Needtobreathe
Rock band Needtobreathe released their ninth studio album, Caves, last week, hailing it as their most ambitious project to date.
When they set out to create the project a few months back, band members Bear Rinehart, Seth Bolt, Josh Lovelace, Tyler Burkum and Randall Harris, stole away to a serene mountaintop cabin in Utah. There, in the company of each other, they did most of the writing for the album over the course of a couple weeks. They fostered their personal friendships while out west, clearing the way for the album to take shape.
“It started in Utah. We met and we thought we were making demos, so we didn’t put a lot of pressure on the recording part. It wasn’t a real studio, it was a house,” explains Rinehart.
“It was about reconnecting as people first,” he says. “We were getting to have these conversations late at night that we don’t have as much anymore.”
Lovelace remembers, “We’d get up in the morning and we’d work all day. Then, when most people clock out and go home to do their own thing, we were like, ‘Now is the time to invest in our friendships.’”
In the cabin’s living room—surrounded by mountain views—the band brought ideas to each other, workshopped and recorded what would become Caves.
“We honestly got back [home] and were like, ‘Woah, this sounds like a record. Maybe we can use a lot of this,” explains Rinehart. “On this one, there was no [deadline for] the album to come out or any of that. It was more, ‘We’re going to work on this until we feel like it’s finished.’ That’s a huge luxury to have in music. That’s what we see as success—the ability to have that creative freedom.”
In a two-part documentary series, A World Without A Mirror – The Making of CAVES, the band shares insight into the Utah trip. One of the greatest benefits of that time away came with one of the biggest challenges of creating art: the listener’s reaction.
“You’re making something that no one is hearing along the way,” says Rinehart. “You’re trying to image there’s 10,000 people there—what does this feel like? You’re trying to remind yourself of that the whole way through.”
Burkum adds that chasing the live performance feeling of the music is an inspiration. He says, “[The music is] going to go through so many different iterations, but that’s a very life-giving thing: to keep your eye on the prize and get excited about those songs.”
As a band that’s spent nearly two decades on the road in front of crowds, from opening for Taylor Swift to selling out arenas, Needtobreathe wanted to write an album with the live shows in mind. They stacked this album with old friends and new, and blended genres through featured artists.
“We have Foy Vance who we’ve been friends with for a long time. He’s one of the greatest artists making music now—maybe ever,” says Lovelace. “Then we have our new friends in Old Dominion and Carly Pearce.
“For Old Dominion, we met them at an event we did and realized that we’re a lot alike. They had been listening to our band and we’d been watching them. We also had our friends, Judah & The Lion, who we’ve known forever,” Lovelace adds.
Needtobreathe will kick off “The Caves World Tour” in October with their friends Judah & The Lion.
“It’s fun to do things with people that you admire and respect,” continues Lovelace. “We play a song called ‘Waste of Time’ with Old Dominion. It’s really fun. On the record it’s three and a half minutes, but when we’re playing [it live], it’s like 11 minutes long right now and it keeps getting longer and longer. It’s a jam.”
Whether fans listen to the album or hear it played live on tour, Bolt says, “I hope when people hear it, they hear a group of people are just really inspired to do what they do.”
Needtobreathe feels grateful heading with their ninth studio album out. With a couple thousand live shows under their belt, they are determined to make each song, album and tour as special as the one before.
“It’s a really special thing to make this much music with people you grew up with and experience life with,” says Bolt. “I remember early on when we were making our first and second records, you’d hear people say, ‘A lot of bands don’t make it past their second record or their third record.’ So to be making the ninth one just feels very extraordinary.”
Caves is available to stream on all platforms, and tickets to “The Caves World Tour” are on sale online.
In Pictures: Born & Raised Music Festival Hosts Third Annual Event
/by Liza AndersonBorn & Raised Music Festival 2023. Photo: Jason Ytuarte
The third annual Born & Raised Music Festival took place last week at Pryor Creek Music Festival Grounds in Pryor, Oklahoma. Presented by Patriot Auto Group, the event featured over 40 musical acts.
Turnpike Troubadours performing at Born & Raised Music Festival 2023. Photo: Jason Ytuarte
49 Winchester, The Damn Quails, Kat Hasty and Wyatt Flores got the party started at the Kick-Off Barbeque Party on Wednesday (Sept. 13).
