Tony Harrah’s Facebook bio simply reads: “Honest family man and lover of bourbon and scotch.” It might sound silly if it weren’t so damn true.
The West Virginia-based thirty-eight year old, bearded, single father of three wrestles all that’s best about Americana music past and present into something entirely engaging: a winsome effort that feels and breathes, emoting in every acoustic or electric chord and mildly Springsteen-esque intonation. Focusing his lyrical spotlight often on farmers and blue-collar workers in the American South, Harrah’s visual storylines thread in and out of one another in rich and vigorous detail.
About a year ago, Harrah’s wife suddenly passed away in the middle of the night. Titled Unicorns – which was also the name of the eulogy he gave at his wife’s funeral – his forthcoming record was originally written as a series of stories about simple folk in the American south, but became, on a deeper level, about Harrah’s life, wife, and family.
The album’s lead single “Sweet Lucinda”, which we are excited to premiere on Glide today, is something of a rarity for Harrah. The song focuses its narrative on a farmer who, instead of the ever-popular financial problems associated with similar stories from a bygone era, is dealing with his wife leaving him. With a touch of grit and twang in his voice, Harrah spins tales of love and distrust among simple folk. Musically, he brings together Americana, folk and rock to make for a sound that serves his vocals and lyrics well. The song culminates with a fiery guitar solo and it’s easy to hear the emotion in Harrah’s voice as he sings about lost love.
In his own words, Harrah says the song, “represents my lost lovers. On two knees, begging her to stay, pleading with god for mercy. Love and live are synonymous terms to me. I live you isn’t much different from l love you. When love dies, the farm follows.”
LISTEN:
May 31st // Charleston, WV // The Empty Glass
June 9th // Huntington, WV // V-Club
June 15th // Charleston, WV // Bluegrass Kitchen
June 29th // Charleston, WV // Festivall
June 30th // Fayetteville, WV // The Grove
July 7th // Huntington, WV // V-Club
July 19th // Huntington, WV // Black Sheep
July 20th // Louisville, KY // Magnolia Bar
July 27th // Fayetteville, WV // The Burrito Bar
August 16th // Huntington, WV // Diamond Mary Teeth Blues Festival
September 17th // Perdido Key, FL // Sandy Roots Songwriters Series
September 20th // Hattiesburg, MS // Nick’s Ice House
