On October 19, 2016, tragedy struck on on I-95 in North Carolina when beloved Americana artist, Chris Porter, and his bandmate Mitchell Vandenberg, were killed in a van crash on their way to play a show in Baltimore. Long before his budding solo career, Porter had been an adored staple of the Americana scene, touring all over the country with his bands Some Dark Holler, The Back Row Baptists and Porter & the Pollies.
Prior to his death, Porter—along with an all-star cast of musicians including producer Will Johnson (Centro-matic, South San Gabriel, Monsters of Folk), former Drive-By Truckers bassist Shonna Tucker, Chris and Eleanor Masterson (The Mastersons, Steve Earle), and John Calvin Abney (John Moreland, Samantha Crain)—had just finished writing and recording what would be his swan song, Don’t Go Baby It’s Gonna Get Weird Without You. The album is the follow up to Porter’s acclaimed solo debut, This Red Mountain. Now, with the help of his friends and family, this brilliant posthumous record from Porter and the Bluebonnet Rattlesnakes is slated for an Oct. 20 release via Cornelius Chapel Records.
Coming out one year after his tragic passing, the album is a reminder of how fragile life can be. It’s also a much-needed reminder to pursue that life is precious and there’s nothing that should hold us back from pursuing our dreams. That may sound cheesy, but Chris Porter wanted nothing more than to make music and he happened to do a damn fine job at it. Reminiscent of Southern rockers like the Drive-By Truckers and Lucero, Porter penned brutally honest lyrics about the good times and the bad. On the new album he drifts effortlessly between heartfelt country, gritty rock and roll, and beautiful Americana. Ultimately, the album is a triumph from an artist who still had so much to give to the world and one who seemed destined for bigger stages.
Today Glide is excited to premiere “War Paint”, one of the standout tracks on the album. With its thunderous drums and charged up guitar hook, the song feels like a Southern rock tune from the Seventies with plenty of boogie. The album has some real tender moments, but “War Paint” shows Porter and his band were not afraid to cut loose and rock the hell out. It is a feel-good party tune from an artist who is truly missed.
LISTEN:
Porter & the Bluebonnet Rattlesnakes release Don’t Go Baby It’s Gonna Get Weird Without You on Cornelius Chapel Records October 20th. For more info visit their Facebook page.
Photo by Alex Hooks
