JOHN PAUL WHITE - Monday March 16, East Rock Concert Series at Never Ending Books, 810 State St, New Haven,
Never Ending Books New Haven , CT
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JOHN PAUL WHITE - Monday March 16, East Rock Concert Series at Never Ending Books, 810 State St, New Haven,
Fernando Pinto Presents: An Evening with JOHN PAUL WHITE, Monday March 16, East Rock Concert Series at Never Ending Books, 810 State Street, New Haven Tickets $20. Adv. $25. at the Door Doors 6:30pm - Showtime 7pm - All-Ages Tickets: https://johnpaulwhite.bpt.me
John Paul White http://www.johnpaulwhite.com
White grew up in tiny Loretto, Tennessee, and now lives in Florence, Alabama, not far from Muscle Shoals. He has cultivated a music career in Nashville for two decades, first as a songwriter for a major publisher, then half of The Civil Wars a groundbreaking duo that won four Grammy Awards before disbanding in 2012. Because The Civil Wars were so hard to categorize, White has earned a fanbase among indie rock listeners, folk audiences, Americana outlets and AAA radio. So, what will happen if people hear The Hurting Kind and call it country? Well that doesnt scare me in the least, he says. As a matter of fact, it kind of thrills me.
With The Hurting Kind, John Paul White has crafted a stunning album that draws on the lush, orchestrated music made in Nashville in the early 1960s. Yet these songs retain a modern feel, whether he's writing about overwhelming love, unraveling relationships, or the fading memory of a loved one.
THE SONGS
The Good Old Days
Its really me wondering, what era of America are people wanting to get back to? Im having a hard time thinking of one we havent progressed from, or shouldnt progress from. As a father, I see the world through their eyes and Im wondering what were leaving for them, what theyre heading into, and how it can be improved upon and how it can be improved upon for every single person on this earth and not just a select few. This song is my counter-argument to Making America Great Again.
I Wish I Could Write You a Song
This is me putting the rose between my teeth and trying to write a romantic song. Trying to measure up to this feeling that I have in my heart and not being able to get it on the page is the most endearing part of the sentiment. Im a huge fan of Roy Orbison and always felt like he allowed himself to go as big and grandiose as the song wanted him to be. I dont think there are a lot of people in popular music, especially men, who allow that to happen. So I was fully willing.
Heart Like a Kite
Ive written a lot about being a flawed character and more often than not, thats the truth. But I wanted to take the perspective of somebody who was in love with someone with a wayward soul, and loved her way too deeply to walk away from. He knows what hes in for and he doesnt look at it as a negative. This person isnt pointing fingers and saying shes a bad person or a good person. Shes like a puppy that sees a butterfly and cant help chasing it, and thats part of why he loves her.
Yesterdays Love
Thats Lillie Mae on fiddles and harmonies. I knew I wanted twin fiddles on this one. Its funny, when I sing this song live, sometimes Ill even make a comment during the song, like, Wow, this is pretty heavy. (laughs) And I try to sing it in an endearing way, like, Honey, lets just dont talk. Its over, just come here and hold me. Kris Kristoffersons influence shows up a lot on this record and he made a living of writing those kind of songs, like Help Me Make It Through the Night. This song was actually written for Beulah, but didnt seem to fit. It does now.
The Long Way Home
Its the one song that has the distinction of making my kids cry. I didnt see this song as tugging at any heart strings, but when I played it, especially for my 11-year old, he was tearing up. Especially the line, Dont you dare kiss me goodbye in the bridge. Thats the one that always gets him. I didnt see that coming, but he knows how much it hurts to leave. My kids know I have to play music, and they love that I do it. Theyre very supportive, but thankfully they dont want me to leave.
The Hurting Kind
I wrote this song from a female perspective. I wasnt trying to do that, but every word of it sounded more real and heavier coming from a female perspective. Its really a song about abuse. I asked my wife, Is this still as powerful coming from my voice? She said 100 percent, and that people are going to use their own voice when they listen to it anyway, so dont overthink it, and dont hand it off to somebody else when its something you really want to say. I took that advice.
This Isnt Gonna End Well (featuring Lee Ann Womack)
Lee Ann straddles that line between the country world, the Americana world, and the crooner thing. I dont think shes super easy to pin down. With her voice she can make anything sound country if she wants to. I did not envision it as a duet at first but once it was done, and I was playing it down and thinking about it for the record, it made perfect sense. I loved the idea that it wasnt just a one-sided conversation. Both people knew it was a horrible idea and neither one could pull out of it.
You Lost Me
Thats as close to a honky-tonk song as I get. When I play it live, people will giggle because they hear the wordplay and they dont know where its going and how bad things are in that situation. Im always looking for those twists and turns. I like to take something that seems obvious and look under it and over it and around it. Then I can explain it in a way that others havent, because then I can still use words and phrases and thoughts that people are used to, that are conversational.
James
This song was inspired by Glen Campbell. Ive been a huge fan from early childhood. My mom says the first song she remembers me singing is Rhinestone Cowboy. When I found out that he was diagnosed with Alzheimers, it was heartbreaking. But I didnt use Glens name or his life story; I used my dads. My dad is perfectly healthy and strong as a bull, but I wanted to use the details of his childhood. This song is like multiple short stories, all telling the same story in little flashes.
My Dreams Have All Come True
Theres something I love about positive titles that are sad songs, a twist in and of itself. If Elliott Smith and Kris Kristofferson got together and made a country record, that song is what I think would come out of it. Its got the falsetto parts that I learned through osmosis from my dad. He never yodeled around anyone else, but hed do it around the house. I look forward to singing that song every night, I wont lie. I feel like it encompasses everything on the record in a really good way.
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Location
Never Ending Books (View)
810 State Street
New Haven , CT 06511
United States
