Photo by Mike Vanata
Montana-based singer-songwriter Riddy Arman’s self-titled debut album is out now via Colter Wall’s label, La Honda Records / Thirty Tigers. Arman celebrated her debut with an appearance at Americanafest in Nashville, and she will soon embark on a headlining tour for the rest of the year with shows in Minneapolis, Chicago, Louisville, Asheville, Nashville, Memphis, Tulsa, Denver, and more. Arman recently announced tour support from The Local Honeys, Tessy Lou Williams, and David Quinn. Please see below for full tour details
Arman’s music was first introduced to her longtime fans with a viral Western AF performance video of album opener, “Spirits, Angels, Or Lies,” which was inspired by the true story of her father’s passing and Johnny Cash’s posthumous visit to his deathbed. She grew up in rural Ohio but has traversed the country, working as a ranch hand and practicing an Agrarian lifestyle, and wrote the majority of the 9-track set while stationed in the sunburnt hills of California ranch country, during an intensely creative period in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and after relocating to New Orleans following a friend’s passing. Songwriting has allowed her to move forward from some of the most painful moments of her life, and recording with producer Bronson Tew (Jimbo Mathus, Dom Flemons, Seratones) at Portland, Oregon’s Mississippi Studios continued her healing process.
The first song Arman wrote for the record, “Half a Heart Keychain,” started off as a slow and somber breakup tune, but with the help of Tew, the track morphed into a triumphant and transformative anthem for women. Along with her widely acclaimed single, “Too Late to Write a Love Song,” it allowed Arman to heal from a broken heart, but her debut LP is far from just a breakup album. Her songs are rooted in the poetic imagery of country life, from the beauty of its simplicity to the isolation and loneliness that can often overtake its inhabitants.
Songs like “Barbed Wire” distinctly recall the seclusion and longing that can come from life on the range, while album closer “Problems Of My Own” uses simple references to classic scenes, like bacon frying in cast iron pans, to explore the darkness that can lurk within rural family life and the urge to escape it. Elsewhere, “Old Maid’s Draw” tells of an area where Arman worked that locals have mythologized with the tale of a woman who lived alone in the early settling days of Montana. Nestled perfectly alongside these originals is Arman’s take on Kris Kristofferson’s beloved “Help Me Make It Through The Night.”
Rather than get lost in the forlorn feelings of which she often sings, Arman has chosen to embrace isolation and interpret her life through the rural landscape that adorns her lyrics. With fierce honesty and a voice that immediately commands attention, her forthcoming debut proves she’s far more than just a cowboy, singing her lonely songs.
Riddy Arman On Tour:
November 18 & 19 — Bozeman, MT @ Live From The Divide~
November 20 — Miles City, MT @ Montana Bar
November 23 — Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
November 26 — Des Moines, IA @ xBk Live*
November 27 — Davenport, IA @ Raccoon Motel*
November 28 — Chicago, IL @ Tonic Room*
December 1 — Yorkville, IL @ The Law Office Pub*
December 3 — Madison, IN @ Red Bicycle Hall*
December 4 — Louisville, KY @ Flamingo Lounge*
December 5 — Newport, KY @ The Southgate House Revival*
December 8 — Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle^
December 11 — Nashville, TN @ The Basement^
December 12 — Memphis, TN @ Hernando’s Hideaway^
December 14 — Tulsa, OK @ Mercury Lounge^
December 16 — Trinidad, CO @ Trinidad Lounge^
December 17 — Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive^
~Tessy Lou Williams opening
*David Quinn opening
^The Local Honeys opening
