Natural-born storyteller and Kentuckian Grayson Jenkins has been patiently holding onto an album’s worth of new material since before the world stopped turning some sixteen months ago, letting all of its ingredients simmer down and get to know each other. The recipe? Firstly, there’s the candor and vulnerability which cascade out of Jenkins’ songs on waves of circling guitar strums and sparkling choruses. Then there’s the content. Jenkins tells stories with a shrewd sincerity, a hopeful resignation, and a canny insight into the ways of the world. Lastly, Jenkins delivers it all with a resonant baritone powerful enough to fill large halls, but still tender enough to cradle his lyrics and deliver them straight into listeners’ hearts. Today, American Songwriter selected “Low Down Lady” as their “Daily Discovery,” the Dwight Yoakam-inspired first-of-many songs that Jenkins will release this summer. “Some of my first memories of music are from the 90’s country radio in my dad’s ‘87 Silverado while we’d do farm work,” says Jenkins. “This song takes me right back there on that bench seat; windows down, covered in hay.” Fans can watch the video for “Low Down Lady” at this link.
Although Jenkins started recording new music in 2019, and finished it by summer 2020, he held off putting it out during the pandemic, and holding onto the album has been “kind of a life vest of music,” he says. “Low Down Lady” features an all-star cast of Kentucky musicians, including Jesse Wells (Tyler Childers), who co-produced the album with Jenkins and played electric guitar, fiddle, and mandolin. With the help of Wells, Jenkins recruited Miles Miller (Sturgill Simpson) for drums and Kenny Miles (Wayne Graham) for bass to round out the core recording group.
Fans should stay tuned to www.graysonjenkins.com for more information regarding tour dates and forthcoming release announcements.
