50 albums, Taj is both an architect and custodian of the roots music sound. Proficient in 20 different instruments and a serial collaborator, Taj has worked with musicians including the Rolling Stones, Etta James, Angelique Kidjo, Ziggy Marley, and more. There are few musicians that Taj’s music has not touched.

“Some of us were gifted by our ancestors to be in a long line of musicians,” says Taj Mahal. “It's in your DNA. Others are lucky to find it and put in the dedication that it takes to be able to get there. So that’s my life as an 81-year-old—still playing music, still enjoying it, still getting to do the things I want to do.”

Constructed in 1915 as Grace M.E. Church, the Church Studio was purchased by Russell in 1972, who converted it into a recording studio / office for his famed Shelter Records label, which became a creative home to artists including, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Eric Clapton, The Gap Band, JJ Cale, Jimmy Buffett, Willie Nelson, and Stevie Wonder, among others. Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, current owners Ivan Acosta and Teresa Knox completed their renovation of the space in 2022 bringing it back to life as an analog recording studio, including a NEVE 8068 console and a museum-quality vintage microphone collection. The historic studio is dedicated to showcasing the legacy of the “Tulsa Sound” and creating opportunities for the next generation of musicians.

Taj first became aware of Oklahoma’s central role in American music through a family friend named James Brewer. “He was one of the coolest guys that we ever met,” says Taj. “Dressed sharp all the time, played alto a little bit with those territory bands out there like Ernie Fields and Bennie Moten.” Later, he solidified a connection to the region’s musicians through guitarist and close collaborator Jesse Ed Davis, who introduced him to such Tulsa-based players as JJ Cale, Bobby Keys, and, eventually, the force of nature known as Leon Russell.

Tulsa holds rich and tragic historical significance to Black history and culture. It was a hotbed for jazz and blues, with Tulsa being a stop on the famed Chitlin’ Circuit and home to the Greenwood neighborhood known as Black Wall Street due to its thriving Black community, Black businesses, and home to roughly 10,000 residents.  It was all destroyed in the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, where a white mob killed hundreds of residents, burned more than 1,250 homes, and erased years of Black success in the area.

“A lot of the people that caused that Massacre to happen were highly unevolved human beings,” stated Taj, “Unfortunately, this country didn't start with the best of people; some of them didn't have brains above their ankles, and they did not know how to handle the success of people they viewed as relegated to the bottom of society. Fortunately, there has been a tremendous amount of music and art to come out of the state of Oklahoma, and there's a great, diverse population that's there. The people have tried to make their way, and there's been some progress that has been slow. Clearly and obviously, people have been working to evolve themselves past those kinds of ugly examples of what human beings can do, to and with, and against one another. Let's hope that the lesson from that doesn't fall on deaf ears and that we continue to evolve.”

The album was recorded in front of a live audience, features Taj’s Sextet, and continues his legacy of confounding genres where he has pioneered an eclectic roots music sound that draws on Blues, Soul, reggae, Latin, R&B, Cajun, Caribbean, gospel, West African, jazz, calypso, Hawaiian slack-key, and countless other musical styles that he weaves throughout an astonishing body of work. The set ranges from some of the songs he is best known for—“Corinna,” “Queen Bee”—to the instrumental “Twilight in Hawaii” (representing his long association with the Aloha State’s musical traditions, especially through his Hula Blues Band) to a glorious closing jam on T-Bone Walker’s “Mean Old World” that stretches beyond the ten-minute mark.

Taj studied Animal Husbandry at the University of Massachusetts before heading to Los Angeles in 1964 to pursue music. He began his solo career with such pioneering projects as The Natch’l Blues and the expansive double album Giant Step/De Old Folks at Home, demonstrating his ambitious sense of possibility for American roots music. In the twenty-first century, Taj has collaborated with many of the remarkable musicians who were directly influenced by his work and his example, including Keb’ Mo, Los Lobos, and Ben Harper. His reunion with Ry Cooder on 2022’s Get On Board won his latest Grammy, for Best Traditional Blues Album, and his most recent studio release, Savoy, is a collection of classic jazz songs.

With Swingin’ Live at the Church in Tulsa, all the variables came together—a well-seasoned band being pushed by talented guests sitting in; a musically sophisticated audience; a venue that not only offered a sense of history but also top-of-the-line acoustics as both a performance and recording space.

