LCM Song Of The Day: ‘American Revival’ - Troubadour 77
Our LCM featured song today is the thought-provoking new single from Utah based singer-songwriters Monty Powell and Anna Wilson. It’s taken from their second album ‘REVOLUTION & REDEMPTION’ recently released on April 10th through Transfer Records. Monty and Anna’s daughter is Rebekah Powell who many of you might know.
The song is a call to action for hope and redemption in the ever-changing times we find ourselves in. When our humanity is forgotten in the midst of the disruptive and divisive conversation that has infected the soul of our nation, the only answer is more love and more truth. That's something we can all agree on - most people want the same thing, peace, hope, and love, and that is what this song is all about.
“Revolution & Redemption” is coming and not a moment too soon. Americana duo Troubadour 77, comprised of Nashville hit-makers and husband/wife team Monty Powell and Anna Wilson, released their sophomore effort “REVOLUTION & REDEMPTION” on Friday, April 10, 2020. It is a collection of songs that touch on life, love, death, dreams, change and acceptance, all themes that seem to be very relevant in these times. Currently, the album is now available for pre-release exclusively at iTunes with four immediate tracks, including their powerful first single, “American Revival”.
“The current single, “American Revival” is a call to action for hope and redemption in the ever changing times we find ourselves in,” states Monty who penned the song on a plane flight from Nashville to Los Angeles. Anna adds, “We were not seated together on that flight and so when we landed, he told me how this whole song just sort of appeared. He sang it in my ear standing at baggage claim and the minute I heard it I knew it was special.” Troubadour 77 are artists using their craft of songwriting and performance to mirror the humanity that is often times forgotten in the midst of the disruptive and divisive conversation that has infected the soul of our nation. “We need more love. We want more truth. I would like to think that is something we can all agree on,” comments Anna “At the end of the day I believe that most people want the same thing, peace, hope and love, and that is what this song is all about.”
Monty and Anna could have easily drifted away and comfortably maintained their behind the scene personas as the hit-makers for artists like Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Lady Antebellum and others. Yet, instead of enjoying the rays of light from what might have been seen as the sunset of their accomplished careers, they took a deep breath, left Nashville to find clarity in the mountains of Utah, and reinvented themselves in 2016 by forming Troubadour 77. Monty, a critically acclaimed solo artist admits, “A new muse came calling and one that we could not deny. Music and art are powerful things, not only for the listener, but for the creator. When the muse calls, you have to answer. So here we are in our second act putting out a message that we believe in and hope others will believe in too.”
Troubadour 77’s name is inspired by two things, the long line of poets and singer/songwriters who came before them, and the year 1977, which was iconic in music. It is also a nod to Doug Weston’s Troubadour club in Los Angeles where so many of their heroes got their start. “Just look at the hits that littered the Billboard charts in 1977. They are all songs and artists who make up the soundtrack to our lives,” says Monty. Both Monty and Anna mean to carry the torch of the 70s Laurel Canyon sound forward that is reminiscent of the classic singer-songwriters who influenced them and helped define their generation. Anna adds, “The Troubadour was Los Angeles’ version of Nashville’s Bluebird Caféé, a place where songwriters and artists could bare their souls and find a sense of community through art. They also were not afraid to write and sing about the times. Right now we are every bit in a climate and culture similar to where many of our musical heroes and influences found themselves. They taught us that it’s an artist’s job to engage by using art to craft a voice in an effort to affect change. We are just trying to do our part to inspire and let people know they are not alone.”
That flame has been fully ignited on ‘Revolution & Redemption’, and Troubadour 77 is fully engaged in finding their tribe, even in the midst of a pandemic. They have already shared billings with established acts like Emmylou Harris, Brandi Carlile, Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin, Rodney Crowell, Los Lobos and Robert Randolph & The Family Band, and although their spring tour to support the new album was cancelled due to the Coronavirus outbreak, Troubadour 77 has launched a new virtual concert series called “T77 SQUARED CONCERTS” that broadcasts on their Facebook Live page from the living room at Cranesong Studios in their Utah mountain home where they remain hunkered down. The "T77 Squared Concerts" format is a 2 song mini-concert for each episode (thus the "Squared" in the title), featuring Wilson and Powell each doing a song and telling the stories behind them from their current album(s) and storied careers. They have already done a few to test the waters and the response is growing. They will do a special extended T77 SQUARED CONCERT this Friday, April 10th on FACEBOOK LIVE at 7:30pm MST to celebrate the new album release, then move to a weekly broadcast every Thursday evening starting Thursday, April 15th at 7pm MST. The episodes will feature new songs, legacy material and even some reimagined covers. You can find some of the test episodes archived on their Facebook, Instagram and YouTube channel.
https://www.troubadour77.com/