Consummate troubadour and songwriter Tim Easton wrote much of his new album beneath a painting of a red horse. The artwork—created by his sister, visual artist Susan Easton Burns—was executed in an abstract-realist style, using gardening tools instead of paintbrushes to form a vivid image from fragmented strokes. It now serves as the cover art for fIREHORSE, Easton’s 14th commercially released record. Made with zero artificial intelligence, the album also arrives just as the Chinese calendar enters the Year of the (Fire) Horse—an apt coincidence given that Easton himself, born in 1966, is a Fire Horse.
The album will be released on February 20 — CDs and LPs will be available on Easton’s own label, Campfire Propaganda, and digitally via Guy Clark LLC’s Truly Handmade Records (Pre-order/pre-save).
“Whether the painting influenced the songs or the album was shaped to fit the painting makes no difference anymore,” Easton says. “The theme was decided on, and actions were taken to finish the project. If anything, I’m influenced more by my sister’s commitment to art than anything else.”
The album is a personal collection of songs rooted in travel, love, accidents, perseverance, and the ongoing survival of a working songwriter. “One thing for sure is that this was conceived as an album,” he adds. “I like a collection with a theme, and if push comes to shove, the theme here is perseverance.”
Recorded primarily in two Nashville studios, the ten original songs feature production from multi-instrumentalist and arranger Kevin Nolan, plus the rhythm section from country superstar Lainey Wilson—a band of hard-working Nashville musicians Nolan is also a member of. Sonically, the record stretches the boundaries of Americana, a genre Easton helped shape in the late ’90s with his 1997 solo debut Special 20.
fIREHORSE stands as another sturdy entry in the lifelong catalog of a songwriter committed to carving his own path—independent, driven, and devoted to craft, much like the Fire Horse itself.
Today, Glide is offering an exclusive premiere for the standout track “Don’t Let Your Mind Grow Dark,” which was written and taught to the band on the spot during recording, along with its accompanying video. Anchored by open-E Travis picking, it provides the album’s most free-spirited moment. Aiming for something uplifting, Easton conjures an uptempo work of country-blues that gallops along at a hopeful clip. Easton is in fine form, keeping the lyrics simple and the message optimistic, backed by a soundtrack of impressive, soulful electric guitar, harmonica, and thumping bass. Showcasing Easton’s versatility as both a lyricist and a musician, the song feels like a perfect anthem for our troubled times and a reminder that its creator is one of the more consistently excellent artists in the Americana scene today.
Easton describes the message behind the tune:
“I wrote this song during the recording sessions for the fIREHORSE album. I wanted something fresh to bring to the band so I could teach it to them on the spot and record everyone’s first instincts. Making an album is a lot of work that can go smoothly or come with challenges. Your mind can grow dark. If you look around, there is always somebody in your life that is going through a tough time. This was a pep talk to a friend, to my sister who painted the cover art, to her family, and to myself.”
WATCH:
Tour Dates:
Thu, 2/26 Nashville, TN – City Winery Nashville Lounge – Residency
Fri, 2/27 Fort Wayne, IN – Songs in the City at Wunderkammer
Sat, 2/28 Cleveland, OH – Red Room House Concerts
Thu, 3/5 Nashville, TN – City Winery Nashville Lounge – Residency
Sat, 3/7 St. Louis, MO – Kelly House Concert
Thu, 3/12 Nashville, TN – City Winery Nashville Lounge – Residency
Thu, 3/19 Nashville, TN – City Winery Nashville Lounge – Residency
Sun, 3/22 Winston-Salem, NC – Muddy Creek Cafe and Music Hall w/ Dan Navarro
Tue, 3/24 Decatur, GA – Eddie’s Attic w/ Jessica Willis Fisher and Dan Navarro
Wed, 3/25 Charlotte, NC – The Evening Muse w/ Jessica Willis Fisher and Dan Navarro
Sun, 3/29 Mobile, AL – St Clair House Concert
Thu, 4/30 Nashville, IN – Brown County Inn
Sat, 5/2 Effingham, IL – The Listening Room
Wed, 5/6 Appleton, WI – Gibson Community Music Hall- Front Stage
Thu, 5/7 Arlington Heights, IL – Hey Nonny
Fri, 5/8 Livonia, MI – Trinity House Theatre
Sat, 5/9 Columbus, OH – Natalie’s Music Hall
Sun, 8/23 Wayne, PA – 118 North
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