“People don't pay me for the music,” says Taj Mahal. “They pay me for what it takes me to get there. I would gladly play music for free if I could be heard, but I found I can make a living at it. And then I can come to a place like the Church Studio, and it's all the great things at one time.”

Track List
01 - Betty And Dupree
02 - Mailbox Blues
03 - Queen Bee
04 - Lovin' In My Baby's Eyes
05 - Waiting For My Papa To Come Home
06 - Slow Drag
07 - Sitting On Top Of The World
08 - Twilight In Hawaii
09 - Corrina
10 - Mean Old World

2024 Tour Dates
Mar 09, 2024 Koerner Hall, Toronto, ON
Mar 10, 2024 National Arts Centre, Ottawa, ON
(All featuring Sona Jobarteh except Ridgefield Playhouse)
Mar 30 - 31, 2024 Byron Bay Bluesfest 2024, Tyagarah, Australia

Fri, 03/08/2024 - 8:06 am

All hail the king of country soul - today, GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter Marcus King released “Hero,” the third single from his forthcoming Rick Rubin-produced album Mood Swings, released on April 5 via American/Republic Records. King also announced he will return to the Tonight Show on Monday March 11 2024 for a highly anticipated performance.

Pre-order Mood Swings HERE.

On “Hero,” co-written with Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys), King’s arresting vocal shares the tale of relationship struggles, crediting exes, divine intervention and Auerbach for inspiration for the timeless track.

“This is one of those songs that seemed to write itself in a way” stated King, “I was at Easy Eye in Nashville just dropping in to say hey to the fellas. I remember being a little troubled from a recent argument with my then girlfriend and also struggling to maintain a fairly new sobriety at that time. In retrospect it feels like a divine intervention that Dan and I both end up at the kitchen table with guitars and this beautiful chord structure comes out of Dan’s palms. This is one of my favorite cuts on the album, because it has very little to no metaphor, hyperbolic lyrics or any other “writing” techniques- it’s simply a story. What I now recognize as one of the 4 attachment styles, a story of a girl unwilling to rely on anyone for her happiness and hell bent on doing things herself or on her own as to keep from relying on anyone. “You weren’t looking for a hero””

Listen to the new single, “Hero,” HERE.

Marcus also performed at star studded event, Love Rocks NYC last night, raising funds for God's Love We Deliver at the historic Beacon Theatre alongside The Black Keys, Hozier, Nile Rodgers, Tom Morello, Allison Russell, Dave Grohl, Larkin Poe, Trombone Shorty and more. King also sets out tomorrow on his 2024 headlining tour across North America and Europe produced by Live Nation and FPC Live!, in addition to dates supporting Chris Stapleton. The first date is tomorrow night at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY. Find more information on tickets HERE.

Mood Swings is King’s magnum opus, an eclectic symphony of soul that is uniquely timeless and current. Drawing on King’s darkest moments, it became a beacon of hope for King as he created it, and will be a refuge for anyone going through similar challenges in their lives.

Legendary producer Rick Rubin who has worked with everyone from Adele to Johnny Cash, was instantly drawn to King’s guitar playing, singular voice and songwriting, and after witnessing a King live performance, one day randomly cold-called him to float the idea of working together.

Rick Rubin stated, “I love the way listening to this album makes me feel. I can’t think of another project quite like this one. Marcus’s playing and singing are from another planet.”

Despite its often bleak subject matter, Mood Swings is an album with a message of hope. Rubin helped King find a new personal and sonic approach and instead of crumbling under the weight of his anxiety, Rubin inspired him to shift his perspective. “He helped me view mental health as a writing partner in a way,” recalls Marcus. “I’ve learned it can give me that creative spark.” On the album, we find King gracefully standing in his own truth, accepting the challenges he’s faced and coming out the otherside a man renewed. It is a rebirth of both his sound and of his mind.

King is a GRAMMY® nominated fourth generation musician from Greenville, SC, who started playing guitar at 8 years old following in the footsteps of his guitarist Father and Grandpa. Logging thousands of miles on the road as “The Marcus King Band,” he established himself with unparalleled performance prowess and a dynamic live show. His solo debut El Dorado, garnering a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best Americana Album.” In between packing venues on his own, he performed alongside Chris Stapleton, Greta Van Fleet, and Nathanial Rateliff in addition to gracing the bills of Stagecoach and more with one seismic show after the next. He has been open about his challenges with mental health in his songs and throughout his career, and has launched various mental health initiatives, most recently a guitar auction collaboration with MusiCares.