On Thursday (Sept. 14), headliner Gary Allan took the stage along with Read Southall, Wade Bowen, Reckless Kelly, The Steel Woods, Kaitlin Butts, Mickey and the Motorcars, J.R. Carroll, Red Dirt Rangers, JD Clayton and Lance Roark. The day ended with a late-night set from Kendell Marvel.
Whiskey Myers severed as the Friday (Sept. 15) headliner. Other acts included Ryan Bingham, Lukas Nelson + POTR, Flatland Cavalry, Stoney LaRue, Jason Boland & The Stragglers, Tanner Usrey, Mike and the Moonpies, Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights, The Weathered Souls and Matt Koziol as well as The Texas Gentlemen, who performed a late-night set.
On Saturday (Sept. 16), Oklahoma’s own Turnpike Troubadours headlined the festival. Randy Rogers Band, Randy Houser, William Clark Green, Cody Canada & The Departed, Muscadine Bloodline, Jamie Lin Wilson, William Beckmann, The Red Clay Strays, Them Dirty Roses and Holly Beth serenaded fans to close out the event.
Additionally, Nicky James, Cliff Cody, Lucas Jagneaux & The Roadshow and John Goolsby performed acoustic sets throughout the music and camping experience.
Gary Allan performing at Born & Raised Music Festival 2023. Photo: Jason Ytuarte
Whiskey Meyers performing at Born & Raised Music Festival 2023. Photo: Mike Savage
Music Health Alliance & Lauren Daigle Unite To Launch The Price Fund
/by Liza AndersonPictured (L-R): MHA’s Tatum Hauck Allsep, Lauren Daigle and MHA’s Shelia Shipley Biddy. Photo: Steve Lowry
Music Health Alliance (MHA), the Nashville-based nonprofit dedicated to providing the music industry with healthcare solutions, and Grammy-winning artist Lauren Daigle have united to establish The Price Fund, a first-of-its-kind combined senior healthcare program and fund designed specifically for industry veterans and legacy music makers.
MHA, Daigle and other special guests gathered at Belmont University’s Fisher Center for Performing Arts yesterday (Sept. 19) to address the critical healthcare needs of the industry’s senior population.
Approximately 20 percent of the 20,000 clients MHA has served over the past decade have been 55 and older, resulting in $6.5 million in senior medical savings. The seed money provided by Daigle’s Price Fund will help grow MHA’s team of trained senior care advocates and network of healthcare resources. It will also provide financial grants through The Price Legacy Fund to cover direct healthcare expenses, including those not covered by existing plans or Medicare; prescriptions, emergent rehabilitation services, and emergent short-term home healthcare or respite care.
“Any success I have comes with a deep-seated appreciation for the people who have come before me — those whose lives, hard work, creativity, and vision now serve as the bedrock upon which the music industry lies,” says Daigle. “These are the people that we honor and what I hope is the start of a long partnership with Music Health Alliance.”
“For the two years I was at LSU I lived with my grandfather, Julian Price,” she continues. “And what I noticed in that season of life was that I had someone who believed in me. And that changed everything for me. A few years after I moved to Nashville, he was diagnosed with cancer and one thing that happened that will never leave my heart, my soul, my spirit, my mind, was watching [my grandfather] pass with peace. He was privileged to pass away at home with hospice, surrounded by his loved ones, and we held his hand. There was something so pure and so peaceful about it, it changed my life forever. It was the first person I lost who was so close to my heart. Why is [The Price Legacy Fund] so important to me? It’s because I was able to see what a healthy transition looks like. I was able to see someone who had people and support all around him, whether it was medicinal needs or having resources to get from one appointment to the next, being able to pay for that X-ray or scan to see where the cancer had spread, those moments are really tender in the life of someone. Those are the moments where you find out how much you’re made of and how much you’re worth to the world.”
“Over the past 10 years, I’ve been an advocate for our aging music industry community — witnessing hardships, loneliness and the inability to pay for medical and prescription costs. I couldn’t be more excited about this fund and the impact it will have on one of the fastest growing populations of healthcare needs,” says Shelia Shipley Biddy, MHA CFO & Certified Senior Advisor. “The Price Legacy Fund will ensure that this often-overlooked population will never be alone or forgotten. Thanks to the support of Lauren and contributions through her Price Fund, there will always be a caring advocate who will help seniors find solutions to their daily health needs and provide counsel on Medicare and Social Security issues.”
