Blackberry Smoke's MEDICATE MY MIND Premieres Today
By: Tori Hartshorn Sep. 21, 2018
Blackberry Smoke's new acoustic version of "Medicate My Mind" is premiering today. Stream/share HERE and watch the song's video HERE. The track comes from the band's new EP, The Southern Ground Sessions, which will be released October 26 and is now available for pre-order.
Created as an accompaniment to their acclaimed new album, Find A Light, the 6-song EP was recorded live at Southern Ground studio in Nashville, TN and features acoustic versions of five album tracks as well as a rendition of Tom Petty's "You Got Lucky" featuringAmanda Shires.
In advance of the release, the EP's lead track, "Run Away From It All," recently premiered. Of the song, Rolling Stone states, "...this unplugged version of 'Run Away From It All' downsizes Blackberry Smoke's classic-rock stomp into a campfire-worthy singalong. The band's harmonies take center stage, while their acoustic guitars-pinch-hitting for the band's dueling electrics-provide an appropriate setting for a song about getting away from the noise of the modern world." Listen/share HERE. Additionally, the album track "Mother Mountain," featuring Oliver Wood, was released earlier this summer. Watch/share the videoHERE.
Of the EP, lead singer Charlie Starr comments, "It felt really cool to come back to Southern Ground Studios and play music with some good friends. It was like stripping it down and playing in the living room."
In addition to their work as musicians, Blackberry Smoke has remained committed to charitable work-most recently teaming up with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta to raise money and awareness for the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center in support ofChildhood Cancer Awareness Month. The band pledges to match up to $50,000 in donations and has created a special page where friends and fans can contribute to the cause and learn more about the organization: www.blackberrysmoke.com/choa.
Throughout the month of September, the band will spearhead several fundraising initiatives including auctions for four autographed guitars: a custom Short Mountain acoustic guitar and three Cigar Box Guitars. The Short Mountain guitar is signed by Blackberry Smoke, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Alabama, Charlie Daniels Band, Jamey Johnson and Lukas Nelson among many others. The band will also continue to host VIP Meet & Greets with all proceeds going to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Additionally, Blackberry Smoke raised over $6,000 this summer at their Brothers and Sisters Reunion in Maryville, TN, where they held their 1stAnnual Brothers and Sisters charity motorcycle ride and raffled off a one-of-a-kindBiltwell motorcycle helmet and a custom painted Harley Davidson-Sportster gas tank.
Blackberry Smoke is Starr (vocals, guitar), Richard Turner (bass, vocals), Brit Turner (drums), Paul Jackson (guitar, vocals), and Brandon Still (keyboards). Since their debut in 2004, the band has independently released six full-length records and has toured relentlessly, building a strong and loyal community of fans. Of their latest album, NPR Music praises, "For nearly two decades, Georgia's Blackberry Smoke has been a purveyor of the new Southern rock movement, creating music on its cutting edge...Find a Light pushes the envelope while providing that famous Blackberry Smoke autonomy, delivered with soulful vocals, haunting harmonies and kick ass songs," while Rolling Stone asserts, "Blackberry Smoke is part of a lineage that shares a love of Petty, the Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Hank Williams Jr., able to ride an Americana vibe or peel off a stomping riff and tie it all together without a hint of pretense."
The band will continue to tour extensively throughout 2018, including their annual "Brothers and Sisters Holiday Homecoming show" at Atlanta's The Tabernacle on November 23. In addition to the North American dates, they will also perform several shows this fall as part of the U.K./European leg of the "Find A Light" tour. See below for complete details.
THE SOUTHERN GROUND SESSIONS TRACK LIST:
1. Run Away From It All
2. Medicate My Mind
3. Let Me Down Easy (feat. Amanda Shires)
4. Best Seat In The House
5. You Got Lucky (feat. Amanda Shires)
6. Mother Mountain (feat. Oliver Wood)
BLACKBERRY SMOKE CONFIRMED TOUR DATES
September 21-Stroudsburg, PA-Sherman Theater*
September 22-Cleveland, OH-House of Blues*
September 23-Louisville, KY-Bourbon & Beyond Festival
October 4-Mobile, AL-Saenger Theatre Mobile
October 5-West Helena, AR-King Biscuit Blues Festival
October 12-Frankfurt, Germany-Batschkapp
October 13-Bonn, Germany-Harmonie Club
October 14-Basel, Switzerland-Z7 Pratteln
October 16-Zurich, Switzerland-Kaufleuten
October 17-Munich, Germany-Tonhalle
October 18-Milan, Italy-Alcatraz
October 20-Berlin, Germany-Huxleys
October 21-Hannover, Germany-Capitol
October 23-Stockholm, Sweden-Cirkus
October 24-Gothenburg, Sweden-Pustervik
October 25-Oslo, Norway-Sentrum Scene
October 27-Weert, Netherlands-Bosuil
October 28-Amsterdam, Netherlands-Melkweg
October 29-Brussels, Belgium-Ancienne Belgique
October 31-Paris, France-Le Caberet Sauvage
November 2-Newcastle, U.K.-02 Academy†
November 3-Glasgow, U.K.-02 Academy
November 4-Nottingham, U.K.-Rock City
November 6-Belfast, Ireland-The Telegraph Building
November 7-Dublin, Ireland-National Stadium
November 9-Cardiff, U.K.-Tramshed†
November 10-Birmingham, U.K.-02 Academy†
November 11-Bristol, U.K.-02 Academy†
November 13-Southampton, U.K.-Guildhall
November 15-London, U.K.-02 Shepherds Bush Empire
November 16-London, U.K.-02 Shepherds Bush Empire
November 17-Manchester, U.K.-02 Apollo
November 23-Atlanta, GA-The Tabernacle
December 6-Philadelphia, PA-The Fillmore‡
December 7-Port Chester, NY-The Capitol Theatre
December 8-Clifton Park, NY-Upstate Concert Hall
December 9-New Bedford, MA-Zeiterion Theatre
December 31-Chattanooga, TN-Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium
January 6-12, 2019-Tampa, FL-2019 Southern Rock Cruise
*with Steelwoods
†with Junkyard
‡with Karl Densons Tiny Universe
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