Marcus King Drops New Song ‘Hero’ co-written with Dan Auerbach
All hail the king of country soul – today, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, guitarist Marcus King released “Hero,” the third single from his forthcoming Rick Rubin-produced album Mood Swings, released on April 5 via American/Republic Records. King also announced he will return to the Tonight Show on Monday March 11 2024 for a highly anticipated performance.
On “Hero,” co-written with Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys), King’s arresting vocal shares the tale of relationship struggles, crediting exes, divine intervention and Auerbach for inspiration for the timeless track.
This is one of those songs that seemed to write itself in a way” stated King, “I was at Easy Eye in Nashville just dropping in to say hey to the fellas. I remember being a little troubled from a recent argument with my then girlfriend and also struggling to maintain a fairly new sobriety at that time. In retrospect it feels like a divine intervention that Dan and I both end up at the kitchen table with guitars and this beautiful chord structure comes out of Dan’s palms. This is one of my favorite cuts on the album, because it has very little to no metaphor, hyperbolic lyrics or any other “writing” techniques- it’s simply a story. What I now recognize as one of the 4 attachment styles, a story of a girl unwilling to rely on anyone for her happiness and hell bent on doing things herself or on her wn as to keep from relying on anyone. “You weren’t looking for a hero””
“Hero”
Listen to “Hero” HERE
Marcus also performed at star studded event, Love Rocks NYC last night, raising funds for ‘God’s Love We Delive’r at the historic Beacon Theatre alongside The Black Keys, Hozier, Nile Rodgers, Tom Morello, Allison Russell, Dave Grohl, Larkin Poe, Trombone Shorty and more. King also sets out tomorrow on his 2024 headlining tour across North America and Europe produced by Live Nation and FPC Live!, in addition to dates supporting Chris Stapleton. The first date is tomorrow night at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY. Find more information on tickets HERE.
Mood Swings is King’s magnum opus, an eclectic symphony of soul that is uniquely timeless and current. Drawing on King’s darkest moments, it became a beacon of hope for King as he created it, and will be a refuge for anyone going through similar challenges in their lives.
Legendary producer Rick Rubin who has worked with everyone from Adele to Johnny Cash, was instantly drawn to King’s guitar playing, singular voice and songwriting, and after witnessing a King live performance, one day randomly cold-called him to float the idea of working together.
Rick Rubin stated, “I love the way listening to this album makes me feel. I can’t think of another project quite like this one. Marcus’s playing and singing are from another planet.”
Despite its often bleak subject matter, Mood Swings is an album with a message of hope. Rubin helped King find a new personal and sonic approach and instead of crumbling under the weight of his anxiety, Rubin inspired him to shift his perspective. “He helped me view mental health as a writing partner in a way,” recalls Marcus. “I’ve learned it can give me that creative spark.” On the album, we find King gracefully standing in his own truth, accepting the challenges he’s faced and coming out the otherside a man renewed. It is a rebirth of both his sound and of his mind.
King is a GRAMMY® nominated fourth generation musician from Greenville, SC, who started playing guitar at 8 years old following in the footsteps of his guitarist Father and Grandpa. Logging thousands of miles on the road as “The Marcus King Band,” he established himself with unparalleled performance prowess and a dynamic live show. His solo debut El Dorado, garnering a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best Americana Album.” In between packing venues on his own, he performed alongside Chris Stapleton, Greta Van Fleet, and Nathanial Rateliff in addition to gracing the bills of Stagecoach and more with one seismic show after the next. He has been open about his challenges with mental health in his songs and throughout his career, and has launched various mental health initiatives, most recently a guitar auction collaboration with MusiCares.
Pre-order Mood Swings HERE
Tracklist
Mood Swings
F*ck My Life Up Again
Soul It Screams
Save Me
Hero
Delilah
Inglewood Motel (Halestorm)
This Far Gone
Bipolar Love
Me Or Tennessee
Cadillac
Marcus King Tour Dates See Here
Marcus King website
Leave A Comment