Former Opening Act Gets A Do-Over
Or, benevolent detachment and why no true artist believes their best work is behind them
Photo by Jeremy Cowart
After spending all of Sunday in bed with a headache and nerve twitching, I rose to a hopeful Monday. And it was—though threaded with the understandable, tangible confusion and pain of America. Apart from a short bike ride, I stayed inside editing a video. Still, I could feel the drifting malaise and hesitancy from the comfort of my studio. The absence of the usual Monday morning email dump in my inbox was one telling sign. People were holding back. Taking a pause.
Some wise ones were not. I am grateful for their faithful commitments to think out loud in public. A vocation which is now as dangerous as lumberjacking, underwater welding, and summiting Mount Everest. Some of the best of the brave are right here on Substack. (I'll post some links below).
As planned, my publicists sent out a press release yesterday about my upcoming recording, EVERY KIND OF UH-OH. I received the info later in the day and simply did not have the energy/ambition/heart (??) to repost. Malaise and hesitancy? Yep, likely.
Today I will give it a try.
I am proud and pleased with the work we've all done on the recording. It is after all, my primary version of thinking out loud in public, helped along by a stellar crew of musicians, engineers, assistants, publicists, and the capable team assigned to me at Universal Music Group (the entertainment corporation distributing the album and administering the music publishing).
As some of you know, between my own artistry and production for other artists, I've populated the world with thousands of songs. Still, this outing is the first time in two decades that I've released my music through one of the mammoth entertainment corporations (and Universal being the largest). How such a thing would happen for a 67-year-old "just well-known" record producer and former opening act is a story for another time. Hold that thought. It's a good one.
That story aside, I hope the warm reception and growing opportunities have something to do with quality and getting better with age. Many of the world's greatest recording artists live the bulk of their lives linked to a shiny moment of platinum records and smash hits in their twenties or thirties. Granted, there's something special about the art we make when we're young, centered in the zeitgeist and sound of our era—everyone going for it with seemingly endless energy. I get it.
But no true artist believes their best work is behind them. We are wired for imaginative optimism. The last “what if?” is our last breath.
You can read the press release from Milestone Publicity. Artwork and credits included. Jessica Bonner and Mike Gowen are your contacts for podcast appearances and interviews. They are also handling the same surrounding the release of my memoir, Roots & Rhythm (Eerdmans, 02.04.25).
Some highlights to remember:
EVERY KIND OF UH-OH releases, Friday, August 30th. The first single, "Turtle in a Chinese Food Box" drops on Friday, August 2nd. Video and Dolby/Atmos mix will be released then too.
The “pre-save” is the streaming equivalent of yesterday's “pre-order” – it ensures that the song or album is added to your favorite streaming library the moment it is released.
Yes, there will be CDs and Vinyl! Thanks to Universal's kind consideration, UTR Media has permission to release a limited quantity. More on availability and how to order in coming days.
And, for you audiophiles, there are Lossless files and Dolby/Atmos-Immersive mixes as well (created by the very best in the world right now).
As promised, here are a few of the many voices I'm listening to for perspective and wisdom at this time. Note: I do not require that they all agree with one another or that I agree with their every premise or profession. I'm looking and listening for clues to a trustworthy way forward. Anyone leaving edible, nourishing breadcrumbs on the path gets a thank you.
Jemar Tisby, Kirsten Powers, Kristin Du Mez, Ted Gioia, Danté Stewart, Russell Moore, & Jen Pollock Michel
For a sampling of those thousands of songs, I offer you this diverse playlist of 25—I think it spans 42 years or so.
I’ll leave you with a lyric from the upcoming “The Only Remedy.”
The Only Remedy
Written by Charlie Peacock & Sam Ashworth
It's Time To Art/Songs of Universal (BMI), Smashworth Songs/Songs of Universal (BMI) ©2024
It was Kent who made the picture, I was thin and thinly disguised
Washed in the blood of Jesus, saved but hardly wise
Saved from my transgressions, saved to the unknown
Lost inside a riddle
On what path had my seed of redemption been sown?
Forty years into the future we flew
A flight of finessing the language, the truth
Picking fights among the feathered, always gentle with a smile
It's a gig you do not choose, no manual, no guide to style
Back off my ass a bit dear neighbor is what I'd like to say
Have you thought about living in this century?
Have you ever even heard me play?
Let's start with C then F#, Dm, B diminished
I say, why do you stop listening long before I finish?
It was Steve who snapped the frame, a child in rebel's guise
Iconic, artful, black and white, sign and symbol of the time
Lost inside my confidence, lost outside the city wall
I was saved by a saxophone
You never know what God will use to place a call—to save us all
Forty years into the future we flew
A flight of finessing the language, the truth
Picking fights among the feathered, always gentle with a smile
It's a gig you do not choose, no manual, no guide to style
Back off my ass a bit dear neighbor is what I'd like to say
Have you thought about living in this century?
Have you ever even heard me play?
Let's start with C then F#, Dm, B diminished
Why do you stop listening long before I finish?
Sitting fireside in the woods outside Nashville, Tennessee
One friend she was nursing a reconstructed knee
Another, a poet, a listener for hire
He pondered our stories and offered us relief, he said
Benevolent detachment is the only remedy, he said
Benevolent detachment is the only remedy
Benevolent detachment is the only remedy, he said
Benevolent detachment is the only remedy, he said
Looking forward to the new album, and love the lyrics to The Only Remedy. So true. So gracious. And as always, so thoughtful.