Trapper Schoepp just has a name that says it all: a road-worn tag that rings of swampy reverence. While many might recognize Schoepp when he became the youngest musician to share a co-writing credit with Bob Dylan on a long-lost song called “On, Wisconsin” in 2019, he’s also released a series of critically acclaimed albums that have earned him praise as reimagining the musical paths of Jason Isbell and Steve Earle.
Shoepp’s new studio album Siren Songs, is out April 21 via Grand Phony (US) / Rootsy (EU). Produced by John Jackson (The Jayhawks, Ray Davies) and Patrick Sansone (Wilco), the Siren Songs sessions took place at Johnny Cash’s historic Cash Cabin in Hendersonville, TN where they used instruments found on the storied grounds – ranging from June Carter Cash’s Steinway piano to an old railroad spike.
Glide is premiering the distinct “Devil’s Kettle” (below) where the singer-songwriter brings his gritty vocals and guitar work to the forefront. The song finds Schoepp singing about a mysterious split river he encountered along Highway 61, where legend has it that gangsters like Al Capone and his men would dispose of evidence in the natural phenomenon. “Devil’s Kettle” was recorded using Johnny Cash’s 1930s Martin Guitar, affectionately called the “shitkicker” because it sat on his couch and was often played by friends and guests of the Man in Black. That’s just one of the many instruments Schoepp and his collaborators were blessed to use during the making of Siren Songs, a 12-song collection filled with timeless folklore and nautical imagery.
“This song is inspired by the Devil’s Kettle, a mysterious rock formation and waterfall I encountered along Highway 61. A river splits below these waterfalls, with one tributary to Lake Superior and the other flowing underground to an unknown location. It is said gangsters like Al Capone would dispose of bodies in this natural phenomenon. I had the honor of recording this track with Johnny Cash’s 1930s Martin Guitar. It was called the “shitkicker” guitar because it long sat on Johnny’s couch where it was often played by his friends and guests,” adds Schoepp.
