Blindsided along with the rest of the world by the onset of the global COVID 19 pandemic earlier this year, veteran Americana songwriter Will Kimbrough is poised to document this unprecedented moment in history with a new solo acoustic record, Spring Break, set for release October 23.
Created in the documentary-oriented and storytelling tradition of Folkways and Vanguard folk records, Spring Break crystallizes in musical form a period in time that touched and changed the entire globe. The title comes simply from Spring 2020–or as Kimbrough puts it, “When the world broke, and we all took a break.”
While the album is themed around a national and international experience, Kimbrough puts his personal lens on the journey to focus and refine the massive scope. Like many other artists who were out on the road directly prior to the virus outbreak, Kimbrough–who was in Australia at the time–was forced to pause his tour schedule and return home to Nashville.
With no clear idea of when he might be able to return to the stage, he decided to take the opportunity to work on new material. “I started writing,” he notes, adding that he naturally drew inspiration from the circumstances swirling about–including political division, tragic losses, and other aspects of the current climate.
The end result was a collection that Kimbrough found remarkably satisfying. He spent the month of April working on the set: “Before I knew it, I had 14 solo acoustic songs recorded that I just loved.” Indeed, the end result is a set that ranges from gentle and wistful reminiscing to more forceful questioning, to simple reflections; all led along by Kimbrough’s confessional vocals and gift for plainspoken storytelling.
While tour plans continue to remain up in the air for the entire entertainment industry, Kimbrough is in the meantime working to deliver music to thousands of fans through his Patreon page and a weekly Facebook Live show, both of which he utilizes for live performances, podcasts, and even musical instruction.
Glide is proud to premiere “Home Remedy” an autumn folk diamond with a rootsy tenderness that echoes the traveled Americana of Buddy Miler and Steve Earle. Kimbrough remains of America’s most underrated songwriters, a blazing solo artist, producer, and collaborator.
“I wrote ‘Home Remedy’ with Adrienne Young almost 20 years ago. The song has stayed in my head and heart, and I always wanted to release a really simple version of it. I hadn’t thought of it as particularly relevant to the strange goings-on of 2020, but a dear friend heard it and burst into tears and said, ‘Everyone should hear this right now.’
So we decided to release ‘Home Remedy’ as a single. Some love in bloom, lighting up the room, for a shadowy season.”
