Whitey Morgan and the 78’s anticipated new album, Hard Times and White Lines, will be released October 26 on Whitey Morgan Music via Thirty Tigers and is now available for pre-order. The album features ten songs including the lead single, “Honky Tonk Hell,” which is premiering today at iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, Google and more and can be heard below…
In support of the release, the band will embark on an extensive tour including a debut headline show at Nashville’s legendary Ryman Auditorium on August 25 and a hometown show at Detroit’s The Fillmore on November 3. See below for full tour details.
Once again self-produced by Morgan, Hard Times and White Lines was recorded in the Neve Room at famed Sonic Ranch Studios in Tornillo, Texas. Featured on the record are collaborations with acclaimed songwriters Travis Meadows and Ward Davis plus a cover of ZZ Top’s “Just Got Paid.” Alongside Morgan, the 78’s consist of Brett Robinson (pedal steel guitar), Joey Spina (guitar), Alex Lyon (bass) and Eric Savage (drums).
Of the recording, Morgan shares, “It’s not like my vision happened overnight. I’ve been chipping away at it forever. It’s slowly evolving and it’s going in a little bit different direction. It’s not so straightforward anymore. This record definitely has a wider path, it’s broader, but it still sounds like a Whitey Morgan record.” With grandparents from Tennessee and Kentucky and hometown roots in Flint, Michigan, Morgan’s family geography has factored into his approach to music. Reflecting on his recent move to a small parcel of land near Yosemite in rural California with his wife and son, he says, “I’ve been drinking a little bit less and I got my kid at home now. I’ve been enjoying playing music so much more the last couple years.”
