There are good bands and there are good people. Sometimes we get both. ~ Dale McCurry

The Vinyl Kings are such a band, as evidenced by both the artistry and message of their third and, perhaps, final album, Big New Life.

And in the end, the Vinyl Kings once again draw on the power of poetry combined with a commitment to social commentary and moral compass prevalent in the music of their youth. ~ Dale McCurry

"We Are All One" is the final release from the Vinyl Kings' year-long project, Big New Life.

The orchestration, harmonies, the lyrics and delivery of "Long Way Down'' are powerful and right on. ~ Dale McCurry

"Long Way Down" is the sixth from the Vinyl Kings' new project, Big New Life, a series of singles unfolding throughout 2023.

"Big New Life" is a Wilburys-esque ensemble composition and delivery. ~ Dale McCurry

"Big New Life" is the second from the Vinyl Kings' new project, Big New Life, a series of singles unfolding throughout 2023.

The stimulus for "Smoke Rings for Renee" was the passing of bandmate Josh Leo's wife, Renee LaRose Leo, an artist and educator, who stepped off this mortal plane on January 29, 2021. ~ Jim Photoglo of the Vinyl Kings

"Smoke Rings for Renee" is the first from the Vinyl Kings' new project, Big New Life, a series of singles unfolding throughout 2023.

Chillemi | "Love is a Wire"

“My new single is a bridge between the debut album With Woman and my new record Vacant Cowboy ... With Woman was written when I was falling in love and Vacant Cowboy is the breakup album - 'Love Is A Wire' is the line right between.” ~CHILLEMI

Lauren Stovall and Pete Sharpe (The Railsplitters) | Staff Photo by Dale McCurry

“Paper Piano was born in a funny way. Max [Hoetzel] casually told me this story, one morning, about his grandmother. Her biggest dream was to be a classical pianist, but her husband hated music. The only thing he permitted in the house was military marches. So his grandmother practiced silently, for sixty years, on a paper piano. The day he died, she went out and bought a baby grand. I thought that sounded like a classic country song, so we sat down and it kinda wrote itself. We feel so lucky to have Jake Workman on guitar from Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, as well as Alex Hargreaves on fiddle.” ~ Sara Shiloh Rae

I originally thought “Gravity Boots” would be about accepting a new normal or adjusting to a loss, but as I wrote it, I realized I wasn’t personally there yet, and it was OK to have a song about the phase where pain and disorientation is still fresh, a recognition of the messiness of the healing process and that early helplessness. On the album, it’s followed by “Full in the Now,” two polar opposites but, ideally, complementary sentiments. ~ Aaron Cabbage, of Surge and the Swell

“What turned out to be just something to occupy our time while we weren’t touring, became something outstanding. I am driven to make music that is lasting and accessible; but my personal style is a combination of sincerity and imagery … It brings me joy to hear how these songs in particular have been given new life.” ~Chris Castino

Thomm Jutz & Tammy Rogers

"The Tree of Life" | Surely Will Be Singing

As songwriters, musicians, and friends, Thomm Jutz and Tammy Rogers explore the Appalachian sounds that inspire them on Surely Will Be Singing, their first-ever album together.

I’ve long been fascinated with the writing of Joseph Campbell. He talks about “the tree of life” as the mythological tree from which Adam and Eve ate. By doing so, the concept of duality entered the world. The cross Jesus died on is “the tree of life” through which non-duality, through the achievement of the full potential of humanity, was restored. The Buddha found enlightenment under “the tree of life.” They died to the world but awoke to the spirit. ~Thomm Jutz

This is my tribute to Porter and the Bluebonnet Rattlesnakes and their tour bus they named Sally Ride. I was almost on the tour that claimed the lives of Chris Porter and Mitchell Vandenburg. The song features Adam Nurre, the sole survivor of the accident, on drums and horn arrangements, as well as former Bluebonnet Rattlesnakes Shonna Tucker on bass and vocal harmonies, and Daniel Stoddard on pedal steel and organs. This song is my proudest accomplishment of my musical career. ~Hank Erwin

"This is a song about the inescapable draw and charm of bad relationships, and how it takes bad, maybe even 'evil' relationships sometimes in order to know what a good one is. This song was recorded days before the historic freeze in Texas this past February—we cut the final take just a few hours before the power went out for a week." ~Ben Balmer

“Greedy Vampires” at its core is about the greedy thoughts that everyone can have and how we try to get by and survive to seek generosity. ~Mike Donello & the New Essentials

“The Middle” isn’t a song about finding some magical compromise in the center of the political spectrum. It’s about maintaining healthy communication with people who disagree with you. When we section ourselves off into bubbles, it makes it easier for us to dehumanize people on the outside. Stereotypes go unchallenged, assumptions
become certainties, and neighbors become enemies. ...

The instrumental arrangement of this song is meant to reflect the chaotic nature of American discourse. ~Dan Friese

The images almost felt like a film reel, the theme of which could be summed up by the song’s refrain: 'What a mess we’ve made.'" ~Mackenzie Shivers

Released July 23, 2021

Caitlin Jemma | “Color”

from her upcoming album True Meaning

Available September 17, 2021

To learn more about Caitlin, visit https://www.caitlinjemma.com/

Official Premiere

Jeremy James Meyer | “Test of Time”

from his new album

Alive & OK

In the spring of 2014 while working for Seattle’s Moisture Festival, I had the pleasure of watching Shannon Gray perform a piece to a song called “To Build A Home.” It was a beautiful interpretation of a very lyrical song the likes of which I had not seen. So when we were brainstorming video concepts for “Test Of Time,” I thought of her and reached out. What you see here is our collaboration in expression. Shot and edited by the lovely Sarah Kathryn Wainwright. ~ Jeremy James Meyer

Colin Clyne | “Within Hindsight”

When asked about the story behind the new single, Clyne had this to say, “… the song is a tale of loss, regret, and hindsight, be it in love, death, or a self-departure from who we felt we were. It is based around the symbol of public benches; more so than ever over the last year I’ve seen so many benches ablaze with flowers and messages to loved ones lost …”.

"For as long as I can remember, this Jackson Browne song has been part of my soundtrack. The plaintive lyrics, simple melody, and beautiful chord structure make it a great song to adopt and interpret. And the fact that the songwriter was only 16 when he wrote it makes it all the more poignant." ~David Starr