Prior to releasing the Western Americana-tinged album The Thunderbird last year, singer-songwriter Beau Jennings had spent nearly a decade piecing and crafting a documentary film project titled The Verdigris.  The endeavor was inspired by the life of Will Rogers, who many will remember was an actor, political humorist, and Cherokee cowboy.  Jennings rounded up his backing band the Tigers and produced an album that featured songs centered on people he knew and places he has visited-an homage to the stories that the artist himself has complied on his voyage on this planet.  The Thunderbird captured the attention of music critics and fans with high marks.

Son of Thunderbird is an acoustic re-imagining of the acclaimed album. Jennings performed and recorded the album himself, with contributions from friends John Calvin Abney, Andy Adams, Sherree Chamberlain, Samantha Crain and Chase Kerby.  “After we released The Thunderbird and played the songs with the band at live shows, I did a series of solo acoustic sets where I played the songs as I’d originally written them. I noticed that the stories the characters tell in the songs would take on a different meaning with the change in the music,” Jennings on the album. “Aggressive sentiments became more resigned, freewheeling observations become a more meditative. It shifted the focus and I liked that discovery. With a little perspective now I can see the record is about taking stock of what it means to live in the place and times I find myself in and that warranted the songs being revisited. I don’t plan to re-record every album I make but I’m very pleased with the effort everyone put into making this “solo” record. I’m blessed to live in a great musical community and I love that I got to make this album with a whole new cast of people. It’s a strange time to release music, and I hope the stories and ideas in these songs can help someone else make a little bit more sense of their place in the world and maybe feel less alone.”

Today, Jennings is sharing Son of Thunderbird a day early of the official release.  To purchase the album, click here.

Photo courtesy: Alexa Ace