The official music video for The War and Treaty’s new song, “If It’s In Your Heart,” recently premiered at Folk Alley. Watch/share HERE. The video was filmed in North Carolina and features a performance by the powerhouse duo—husband and wife pair Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Blount-Trotter.
Of the inspiration behind the track, Michael shares, “In 2015 I was talking with a friend of mine from the military. She shared with me her secret she had been holding inside since we left the war. She had been raped in the military and now she was dealing with MST (Military Sexual Trauma). I asked her if she was ok? She told me that she was fine and I believed her. However something in her voice as we said goodbye would suggest otherwise. Instead of investigating the feeling of uneasiness that I had I chalked it up as me just being nervous. She was a strong gal and I didn’t want to impose on that so I left it alone. Two weeks later her sister contacted me and said that she had committed suicide. Everything inside of me wished that I had acted on that gut feeling I had that saying something is not right. The song is about getting back that last conversation. It’s about telling someone how much they mean to you and how they mean to the world. Encouraging them to search their heart and find reason to keep loving and living.”
“If It’s In Your Heart” comes from The War and Treaty’s acclaimed debut album, Healing Tide, which is out now on Strong World/Thirty Tigers (stream/purchase here). Produced by Buddy Miller (Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Wood Brothers), Healing Tide continues to receive widespread critical praise.
In celebration of the release, the pair will perform throughout 2019 including upcoming headline shows in Nelsonville, OH, Grand Rapids, MI, Birmingham, AL and West Hollywood, CA as well as multiple dates supporting Al Green and Brandi Carlile. Additionally, the band will make several festival appearances this year including Lancaster Roots & Blues, High Water Festival, BottleRock Napa, FloydFest and Hinterland among many others. See below for complete details.
Healing Tide includes 11 songs written solely by Michael and features Tanya (vocals), Michael (vocals, piano, Wurlitzer, Rhodes) and Miller (guitars, banjo) as well as Brady Blade (drums), Adam Chaffins (bass), Jim Hoke (organ, saxophone, autoharp, harmonica), Russ Pahl (pedal steel, banjo), Sam Bush (fiddle), Bill Huber (trombone), Matt Slocum (cello) and special guest vocalist Emmylou Harris on “Here Is Where the Loving Is At.”
Of the mission behind the album, Michael comments, “I hope people see our hearts on this record…I want people to feel like we care. When you think about artists you don’t think about that, but that’s the way I want the world to feel about The War and Treaty.”
THE WAR AND TREATY CONFIRMED TOUR DATES
February 22—Lancaster, PA—Lancaster Roots & Blues
February 23—Nelsonville, OH—Stuart’s Opera House
February 24—Grand Rapids, MI—St. Cecilia Music Center
March 28—Birmingham, AL—Saturn
March 29-30—New Orleans, LA—Hogs For The Cause
April 11-13—Greer, SC—SpringSkunk Fest
April 13-14—Charleston, SC—High Water Festival
April 18-22—Byron Bay, Australia—Bluesfest Byron Bay
April 26—Irving, TX—Toyoya Music Factory*
April 27-28—Panama City Beach, FL—SandJam Fest
May 3—Atlanta, GA—The Fox Theatre*
May 20—West Hollywood, CA—Troubadour
May 24—Napa, CA—BottleRock
July 19-20—Somerset, KY—Master Musicians Festival
June 24-28—Floyd, VA—FloydFest
August 4—St. Charles, IA—Hinterland
August 29—Bayfield, WI—Big Top Chautauqua†
August 30—Bayfield, WI—Big Top Chautauqua†
November 11-15—Punta Cana, Dominican Republic—John Prine’s All The Best Fest
*with Al Green
†with Brandi Carlile
