Caleb Hearn Shares Debut LP 'Left on McKinney'

Nashville-based singer-songwriter Caleb Hearn continues to captivate audiences with his soulful storytelling and heartfelt melodies. Following the remarkable success of his 2024 single “Little Bit Better,” which garnered over 44M streams, Hearn shares his debut album, Left on McKinney via Nettwerk. Co-written/produced by Colin Foote & Alex Borel (Dean Lewis, Matt Hansen), Left on McKinney places Hearn at the forefront of young artists who explore their inner lives with both courage and candor.

Caleb Hearn’s songs have always embraced his personal experiences, telling stories of heartbreak, joy, and everything in between. With Left on McKinney, Hearn dives deeper into his artistry, offering listeners an uncompromising transparency and a sharpened impact in his storytelling. Rooted in his wistful brand of folk-pop, each track on the album reflets Hearn's journey and growth as an artist, capturing moments of introspection, love, hope, and as well as many of the more daunting aspects of growing up. Left on McKinney signifies a sense of serenity and belonging, embodying Hearn’s goal to offer listeners a sense of peace and understanding through his music.

Tour Dates:

*supporting Gavin DeGraw

#supporting Switchfoot

9/10 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court

9/11 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge

9/13 – Ames, IA @ Maintenance Shop

9/14 – La Crosse, WI @ Viterbo Fine Arts Center (solo)*

9/15 – Madison, WI @ WUD

9/17 - Chicago, IL @ Subterranean

10/16 – New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues New Orleans#
10/17 – Philadelphia, MS @ The Ellis Theater#

10/18 – Columbia, MO @ The Blue Note#

10/19 – Minneapolis, MN @ Uptown Theater#

About Caleb Hearn:

North Carolina-born singer-songwriter Caleb Hearn created his debut album Left on McKinney with a commitment to raw honesty. At 23 and living in Nashville, he decided to confront his fear of vulnerability in songwriting, believing his openness could help others. This album, an evolution from his breakout single “Always Be 2.0,” delves into personal struggles, including his battle with panic disorder and the challenges of coming of age. Hearn’s folk-pop style and his collaboration with producers Colin Foote & Alex Borel shape the album’s nuanced sound.

Hearn’s journey began in Mount Airy, where writing became an outlet during a turbulent childhood marked by his parents’ divorce and a friend’s death. He started with short stories before transitioning to songwriting at age 12 after receiving a guitar. Despite a period of setting music aside in high school, Hearn rediscovered his passion and committed fully to his craft, leading to a pivotal conversation with his father about authenticity in his music. This epiphany inspired him to write “Always Be 2.0,” a heartfelt tribute to his late friend, which garnered significant streaming success and attracted record label attention, resulting in his signing with Nettwerk in 2022. Three EPs later and as momentum continues, Caleb has generated 750M+ culminative streams, 1.5M TikTok fans, and attracting 3M+ monthly Spotify listeners.

With Left on McKinney out in the world, Caleb embarks on a new chapter of his burgeoning solo career.

Caleb Hearn shares this on his debut album, “McKinney is the road my grandparents have always lived on, and their house has always been the safest place I can ever imagine being. Whether it’s a physical place, a person, or something else altogether, we all need somewhere to go when we’re trying to cope with whatever we’re going through. There’s a lot of highs and lows on this album, but I hope that by the time people reach the end there’s no more questions, and they’re left with a real feeling of comfort and peace.”

Left on McKinney features new tracks such as “Get There When I Get There,” which champions living life on one’s own terms. A soothing triumph, Hearn states this about the song, “I think a lot of people feel pressured to follow social norms or reach certain milestones by a particular age. But for me it’s much more important to live in the moment and enjoy the process of getting where I want to go. Because if you’re not feeling that joy, then I’m not sure it’s worth it.”  Then there’s “Strangers Yet” with honest storytelling and intimate vocals, the track explores the complexities of a strained relationship and the difficult decision to walk away. The song arrives is accompanied with a music video directed by Adam Rioux. Hearn shares, “‘Strangers Yet’ is about the struggle of staying in a toxic relationship. I wanted the song to reflect the emotional turmoil and confusion of that experience. From the muddy guitar and the background noise, it all feels imperfect — I think that’s a good reflection on the message of this song.”

 The record features previous singles “Warm Body, “Last Breath,” “If It Wasn’t for You,” “Klonopin,” and “Little Bit Better.” "Warm Body" offers up a moody but soaring meditation on love’s inevitable limits. The delicate piano ballad, “Last Breath,” emanates a sweetly hopeful spirit, a testament to Hearn's lyrical prowess and musical sensitivity. Written for his fiancée, the track exudes eternal love and vulnerability. The darkly charged “If It Wasn’t for You” delves into the more painful dimensions of love and romance. Blurring the lines of moody soul-pop and a folky ballad, “Klonopin” has Caleb shedding light on his struggle with panic disorder.

“Little Bit Better,” the heartfelt collaboration with NYC based singer-songwriter, ROSIE, is a testament to the power of meaningful connections and the impact one person can have on another's life. The track, which garnered 10M streams in just its first month of release, landed on esteemed Spotify playlists such as New Music Friday, Pop Rising, New Pop Picks, Fresh & Chill, Folk Pop, Chill Pop, and more. Caleb’s releases have received support from Sweety High, EUPHORIA., Atwood Magazine, SHEESH, Melodic Magazine, Unclear Magazine, Today In Nashville, and more.

Caleb Hearn will hit the road next week for his headline tour starting in Salt Lake City, Utah on September 10th, along with a supporting slot opening for Gavin DeGraw in Wisconsin. In October, he’ll support Switchfoot’s ‘The Beautiful Letdown World Tour’ on select dates. To purchase tickets and for more information, visit HERE.

Photo Credit: Tyler Krippaehne

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