TRACKLIST

    Mood Swings
    F*ck My Life Up Again
    Soul It Screams
    Save Me
    Hero
    Delilah
    Inglewood Motel (Halestorm)
    This Far Gone
    Bipolar Love
    Me Or Tennessee
    Cadillac

MOOD SWINGS THE WORLD TOUR DATES

TICKETS: Tickets for the North America dates will be available starting with Citi presale (details below) beginning Monday, February 12. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general onsale beginning Friday, February 16 at 10am local time at LiveNation.com.

PRESALE: Citi is the official card of the MARCUS KING: MOOD SWINGS THE WORLD TOUR North America dates. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Monday, February 12 at 10am local time until Thursday, February 15 at 10PM local through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com.

March 9, 2024 - The Capitol Theatre - Port Chester, NY
April 6, 2024 – U.S. Bank Stadium - Minneapolis, MN w/ Chris Stapleton
April 13, 2024 – 10 Annual Major Rager - Augusta, GA
April 19, 2024 - Moon Crush “Pink Moon” Festival - Miramar Beach, FL
May 06, 2024 - The Moore Theater - Seattle, WA
May 07, 2024 - Crystal Ballroom - Portland, OR
May 08, 2024 - Crystal Ballroom - Portland, OR
May 10, 2024 - The Masonic - San Francisco, CA
May 11, 2024 - Grand Sierra Ballroom - Reno, NV
May 14, 2024 - The Wiltern - Los Angeles, CA
May 15, 2024 - The Van Buren - Phoenix, AZ
May 17, 2024 - The Complex - Salt Lake City, UT
May 18, 2024 - Fillmore Auditorium - Denver, CO
May 22, 2024 - The Monument - Rapid City, SD w/ Chris Stapleton
May 24, 2024 - Denny Sanford PREMIER Center - Sioux Falls, SD w/ Chris Stapleton
May 25, 2024 - Harrah’s Stir Cove - Council Bluffs, IA
May 26, 2024 - EPIC Event Center - Green Bay, WI*
May 29, 2024 - The Pageant - St Louis, MO
May 30, 2024 - GLC Live at 20 Monroe - Grand Rapids, MI
May 31, 2024 - Blossom Music Center - Cleveland OH w/ Chris Stapleton
June 01, 2024 - Railbird Festival - Lexington, KY
June 02, 2024 - Salt Shed - Chicago, IL
June 04, 2024 - College Street Music Hall - New Haven, CT*
June 06, 2024 - Freedom Mortgage Pavilion - Philadelphia, PA w/ Chris Stapleton
June 07, 2024 - Jiffy Lube Live - Bristow, VA w/ Chris Stapleton
June 08, 2024 - Landmark Theatre - Syracuse, NY
June 10, 2024 - Ruby Amphitheater - Morgantown, WV*
June 12, 2024 - T-Mobile Center - Kansas City, MO w/ Chris Stapleton
June 13, 2024 - Thunder Ridge Nature Arena - Ridgefield, MO w/ Chris Stapleton
June 14, 2024 - The Criterion - Oklahoma City, OK
June 15, 2024 - Globe Life Field - Arlington, TX w/ Chris Stapleton
July 11, 2024 - Darien Lake Amphitheater - Darien Center, NY w/ Chris Stapleton
July 12, 2024 - The Pavilion at Star Lake - Pittsburgh, PA w/ Chris Stapleton
July 13, 2024 - Palace Theatre - Albany, NY
July 16, 2024 - Egyptian Room - Indianapolis, IN
July 18, 2024 - Huntington Center - Toledo, OH w/ Chris Stapleton
July 19, 2024 - Schottenstein Center - Columbus, OH w/ Chris Stapleton
July 20, 2024 - The Fillmore Detroit - Detroit, MI
September 04, 2024 - Orpheum - Vancouver, BC
September 06, 2024 - Grey Eagle Event Center - Calgary, AB
September 07, 2024 - Midway Music Hall - Edmonton, AB
September 09, 2024 - Burton Cummings Theatre - Winnipeg, MB
September 13, 2024 - Massey Hall - Toronto, ON
September 14, 2024 - London Music Hall - London, ON
September 17, 2024 - Kemba Live! - Columbus, OH
September 19, 2024 - Warner Theatre - Washington, D.C.
September 20, 2024 - Warner Theatre - Washington, D.C.
September 21, 2024 - The Ritz - Raleigh, NC
September 24, 2024 - Avondale Brewing - Birmingham, AL
September 26, 2024 - Riverside Theater - Milwaukee, WI
September 28, 2024 - The Sylvee, Madison, WI
September 29, 2024 - Vibrant Music Hall - Des Moines, IA
October 07, 2024 - Roxian Theatre - Pittsburgh, PA
October 09, 2024 - State Theatre - Portland, ME
October 11, 2024 - House of Blues Boston - Boston, MA
October 12, 2024 - The Fillmore - Philadelphia, PA
October 13, 2024 - Brooklyn Paramount – Brooklyn, NYOctober 17, 2024 - La Riviera - Madrid, Spain
October 18, 2024 - Sala Apolo - Barcelona, Spain
October 20, 2024 - Fabrique Milano - Milan, Italy
October 21, 2024 - Komplex 457 - Zurich, Switzerland
October 23, 2024 – Le Transbordeur – Lyon, France
October 25, 2024 - Essigfabrik - Cologne, Germany
October 27, 2024 - Markthalle - Hamburg, Germany
October 28, 2024 - De Roma - Antwerp, Belgium
October 29, 2024 - AFAS Live - Amsterdam, Netherlands
October 31, 2024 - Metropol - Berlin, Germany
November 01, 2024 – The Grey Hall - Copenhagen, Denmark
November 03, 2024 - Bataclan - Paris, France
November 05, 2024 - Eventim Apollo - London, UK
November 06, 2024 - Albert Hall - Manchester, UK
November 07, 2024 - Barrowland Ballroom - Glasgow, UK
November 09, 2024 - O2 Institute - Birmingham, UK
November 10, 2024 - The Great Hall - Cardiff, UK
November 12, 2024 - Olympia - Dublin, Ireland

