Country, bluegrass, and Americana legend John McEuen is thrilled to be back and better than ever after a close call with a double heart attack that led to triple bypass surgery on April 5, just as his new album, The Newsman: A Man of Record, was about to release. Following over two weeks in the Intensive Care Unit and three months of physical therapy, McEuen is happy to announce a clean bill of health from his doctors. He's also released a new children’s book, The Mountain Whippoorwill: (Or, How Hill-Billy Jim Won the Great Fiddlers’ Prize), and is embarking on a new tour starting August 3 in Stony Plain, Canada, at the 2024 Blueberry Music Festival, continuing throughout next year. He will also be receiving the Musicians Lifetime Achievement Award on October 27 at The Josie Awards in Nashville, Tennessee at the Grand Ole Opry House. McEuen’s captivating story is now featured on PEOPLE and can be viewed HERE.
“After performing "Whippoorwill" for 30 years with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, I was finally able to turn it into a children's book,” shares McEuen. “The hope is that some of the fans who loved it in the '70s and '80s will want a copy to read to their grandchildren, or maybe just to themselves. My friend Steve Martin and I performed this together a few times in the early days (I played the banjo, and he recited the poem) as we both learned it in high school! With the help of artists Buddy Finehy and Jas Ingram, we turned the idea into a reality. Steve wrote the foreword, which I was very excited about. It is now available autographed on my website at JohnMcEuen.com.”
McEuen’s long-awaited album, The Newsman: A Man Of Record, is available now on Compass Records. In this project for McEuen, the album has ten spoken word tracks and one instrumental piece. Each one tells a special story in a way that's like a play, with John's own style of music in the background. The album starts with a story about a newspaper seller who had a big impact on John when he was getting started in Los Angeles and ends with "Jules' Theme," a song inspired by Jules Verne in a French cemetery talking about his young wife, who had recently passed away (piano, bass, guitar by John McEuen). Every part of the album is carefully put together to make it unforgettable. Outlets including The Bluegrass Situation, Cowboys & Indians, M Music & Musicians Magazine, Nashville.com, Center Stage Magazine, Bluegrass Today, My Kind of Country, Americana Highways, The Hollywood Times, and The Music Universe premiered each song.
To listen/download The Newsman: A Man Of Record, visit found.ee/newsman
“It was time to revive the art of spoken word, where storytelling is accompanied by music,” shares McEuen. “The music doesn't need to follow a melody but rather support the words. I selected some pieces that weren’t originally spoken word with music and adapted them, and others that were already spoken word and enhanced them. These tracks span over 150 years, including some recent ones that have impacted me. I hope they resonate with you as well. Enjoy!”
The album features a mix of tracks from different eras and genres. The collection spans various literary themes from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's Civil War-era poem "Killed at the Ford" to Robert Service's "The Cremation of Sam McGee" about a Yukon prospector. Other tracks include Stephen Vincent Benét's "The Mountain Whippoorwill," Hank Williams Sr.'s "Fly Trouble," and Walter Brennan's "Old Rivers." Thomas Monroe's Vietnam War reflection "Nui Ba Den" contrasts with more recent compositions like John Carter Cash's "The Guitar Of Pineapple John," Hans Olson's "I'll Be Glad (When They Run Out Of Gas)," and Thaddeus Bryant's "Red Clay."
John McEuen was recently featured in Forbes, where he rode with journalist Jim Clash in a Nascar at The Daytona Speedway at over 170MPH for six laps. This was a highlight of McEuen’s life, getting to be inside the car and this speed. To read the full article, visit HERE.
John McEuen On Tour:
AUG 03 - 2024 Blueberry Music Festival / Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada
AUG 04 - 2024 Blueberry Music Festival / Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada
AUG 09 - Caffe Lena / Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
AUG 10 - Podunk Bluegrass Festival / Goshen, Conn.
AUG 15 - Blue Note Grill / Durham, N.C.
AUG 16 - White Horse Black Mountain / Black Mountain, N.C.
AUG 17 - Big Mouth Bluegrass Festival / Pelham, Tenn.
AUG 25 - Newell Farm Concert / Berthoud, Colo.
SEP 06 - 20th Annual Watermelon Pickers Festival / Berryville, Pa.
SEP 11 - Ponce De Leon Center / Hot Springs Village, Ark.
SEP 20 - Red Clay Music Foundry / Duluth, Ga.
OCT 27 - The Josie Awards / Nashville, Tenn.
OCT 29 - State Theatre / Zumbrota, Minn.
OCT 30 - The West Theatre / Duluth, Minn.
NOV 01 - The Cedar Cultural Center / Minneapolis, Minn.
NOV 02 - Thrasher Opera House / Green Lake, Wis.
NOV 09 - Foxview / Nashville, Mich.
NOV 16 - Bartlett Performing Arts & Conference Center / Bartlett, Tenn.
NOV 17 - The Franklin Theatre / Franklin, Tenn.