MHA is celebrating 10 years of “Healing the Music,” and will kick off their annual “Heal The Music Day” campaign with a benefit dinner and auction at the Nashville restaurant Adele’s on Wednesday, Oct. 4.
SESAC Honors Nashville Songwriters At Annual Music Awards
/by Caela GriffinPictured (L-R): Scott Jungmichel (SESAC), Lydia Schultz Cahill (SESAC), Jon Nite, Shannan Hatch (SESAC), Sam Kling (SESAC) attend the 2023 SESAC Los Angeles Music Awards. Photo: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for SESAC
SESAC celebrated songwriters and music publishers behind the most-performed songs of 2022 across a variety of genres at The Highlight Room in Hollywood on Tuesday night (Sept. 19).
Pictured(L-R): Juli Newton Griffith, SESAC’s Shannan Hatch, Matt McGinn and Jon Nite. Photo: Charley Gallay/Getty Images for SESAC
Top music industry executives, artists, songwriters and publishers attended the event.
“We are honored to celebrate our songwriters and publishers across multiple genres,” shared Sam Kling, Chief Creative Officer, SESAC Performing Rights. “SESAC is proud of its affiliates who continue to write chart-topping hits and we enjoy every opportunity we get to celebrate their achievements.”
Opening the show was Kling and SESAC President & COO, Scott Jungmichel, as well as VP of Creative Services Mario Prins and AVP of Creative Ops & Admin, Diana Akin Scarfo. Artist and SESAC songwriter Tamara Jade, from season 19 of The Voice, served as the MC for the evening.
Christian Stalnecker. Photo: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for SESAC
Nashville songwriters were honored with several SESAC Performance Awards throughout the event. Jon Nite took home a medal for “Pick Me Up” (recorded by Gabby Barrett), Matt McGinn nabbed one for “Like I Love Country Music” (recorded by Kane Brown), Josh Hoge and Christian Stalnecker received honors for “Thank God” (recorded by Kane & Katelyn Brown), Alysa Vanderheym was recognized for “Heartfirst” (recorded by Kelsea Ballerini) and Megan Moroney won a medal for “Tennessee Orange.” Additionally, Prescription Songs’ Malibu Babie was recognized for “Super Freaky Girl” (recorded by Nicki Minaj) and “Her” (recorded by Megan Thee Stallion).
McGinn, Nite and Stalnecker were in attendance to receive their awards, along with SESAC’s Jungmichel, Shannan Hatch and Lydia Schultz.
Jack Harlow was this year’s top honoree for the third consecutive year, taking home both Songwriter of the Year and Song of the Year with his smash hit “First Class.” Sony Music Publishing was named Publisher of the Year for the second year in a row, taking home a total of twelve awards including “First Class,” “We Go Up” recorded by Minaj and Fivio Foreign, “Count Me Out” recorded by Kendrick Lamar and “Mercury” recorded by Steve Lacy, among many others.
Click here to see a full list of winners.
Luke Laird To Be Featured In CMHOF’s Poets & Prophets Interview Series
/by Lorie HollabaughRenowned songwriter Luke Laird will be featured in the next installment of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s in-depth interview series, Poets and Prophets, on Oct. 28 at 2:30 p.m. in the museum’s Ford Theater.
The series features songwriters who have made significant contributions to country music. The interview is included with museum admission, and will be illustrated with vintage photos, film and recordings. After the program, Laird will sign commemorative Hatch Show Print posters.
A native of Hartstown, Pennsylvania, Laird moved to Tennessee after high school to attend Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). In the more than 25 years since, he has become one of country’s most sought-after songwriters. After graduating from MTSU with a degree in recording industry management in 2001, he took a job as Assistant Tour Manager for Country Music Hall of Fame members Brooks & Dunn. The following year, Laird signed his first publishing contract.
He has penned more than 20 No. 1 songs since 2007, when Carrie Underwood reached the top of the country chart with “So Small,” which she co-wrote with Laird and Hillary Lindsey. Laird’s biggest hits include Eric Church’s “Drink in My Hand,” Sara Evans’ “A Little Bit Stronger,” Little Big Town’s “Pontoon” and Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins’ “Hillbilly Bone.”
As a producer, he has worked with Brett Eldredge, Mickey Guyton, Thomas Rhett and others. He co-produced Kacey Musgraves’ albums Same Trailer Different Park, which won a Grammy for Best Country Album, and Pageant Material, contributing to six songs on each album. Laird also co-wrote the Grammy-winning song “Space Cowboy” on Musgraves’ third major-label album, Golden Hour.