*No Citi Presale

Tue, 03/12/2024 - 9:04 am

Last night GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter Marcus King exclusively debuted his new song “Delilah” on NBC’s The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon. A remarkable track from his forthcoming Rick Rubin-produced album Mood Swings, released on April 5 via American/Republic Records. Watch the video HERE.

Playing piano for the first time on live TV, and accompanied by 3 part harmony vocals, King went full Elton on a seismic performance of his new piano rock track “Delilah,” claiming his crown with one of the greatest TV performances in recent music history.

Discussing the forthcoming song, which will only be available via The Tonight Show until album release, King stated, “it’s a coming-of-age tale about learning how to love and how to allow yourself to stay still long enough to be loved.” On performing on piano and letting his vocals be the focus rather than guitar, he quipped,  “There was no hiding behind the guitar at all.”

Pre-order Mood Swings HERE.

Mood Swings is King’s magnum opus, an eclectic symphony of soul that is uniquely timeless and current. Drawing on King’s darkest moments, it became a beacon of hope for King as he created it, and will be a refuge for anyone going through similar challenges in their lives. Legendary producer Rick Rubin who has worked with everyone from Adele to Johnny Cash, was instantly drawn to King’s guitar playing, singular voice and songwriting, and after witnessing a King live performance, one day randomly cold-called him to float the idea of working together.

Rick Rubin stated, “I love the way listening to this album makes me feel. I can’t think of another project quite like this one. Marcus’s playing and singing are from another planet.”

Despite its often bleak subject matter, Mood Swings is an album with a message of hope. Rubin helped King find a new personal and sonic approach and instead of crumbling under the weight of his anxiety, Rubin inspired him to shift his perspective. “He helped me view mental health as a writing partner in a way,” recalls Marcus. “I’ve learned it can give me that creative spark.” On the album, we find King gracefully standing in his own truth, accepting the challenges he’s faced and coming out the otherside a man renewed. It is a rebirth of both his sound and of his mind.

King is a GRAMMY® nominated fourth generation musician from Greenville, SC, who started playing guitar at 8 years old following in the footsteps of his guitarist Father and Grandpa. Logging thousands of miles on the road as “The Marcus King Band,” he established himself with unparalleled performance prowess and a dynamic live show. His solo debut El Dorado, garnering a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best Americana Album.” In between packing venues on his own, he performed alongside Chris Stapleton, Greta Van Fleet, and Nathanial Rateliff in addition to gracing the bills of Stagecoach and more with one seismic show after the next. He has been open about his challenges with mental health in his songs and throughout his career, and has launched various mental health initiatives, most recently a guitar auction collaboration with MusiCares.

