If You Like: Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson
Presented by Abingdon Main Street & The Town of Abingdon.
Some days, being John Moreland has to hurt. As others bury experiences and stifle regrets, Moreland pokes old wounds until you’re sure they’ve got to be bleeding again. It’s painful. But in Moreland’s care, it’s also breathtakingly beautiful. With the release of his highly anticipated third solo album High on Tulsa Heat , he offers another round of the lyrics-first, gorgeously plaintive songs that have earned him devoted listeners across the country.
When Moreland released In the Throes in June of 2013, the album didn’t just charm listeners — it stunned them. American Songwriter proclaimed that “[t]hose not familiar with the Oklahoma City singer-songwriter should remedy that pronto,” while No Depression declared the collection “isn’t so much songwriting as alchemy with words and music.” MSNBC host Rachel Maddow heard his songs and joined the chorus, tweeting: “If the American music business made any sense, guys like John Moreland would be household names.”
As word continued to spread and Moreland played more and more shows, a pattern began to emerge: his songs hit listeners hard. While his precise, evocative lyrics often get the credit, his voice — a scritchy-scratch baritone capable of soul-shouting but especially potent in its subdued default register — ensures his lines linger.
For Moreland, that didn’t mean screaming or gimmicks. “If you just sing it like you mean it — like so hard that people can’t ignore it…” He trails off for a second, then concludes: “That’s what I was trying to do.”
These days when Moreland performs, rooms ordinarily buzzing with drunken chatter and clanging glasses fall silent.
Special Guest: Adam “Bovine” Bolt
Known to his family as the last true American cowboy, Adam “Bovine” Bolt has really captured the essence of honesty in his music. Without shame nor pride his songs are able to grasp emotion nearly effortlessly. As former front man of local favorites Ordinary Bitters, Bolt now focuses on a new solo record due to be released in 2016. Appearing on this record is “Kissin’ On the Mouth of Wilson” which one second place in Richard Leigh‘s Songwriters competition
Location: Abingdon Market Pavilion MAP
Time: 7:00 – 9:30 pm
Tickets: This event is free to the public. Food and Beverages will be for sale. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets. No coolers allowed. No outside alcohol allowed. All beer sales benefit Abingdon Main Street, a Main Street USA non-profit organization, dedicated to highlighting and preserving Abingdon’s historic downtown while supporting the merchants, artists, culture and events.
Call 276-676-2282 for more information
Abingdon Music Experience 