His other accolades include six CMA Triple Play Awards and ACM Songwriter of the Year. In 2011, Laird and his wife, Beth Mason Laird, co-founded Creative Nation, a music publishing, management, artist development and record company. He released his debut solo album, Music Row, in 2020.
Industry Ink: Mitchell Tenpenny, Rosanne Cash, Michelle Wright, More
/by Caela GriffinMitchell Tenpenny Strikes Gold With “We Got History”
Mitchell Tenpenny with his Sony Music Nashville and Riser House team members
Mitchell Tenpenny was recently presented with a RIAA Gold plaque for his current hit single “We Got History.” The Riser House/Columbia Nashville/Sony Music Nashville artist wrote the song with Andy Albert, Devin Dawson and Jordan Schmidt.
“We Got History” is currently in the top 20 at radio and follows his back-to-back No. 1 singles, “Truth About You” and “At The End Of The Bar” with Chris Young. With his two back-to-back hits, Tenpenny made history at the time for achieving the shortest time between No. 1 songs in the modern chart era with a three-week span.
Tenpenny is on the road with Jason Aldean for the “Highway Desperado Tour” through Oct. 28.
Rosanne Cash Donates Career Artifacts To CMHoF And Museum
Rosanne Cash with Michael Gray, VP of Museum Services for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Photo: Courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Grammy-winning artist Rosanne Cash donated four historic artifacts from her career to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s collection.
The donation was announced during a special conversation and performance in the museum’s Ford Theater with Cash and her longtime collaborator, the Grammy-winning songwriter and producer John Leventhal. The Hall of Fame presented this program in partnership with the Americana Music Association.
Michael Gray, Vice President of Museum Services, joined Cash onstage to accept the artifacts and thank her for her donation to the nonprofit museum’s educational mission. Artifacts donated included a custom-built acoustic guitar and three bomber-style tour jackets from Cash’s “Seven Year Ache Tour” in 1981.
Michelle Wright Signs With BFD/Audium Nashville to Release Masters
Michelle Wright
Michelle Wright, one of Canada’s most successful and widely-recognized country artists, has signed with BFD/Audium Nashville to re-release master recordings of some of her biggest hits into the marketplace. These songs, to be available as a series, were originally released on the Savannah Records imprint.
“I’m so excited to extend my relationship with BFD / Audium Nashville and announce the rerelease of these master recordings,” explains Wright. “These albums represent a body of work that has allowed me to take you on this wonderful journey I’ve been on and to share my life with you through my songs and recordings. Take a walk down memory lane with me.”
The first in the series will be The Wright Songs: An Acoustic Evening With Michelle Wright, set to drop Dec. 8, and will include 17 songs recorded live on tour. For the 2024 holiday season, Wright plans to release A Wright Christmas with three newly recorded songs added to the original 12-track compilation. Additional projects will be announced at a later date.
This October, Wright hits the road in Canada for her first co-headlining tour. Wright joins acclaimed Canadian country artists Doc Walker and Jason McCoy on “The Great Canadian Road Trip,” scheduled to continue through next year.
Mickey Bell Signs With Platform Artist for Exclusive Booking
Mickey Bell
Award-winning comedian Mickey Bell has signed with Platform Artists for exclusive booking representation.
Platform Artists represents some of the top names in Christian talent in the live events space. The full-service talent agency’s roster includes Chris Tomlin, TobyMac, Michael W. Smith and more.
Bell, the 2021 Inspirational Country Music Awards Comedian of the Year, performs over 150 shows a year and is an advocate for mental health awareness, having battled his own severe bout of depression.
“I am blown away at the opportunities GOD continues to put in my path. First he put me with Scott Caldwell who has been a champion for me and a true friend since day one and throughout this journey. Scott will continue his management role as we begin a new season of growth. He didn’t just put me with a booking agency. He put me with the best in Christian music. I’m honored and humbled at the same time,” shares Bell.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mickey to the Platform Artists family. His unique ability to combine humor with vulnerability and honesty to promote healing is something that resonates with who we want to be as a company; and we look forward to how God will continue to use him moving forward,” adds Platform Artists’ co-founder Bryan Myers.
Amy Scruggs Media Sponsors Discover Sooner Sync Challenge
Amy Scruggs Media has sponsored a grant for the upcoming Discover Sooner Sync Challenge.