TRACKLIST

    Mood Swings
    F*ck My Life Up Again
    Soul It Screams
    Save Me
    Hero
    Delilah
    Inglewood Motel (Halestorm)
    This Far Gone
    Bipolar Love
    Me Or Tennessee
    Cadillac

Fri, 03/15/2024 - 3:12 pm

Today, legendary funk musician Bootsy Collins releases a new single dripping with funk and whimsy, “The Influencers,” featuring Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, and The Eurythmics' Dave Stewart. Listen to the single here, released today via Bootzilla Records.

Bootsy Collins says, “I am an influencer, you are an influencer. Together we influence change within our journey through life. So hold on tight, cause we will be funkin’ through the rest of the night.”

The new single, “The Influencers,” is a taste of what Bootsy Collins has been cooking up in his Cincinnati studio for the past year. Featuring icons including Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, and musician Dave Stewart (The Eurythmics), all of whom Bootsy has collaborated with over the years, the single is a bold sonic display of the 73-year old funk legend’s unwavering and prolific creativity that has only grown in recent years.  Also featured on the track are Bootzilla Records emerging artists Fantaazma and Westcoast Stone.

Bootsy drops this delicious funky gem amidst a whirlwind of appearances at SXSW 2024, including tonight (March 15),  Funk Not Fight Austin Rally 4 Peace and performance at Lady Bird Stage, where Bootsy will take the stage alongside legendary Ohio funk band Zapp. Further details here:

Friday March 15th

Funk Not Fight Austin Rally 4 Peace

Venue: Lady Bird Stage

3-4pm Welcome to Funk Not Fight Austin Rally 4 Peace

Opening Acts & DJ

4pm Zapp Featuring Bootsy Collins

5:30- 5:50 Funk Not Fight Austin 4 Peace

Round Table

Funk Not Fight Austin Rally 4 Peace

5:50-7 Bootzilla Records Showcase:

Henry Invisible

West Coast Stone

Myra Washington

Young James Brown

Fantaazma

Saturday March 16th

Peppermint Patti Super Hero

Venue: Lady Bird Lake

4.30pm

Pourri's Funk Factory Experience presented by Rolling Stone

Venue: Speakeasy - 412 Congress Avenue #D Austin, TX 7870

8:45pm

Funk Not Fight

While Bootsy has been working diligently in his studio, he’s also been maintaining momentum on his initiative Funk Not Fight, creating partnerships and raising awareness in Compton, Cincinnati, Cleveland and more cities across the country to be announced. The Funk Not Fight project is a growing initiative to create opportunities in communities that encourage peace, creativity, and anti-violence. Partners and supporters include The Bootsy Collins Foundation, Syncr, The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, Apple, Spotify, Tudor Games, with additional partners to be announced. Partial proceeds raised will go towards initiatives that are in need of financial support, that are dedicated to helping turn the tide of violence and unrest in our communities.

About Bootsy Collins

For over fifty years, Bootsy Collins has been a musical and cultural icon, from his work as a founding members of James Brown’s band The J.B.’s, to his extensive and impactful work in Parliament-Funkadelic, to his own solo project Bootsy’s Rubber Band, which scored #1 R&B hits and been sampled by the likes of Beyonce, 2Pac, Childish Gambino and more.  His prolific output continued, with  2011’s The Funk Capital of the World, 2017’s Worldwide Funk, and 2020’s The Power of The One  all featuring stellar guests from Snoop Dogg (who refers to the legend as Uncle Bootsy), Cornel West, and more. Bootsy was also featured on Silk Sonic’s GRAMMY award-winning album An Evening With,alongside Thundercat, and most recently wrote a song with R&B hitmaker Jidenna.

Sat, 03/23/2024 - 2:20 pm

Today, British trio The Wandering Hearts (Tara Wilcox [vocals], A.J. Dean [vocals, acoustic guitar] and Francesca “Chess” Whiffin [vocals, mandolin]) released their latest record, Mother, the band’s Chrysalis Records debut. Mother is out now digitally, on CD and LP, including exclusive, signed coloured vinyl and a limited number of test pressings.

The focus track, “Hold Your Tongue” pushes back against passive-aggressive “compliments” with sharp lyrics and confident vocal melodies. “You know when someone says, ‘Oh, you’d look pretty if you put on more makeup?’,” says Tara Wilcox on the triumphant track. “The song essentially replies,‘If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything. I don’t have time for it.’”

