Asheville, North Carolina’s Songs From the Road Band announces the launch of two new singles. Ahead of their forthcoming sixth album, Wrong Train, Right Time, two songs will release on Tuesday, June 9th.
Co-written by Phil Barker and Songs From the Road Band bassist Charles Humphrey III, the album’s uptempo title track tells the story of a narrator who takes a new direction. “The concept that things happen for a reason - even though one may not understand why at the time - was the motivation for ‘Wrong Train, Right Time,’” says Humphrey.
Songs From the Road Band’s instrumental prowess is on full display on these tracks. The band includes the talents of award-winning mandolin player Mark Schimick and two-time National Fiddle Champion James Schlender, and these new singles also include contributions from two high-profile guests: Kyle Tuttle, formerly of Jeff Austin Band, on banjo, and Tommy Maher of Fireside Collective on resonator guitar. Songs From the Road Band’s guitarist Sam Wharton sings “Wrong Train, Right Time,” and as the song unfolds, the soaring instrumentals and fast pace evoke the feelings of the song’s narrator, who arrives at a turning point in the second verse.
“The lyric ‘realize now I’m not the engineer, ain't driving the train just a passenger here,’ encourages the thought that there is a bigger life plan than the individual alone can conceive,” continues Humphrey. “The notion of surrendering or putting your life in the hands of the engineer is a moment of realization for the passenger.”
Mark Schimick takes the lead vocal on “Outside of Omaha.” Written by Humphrey along with Marty Dodson and Phil Barker, this tale of love and redemption in the Midwest is driven forward by virtuosic newgrass instrumentation. Songs From the Road Band is known for its three-part harmonies, and the memorable melody of “Outside of Omaha” features them prominently. Though the story is left unresolved, the listener will be left rooting for the song’s narrator in this classic tale of “winning her back.”
On Tuesday, June 9th, “Wrong Train, Right Time” and “Outside of Omaha” will release for download and streaming on all platforms. Listeners who would like to be notified of this and future releases are encouraged to follow Songs From the Road Band on Spotify.