The Sync Challenge is an online program empowering songwriters, artists and producers to create music customized for the world of TV and film. Key highlights of the challenge include collaboration with teams, custom creation of two original songs designed specifically for a movie production and guidance from professionals in the industry.
The grant covers the full registration cost for the challenge for one songwriter and provides personalized marketing and branding meeting with Amy Scruggs. Applications for the Amy Scruggs Media grant must be submitted by Oct. 8 for consideration.
“We are thrilled to partner with Amy Scruggs Media to offer this grant to emerging songwriters,” says Nancy Deckant, Founder and CEO at Discover Sooner. “The Sooner Sync Challenge is an exceptional platform that bridges the gap between talented songwriters and the film industry. With Amy Scruggs’ support, we are providing an opportunity for one songwriter to shine, to make their mark on the world of entertainment, and to receive personalized guidance that can amplify their career.”
Scruggs comments, “I’m delighted to be part of this initiative and to support the next generation of songwriters. The Discover Sooner Sync Challenge is a fantastic way for artists to showcase their talent and gain invaluable industry experience. I look forward to personally working with the grant recipient to help them navigate the complexities of marketing and branding in the entertainment world.”
Kane Brown Plots 31-Date ‘In The Air Tour’ For 2024
/by Lorie HollabaughKane Brown. Photo: Diwang Valdez
Kane Brown has announced details for his upcoming 2024 “In The Air Tour,” kicking off in March. Artists supporting him on various dates include Tyler Hubbard, Jon Pardi, Chris Young, Bailey Zimmerman, Cole Swindell, Parmalee, LoCash and RaeLynn.
The tour will hit 29 cities including Toronto, Las Vegas, Atlanta and more before wrapping in Arlington, Texas at Globe Life Field on Sept. 14. Brown will play five major stadium shows during the trek, returning to Fenway Park in Boston, where he made history earlier this year as the first black artist to sell out a headlining show in the venue’s 100-plus year history.
Earlier this summer, Brown wrapped his “Drunk or Dreaming Tour,” which included his first headlining arena show at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville and a massive stadium show in Boston at Fenway Park. He also wrapped the international leg of the same tour this year, which hit Sydney, London, Amsterdam and Berlin.
The tour announcement comes on the heels of Brown receiving the ACM Honors International Award honor for his contributions to the format on a global scale. Additionally, he will release his new single, “I Can Feel It,” tomorrow (Sept. 21).
Brett Eldredge’s ‘Glow Live’ Tour To Return With Three Nashville Dates
/by Lorie HollabaughBrett Eldredge
Brett Eldredge is bringing his beloved annual “Glow Live” tour back this holiday season for 14 shows across the country.
A Christmas-time tradition, the tour will make stops in New York City, Boston, Detroit, Chicago and more, with three back-to-back nights beginning Nov. 24 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. General on-sale begins Sept. 22 on bretteldredge.com.
“The Glow tour has now become a big, beautiful Christmas tradition,” Eldredge shares about the upcoming tour. “I love kicking off the season with all of you. I’m excited to return to some of my favorite cities and add some new cities including Detroit, Philadelphia and Milwaukee. To me, it’s definitely the most wonderful time of the year.”
Beginning as a single live Christmas show in Nashville, the tour was inspired by Eldredge’s celebrated 2016 Christmas album, Glow, which featured the Billboard Adult Contemporary and Holiday Music Chart-topping duet “Baby, It’s Cold Outside (feat. Meghan Trainor). Named to multiple best of holiday albums lists, Glow was followed by his latest yuletide release, Mr. Christmas.
Bobby Bare To Receive Frances Williams Preston Mentor Award
/by Lorie HollabaughBobby Bare. Photo: Dennis Carney
Country Music Hall of Famer Bobby Bare will be honored with the Frances Williams Preston Mentor Award at the upcoming Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (NaSHOF) Gala on Oct. 11.
During his 60-year career, Bare has recorded more than 300 songs – including 35 top 40 singles – written or co-written by 76 NaSHOF songwriters – roughly 30 percent of the Hall’s entire membership. He is a 2013 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and was a member of the Grand Ole Opry from 1970-1973 and has been again since 2018. He becomes the first recording artist to receive the award named for Frances Williams Preston, who influenced and nurtured the careers of thousands of songwriters, performers and publishers in all genres during her five-decade career at BMI.
