Rod Picott
03-25-2017 (Ballroom)
It's been 15 years since Rod Picott laid down his work belt, picked up an acoustic guitar and put a permanent end to his gig as a sheet rock hanger. He'd been writing music in private for years, but it was 2001's "Tiger Tom Dixon's Blues" - a debut album that bridged the gap between between folk and Americana - that officially introduced him as a singer/songwriter, kick-starting one of the more acclaimed careers in modern-day roots music. Since then, he's focused on a different kind of construction: building a catalog of songs that spin stories of hard work, heartache and the human condition. Musicians like Slaid Cleaves, Ray Wylie Hubbard and Fred Eaglesmith have recorded Picott's songs, showing their support for a self-sufficient songwriter who plays most of his shows alone, relying on his voice and acoustic guitar to pack a punch.
On "Fortune," he turns his focus inward, using himself - not the people around him - as the album's main character. It's his seventh solo release, written and recorded after years of heavy touring. Looking to make a record that could serve as a raw, authentic document of his live show, Picott recorded Fortune quickly, cutting six songs during his first day in the studio and finishing the entire album within a week and a half.
Decades ago, during his sheet rock days, Picott promised himself that he wouldn't release an album until he figured out who he was as a writer. Having a good voice wasn't enough; he needed an opinion, a perspective, an ability to turn the world around him into music. With Fortune, he shines a light on himself, strips bare what he found rattling around in his heart and invites the listener to follow a deeper and more intimate journey.
It's been 15 years since Rod Picott laid down his work belt, picked up an acoustic guitar and put a permanent end to his gig as a sheet rock hanger. He'd been writing music in private for years, but it was 2001's "Tiger Tom Dixon's Blues" - a debut album that bridged the gap between between folk and Americana - that officially introduced him as a singer/songwriter, kick-starting one of the more acclaimed careers in modern-day roots music. Since then, he's focused on a different kind of construction: building a catalog of songs that spin stories of hard work, heartache and the human condition. Musicians like Slaid Cleaves, Ray Wylie Hubbard and Fred Eaglesmith have recorded Picott's songs, showing their support for a self-sufficient songwriter who plays most of his shows alone, relying on his voice and acoustic guitar to pack a punch.
On "Fortune," he turns his focus inward, using himself - not the people around him - as the album's main character. It's his seventh solo release, written and recorded after years of heavy touring. Looking to make a record that could serve as a raw, authentic document of his live show, Picott recorded Fortune quickly, cutting six songs during his first day in the studio and finishing the entire album within a week and a half.
Decades ago, during his sheet rock days, Picott promised himself that he wouldn't release an album until he figured out who he was as a writer. Having a good voice wasn't enough; he needed an opinion, a perspective, an ability to turn the world around him into music. With Fortune, he shines a light on himself, strips bare what he found rattling around in his heart and invites the listener to follow a deeper and more intimate journey.