Acclaimed singer, songwriter and musician Kendell Marvel’s new song, “Hell Bent On Hard Times,” is debuting today. Watch a live performance video HERE.
Of the song, Marvel reflects, “I wrote ‘Hell Bent On Hard Times’ with Dean Alexander in the height of the pandemic via Zoom. We wrote it through the eyes of a man who has accepted who and what he is and is content with it. It’s one of my favorite songs I’ve had a hand in writing in a long time.”
The song is the latest unveiled from Marvel’s anticipated new album, Come On Sunshine, which will be released September 23 via CmdShft (pre-order here). Produced by Beau Bedford (Paul Cauthen, Leah Blevins), executive produced by Marvel and recorded at Dallas’ Modern Electric Sound Recorders, Come On Sunshine explores the wide range of Marvel’s influences, both musically and through his choice of collaborators. To create these ten tracks, which delve into some of life’s most honest and authentic experiences, Marvel was joined by several renowned writers and musicians including his longtime friend and collaborator Chris Stapleton (vocals, electric guitar, songwriter), Dean Alexander (songwriter, background vocals), Al Anderson (songwriter), Dan Auerbach (songwriter), Nick Bockrath(electric guitar), Kolby Cooper (songwriter), Dan Dyer (background vocals), Devon Gilfillian (songwriter, background vocals), Josh Morningstar (songwriter), Waylon Payne (songwriter) and Mickey Raphael (harmonica). Ahead of the release, album track, “Put It In The Plate,” recently debuted. Watch a live performance video HERE.
Reflecting on the album, Marvel shares, “I’m 51 years old, which means I’m long past the point of catering to anybody. I’m just telling the stories I want to tell,” and continues, “I like to work with people who are different than me. Working with Beau Bedford in Dallas meant that I was playing with guys I’d never met before. Guys who had different ideas, different tones, and different ways of playing than my friends back home. We recorded the album live, finishing the whole thing in four days. That’s how you capture magic. The same thing can be said for the people I write with. I prefer left-field people—people who come from different backgrounds and different genres. Devon Gilfillian comes from the R&B world; he hears different melodies than I do. Waylon is a gay man, so he has some experiences that are different than mine. I love to surround myself with people like that, and sit in the writing room with someone who isn’t just like me. Because that’s how you capture magic, too.”
In celebration of the new music, Marvel will perform throughout this summer with upcoming shows at Boise’s The Olympic Venue, Spokane’s Lucky You Lounge and Indianapolis’ Duke’s among many others. Additionally, Marvel’s Nashville residency, “Kendell Marvel’s Honky Tonk Experience,” will return to Exit/In on August 9 with special guests Ashley McBryde, Lainey Wilson, Brent Cobb, Everette and Brit Taylor. See below for complete tour itinerary.
Born and raised in Southern Illinois, Marvel is one of Nashville’s most respected songwriters with cuts by Chris Stapleton (including the GRAMMY Award-winning “Either Way”), Brothers Osborne (GRAMMY Award-winning “Younger Me”), George Strait, Jamey Johnson, Gary Allen, Jake Owen, Lee Ann Womack, Blake Shelton and more.
Come On Sunshine is Marvel’s third studio album following 2019’s Solid Gold Sounds, produced by Dan Auerbach and David Ferguson. Released to widespread acclaim, Rolling Stone declared, “a clear descendant of the Waylon Jennings and Charlie Rich albums loved by Marvel, and one that is able to stand on its own in the splintered present moment of mainstream pop-country projects and progressive songwriter albums,” while American Songwriter declared, “with the somewhat cheekily titled Solid Gold Sounds, Kendell Marvel shifts from supporting player to front-man with ease” and The Tennessean proclaimed, “a 10-track toast to time-tested honky-tonk storytelling that goes down with smooth sincerity.”
COME ON SUNSHINE TRACKLIST
1. “Don’t Tell Me How To Drink” (written by Kendell Marvel and Chris Stapleton)
2. “Keep Doing Your Thing” (written by Kendell Marvel)
3. “Hell Bent On Hard Times” (written by Kendell Marvel and Dean Alexander)
4. “Never Lovin’ You” (written by Kendell Marvel and Chris Stapleton)
5. “Come On Sunshine” (written by Kendell Marvel and Devon Gilfillian)
6. “Put It In The Plate” (written by Kendell Marvel and Dee White)
7. “Off My Mind” (written by Kendell Marvel, Dan Auerbach and Al Anderson)
8. “Fool Like Me” (written by Kendell Marvel and Waylon Payne)
9. “Habits” (written by Kendell Marvel and Kolby Cooper)
10. “Dyin’ Isn’t Cheap” (written by Kendell Marvel and Josh Morningstar)
KENDELL MARVEL CONFIRMED TOUR DATES
July 16—Riaza, Spain—Huercasa Country Festival 2022
July 26—Boise, ID—The Olympic Venue
July 27—Spokane, WA—Lucky You Lounge
July 29—Prosser, WA—Breminatti
July 30—Quincy, WA—Watershed Festival 2022
August 6—Gilford, NH—Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
August 9—Nashville, TN—Kendell Marvel’s Honky Tonk Experience at Exit/In
August 13—Indianapolis, IN—Duke’s Indy
August 14—Springfield, IL—Illinois State Fair
September 2—Dove Valley, CO—Seven Peaks Festival 2022
September 16—Pyror, OK—Born & Raised 2022
September 23—Nashville, TN—Grand Ole Opry