Watch visualizer for “Hold Your Tongue” HERE
Listen to Mother HERE

“Some albums have songs to make you feel inspired, empowered, thoughtful, and move you in different ways,” says Tara Wilcox, “It would be wonderful if there was a song on Mother to help you in any moment you need.” Produced by Steve Milbourne (session credits for Shania Twain and Alanis Morissette), their Chrysalis Records debut is a handcrafted patchwork of folk-style storytelling, pop hooks and rock energy threaded together by their luminous signature harmonies. You could think of it as a long-lost seventies album originally made in Laurel Canyon and dusted off in some vintage London record store 50 years later.

An album encapsulating both turbulence and joy, Mother detailed the journey of motherhood and all the self-discovery and ramifications that came along. From the timeless ode to their sonic home, “About America,” to the brewing storm that was “River To Cry,” as well as “Waiting,” a reminiscent highlight track led by A.J. Dean’s touching vocals–Mother is no doubt the best album from The Wandering Hearts thus far.

Every memory holds the potential to last forever, responsibilities expand, yet joy does as well. The Wandering Hearts intimately explore this maternal transformation on the album. The band chronicle this season of growth and change across eleven tracks.

“I was pregnant when we started making the record, and Tara was pregnant when we finished it,” notes Chess. “During the process, we really found ourselves as a band. Motherhood has helped us grow and find meaning. It brought our writing and performing to a different level.”

The group worked out of Chess’s home studio in Darlington, drawing on everything from folk and rock. Surrounded by guitars, a vintage piano and classic equipment, the music gestated in a room affectionately dubbed, “The Music Womb.” A.J. goes on, “This album started as a folk EP and grew into something entirely different.  It has elements of folk, rock, blues, pop and more with our voices tying it all together. We were really just making an album for us. We think the result is the best music we've ever made.”

Earlier releases had brandished a bit of a subtle pop sheen. With Mother, The Wandering Hearts peeled back this layer, sanded it down and stripped the sound to its bare essentials—captivating lyrics, organic instrumentation, and, as always, starkly powerful harmonies. In doing so, they realized their vision at its purest and most powerful.

In the end, motherhood has ultimately enabled The Wandering Hearts to be themselves. “The album has all of the elements of who we are, but we’ve landed in a place that feels like us,” reflects Chess.

Returning from a successful US radio promo tour and playing across UK and Ireland in March and April, including a show at the phenomenal Electric Brixton in London on April 12th, The Wandering Hearts has been non-stop touring thus far in 2024. The band will return to the US soon with shows in Nashville, TN, Lexington, KY with more dates to come.

Mother Track Listing:
1. About America
2. Still Waters
3. Tired
4. Letter To Myself
5. Hold Your Tongue
6. Waiting
7. Dance Again
8. Not Misunderstood
9. River To Cry
10. Will You Love Me
11. What Fools Believe

March
Fri 22 - Kingston, Banquet Records* - TICKETS
Sat 23 - London, Rough Trade East* - TICKETS
Mon 25 - Leeds, Vinyl Whistle* - TICKETS
Tues 26 - Edinburgh, The Queen’s Hall
Weds 27 - Belfast, The Deer’s Head
Thurs 28 - Dublin, The Workman’s Cellar
Sun 31 - Birmingham, The Mill
*In-store show

April
Tues 2 - Manchester, Gorilla
Weds 3 - Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
Thurs 4 - Nottingham, Rescue Rooms
Fri 5 - Sheffield, Leadmill
Sun 7 - Bristol, The Fleece
Mon 8 - Brighton, Komedia
Thurs 11 - Norwich, Arts Centre
Sat 13 - Cardiff, Tramshed
Fri 19 - Miramar Beach, FL, Moon Crush: Pink Moon
Sat 20 - Asheville, NC, Salvage Station W Lissie
Mon 22 - Nashville, TN, The Basement (headline show)
Tues 23 - Lexington, KY, Manchester Music Hall
Sun 28 - Morgantown, VA, NPR Mountain Stage

May
Fri 31- Oxford, O2 Academy

June
Sat 1 London, London Lafayette

August
Fri + Sat 23 + 24 Shrewsbury Folk Festival
Sun 25 - Cottingham Folk Festival

TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE