Today, Tim Kelly announced Ride Through the Rain, his debut album produced by his son, acclaimed artist Ruston Kelly. The album is out on November 5 and includes nine original songs spanning from his teenage years to the present day, showcasing Kelly as an artist with relatable real-life songs and a perspective honed over decades. In addition to the announcement, Tim Kelly has offered the album’s first single, “Leave This Town,” along with a live performance of the song featuring Ruston.
Watch “Leave This Town” Live Performance featuring Ruston Kelly via YouTube
Listen to “Leave This Town” and Preorder Ride Through the Rain
“’Leave This Town’ goes from contemplating a decision to walk away from the familiar, from roots and relationships, to actually doing it, making a major life change with all the uncertainty that goes with it,” explains Kelly, “If the soul is the truth of who we are, then music is the path to the soul for me.”
Drawing on modern sounds as well as the ‘70s songwriters he admires, Tim Kelly is realizing a lifelong dream with Ride Through the Rain. Telling his story in thoughtful songs such as “Leave This Town,” Kelly fulfils the promise he showed many years ago, before he traded his musical ambitions for a manufacturing career that provided for his family but never quite fed his soul. “I kept the day job, but there have been very few days in my life that music hasn’t been some part of it, even if only for an hour,” Kelly says. So, after more than three decades of multi-year work assignments across eight states and Europe, he stepped away, trading an office for a writer’s room in Nashville. After touring with Ruston as his pedal steel guitarist and playing on his last two albums, Kelly was prodded by his son to finally make a record that captured his own expressive voice.
“Seeing this album come to life is a dream come true for both of us. I’ve tried to get him to record these songs for years, over many breakfasts and many conversations on tour,” says Ruston. “His songs are the reason I write songs. They are masterfully written and beautifully performed by a man who has really seen it all. It’s pretty rare for a father’s album to be produced by his son and I definitely don’t take it for granted how special that is. I’m just so proud of him as my dad, as a person, and as an artist fulfilling a lifelong dream.”
Tim Kelly first became curious about the guitar after hearing his brother’s vinyl copy of The Ventures’ Walk, Don’t Run. Later, after hearing Jackson Browne’s version of “Take It Easy” for the first time, Kelly was inspired to learn pedal steel guitar. As a young adult, he played in bands, joined his college pop and jazz ensemble as lead guitarist, and won talent competitions as a singer-songwriter around Texas. However, as a newlywed, he made the decision to follow in his father’s footsteps and take a job in the company where his father had worked for decades.
“I’m incredibly fortunate and grateful to be able to make a record at this point in my life,” says Kelly, “and I don’t think it’s the last thing that I’ll do.”
