SONG PREMIERE: Tony Lucca Finds Hope With Soulful Americana Tune “Other Side Of The Clouds”

Nashville-based singer-songwriter Tony Lucca is flexing his Americana muscles on his forthcoming new album, Ain’t No Storm, which he will be releasing on March 29th. Ain’t No Storm reads like a who’s who of East Nashville notables: Ken Coomer produced the record at his studio, Cartoon Moon, great Nashville players like Michael Webb, Ted Pecchio, and Joe Garcia lent their talents — and even Patrick Sweany stopped in for a cameo on “Room With A View.” Replete with songs borne of his admiration for Nashville’s rich history – the town’s creative community ultimately fueled Lucca’s return to the studio and inspired the new album – Ain’t No Storm finds Lucca embracing with reverence the process and craft of songwriting and taking his time (more than two years) to get it right.

Lucca brought a workman-like mentality to songwriting in his new hometown, writing or co-writing “daily and diligently,” spending years honing his craft. He eventually developed a songwriter residency at Midtown venue The Local, all the while touring the country. Over those formative years at the beginning of Lucca’s Act II, the songwriter again found himself falling in love with the purity of it all. He eventually found a home with Demolition Publishing, which boasts one of Music Row’s more notable rosters of both young and established writers. Between his writing gig and a busy show schedule, Lucca found time to write the songs that would become Ain’t No Storm.

Today Glide is excited to premiere “Other Side Of The Clouds”, a soulful blast of Americana that speaks to our troubled times but offers a ray of optimistic sunshine. With subtle yet layered instrumentation, Lucca lets his heartfelt vocals shine through as he encourages the listener to keep hope even when it seems that the world may be going to shit. Lucca succeeds in tapping into a sort of universal feeling we all have, or at least want to have, as he proves himself to be more than capable of writing lyrics that speak to the everyman. 

Listen to the song and read our chat with Lucca below…

Did something prompt you to write this song? What is the inspiration behind it?

I wrote this with Nashville songwriting stalwart Billy Montana after a lengthy discussion about finding solace in these otherwise turbulent times. I was recalling a meditation that a close friend and fellow yogi had shared with a yoga class I was attending. The meditation was called “You Are The Blue Sky,” and, man, that just filled me with a whole new sense of hope and peace and has stayed with me ever since. “Other Side of the Clouds” was more or less our take on this idea.

Was there anything in particular that drove the sound of this song? Did it end up sounding like you expected it to before you went into the studio?

Yes, this one turned out pretty much exactly the way I had envisioned it. Of course, there were plenty of pleasant surprises that helped take it beyond what I had in mind. I tracked the acoustic guitar and vocal together while bass and drums were tracked at the same time in the next room. The only thing we overdubbed were the electric guitars, piano, and background vocals. I believe Ken (Coomer)’s only real direction before this take was, “Breathe.”

You went into a heavy songwriting mode before you recorded this album. What kinds of things did you learn about yourself as a songwriter when you really explored and studied the craft?

I realized what my tendencies were, my crutches and patterns. It became almost like an exercise to see how far and away I could get from the same palette I had been painting from for so long, while at the same time staying true to myself. You start to discern what it is you want to take pride in and what it is you still need work on. For me, it was finding new and interesting ways to simplify, to find a more convincing tone and narrative. It’s been incredibly educational, this process of maturation.

Now that you’ve settled into the Nashville music community, do you think you’ve found your musical home? What is your favorite music-related experience you’ve had since moving there?

Yeah, I think Nashville is it. I say the best of the best are here, and I aspire to be one of them. I like the pace and the caliber of writing that I’m fortunate enough to take part in each day. One of my favorite music-related experiences was getting to share the stage with Jewel, Alison Krauss, and songwriting heroes Josh Kear and Tony Lane at a fundraiser for our kids’ school. I’m guessing a school with that kind of musical PTA star power could only exist in Nashville.

For more music and info visit tonylucca.com.

Photo credit: Ernie Halter

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