Marshall Altman, Audrey Assad, Jason McGerr Form New Trio The Overstory

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Pictured (L-R): Audrey Assad, Marshall Altman, Jason McGerr

Three music veterans have teamed to form one of Nashville’s newest bands. Producer and multi-instrumentalist Marshall Altman, Death Cab for Cutie drummer Jason McGerr, and vocalist Audrey Assad have formed trio The Overstory, and release their first track, “Perfect Sense,” today (June 5).

“The songs have come from real places, without fear, and are filtered through each of our experiences as musicians, writers, partners, and parents trying to balance life,” says McGerr, whose previous collaborations with Altman include Matt Nathanson’s platinum-selling, career-defining album Some Mad Hope. “It goes without saying that it’s a paramount time to be documenting one’s emotional output with people you love and respect.”

The group’s three members wrote and recorded half of the album in a single week at Altman’s Berry Hill studio, and finished the work early in 2020.

“As a band, we’re determined to make music we believe in, and write songs that reflect the truth of our experiences,” says Altman, who produced Assad’s first two critically-lauded albums, The House You’re Building and Heart. “I am so grateful to pursue that end with these two people.”

Assad agrees, adding, “Making music with Jason and Marshall is a dream come true for a tired artist. In my previous lane, I got so used to pulling punches — I forgot what I was even trying to say in the first place. We tell the truth. And it feels like breathing pure oxygen.”

Altman has produced for artists including Amy Grant, Frankie Ballard, Eric Paslay, Natasha Bedingfield, and more. McGerr has been with Death Cab for Cutie since 2003; in that time, the band has released five albums and was nominated for eight Grammys. As a solo artist, Assad has released six full-length albums.

The Overstory will release a full-length, self-produced album later this year.

Jessica Nicholson
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