“Throughout his storied career, Bobby Bare has changed the lives of countless songwriters,” says Mark Ford, Executive Director of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. “He has befriended numerous NaSHOF legends, including Shel Silverstein, Tom T. Hall, Billy Joe Shaver, Bob McDill, Harlan Howard and Kris Kristofferson. He discovered Waylon Jennings and helped him sign with RCA Records in the mid-1960s. He featured many songwriters on his TNN TV show, Bobby Bare and Friends, from 1983-1988. Bobby has made a tremendous impact upon our music, and we are proud to salute him in this way.”
Previous Frances Williams Preston Mentor Award recipients are music publisher Bob Beckham (2008), music publisher Bill Hall (2009), Preston (2010), music publisher David Conrad (2011), music publisher Donna Hilley (2012), Bluebird Café founder Amy Kurland (2013), music publisher Pat Higdon (2014), music publisher Bill Lowery (2016) and songwriter advocate Ralph Murphy (2019).
Travis Tritt Announces Solo Acoustic Tour For 2024
/by Steven BoeroTravis Tritt. Photo: Alexis K. Behnkendorf
Country artist Travis Tritt has unveiled his “Travis Tritt Solo Acoustic Tour 2024.”
With a career spanning over three decades, Tritt’s tour promises an intimate experience, as fans will have the rare opportunity to witness his musical prowess in a stripped-down and personal setting.
The “Travis Tritt Solo Acoustic Tour 2024” is set to kick off on March 1, 2024, at Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville, Tennessee. Over the course of the tour, Tritt will visit prestigious venues across the nation, including the North Charleston Performing Arts Center in Charleston, South Carolina, The Carolina Opry in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and Saenger Theatre in Mobile, Alabama. He will also put on an underground performance inside The Caverns’ cave music venue in Pelham, Tennessee.
Tritt has achieved numerous milestones, boasting seven Platinum or higher-certified albums and 30 million in career album sales. He has been honored with two Grammy Awards, four CMA Awards, a Billboard Music Award for Top New Artist, and the esteemed distinction of becoming a member of the world-renowned Grand Ole Opry. Tritt has made over 40 appearances on the Hot Country Songs chart, including five No. 1 hits and twenty top 10 singles.
His chart-toppers include “Help Me Hold On,” “Anymore,” “Can I Trust You with My Heart,” “Best of Intentions” and “It’s A Great Day To Be Alive.” Tritt’s influence on the country music landscape solidifies him as a member of “The Class of ’89,” alongside Garth Brooks, Clint Black and Alan Jackson, who reshaped the genre in the ’90s.
He also recently released his debut gospel project, Country Chapel.
Tickets for the tour are on sale now. For more information, click here.
Needtobreathe Digs Deep With Ninth Studio Album ‘Caves’ [Interview]
/by Caela GriffinNeedtobreathe
Rock band Needtobreathe released their ninth studio album, Caves, last week, hailing it as their most ambitious project to date.
When they set out to create the project a few months back, band members Bear Rinehart, Seth Bolt, Josh Lovelace, Tyler Burkum and Randall Harris, stole away to a serene mountaintop cabin in Utah. There, in the company of each other, they did most of the writing for the album over the course of a couple weeks. They fostered their personal friendships while out west, clearing the way for the album to take shape.
“It started in Utah. We met and we thought we were making demos, so we didn’t put a lot of pressure on the recording part. It wasn’t a real studio, it was a house,” explains Rinehart.
“It was about reconnecting as people first,” he says. “We were getting to have these conversations late at night that we don’t have as much anymore.”
Lovelace remembers, “We’d get up in the morning and we’d work all day. Then, when most people clock out and go home to do their own thing, we were like, ‘Now is the time to invest in our friendships.’”
“We honestly got back [home] and were like, ‘Woah, this sounds like a record. Maybe we can use a lot of this,” explains Rinehart. “On this one, there was no [deadline for] the album to come out or any of that. It was more, ‘We’re going to work on this until we feel like it’s finished.’ That’s a huge luxury to have in music. That’s what we see as success—the ability to have that creative freedom.”
In a two-part documentary series, A World Without A Mirror – The Making of CAVES, the band shares insight into the Utah trip. One of the greatest benefits of that time away came with one of the biggest challenges of creating art: the listener’s reaction.
“You’re making something that no one is hearing along the way,” says Rinehart. “You’re trying to image there’s 10,000 people there—what does this feel like? You’re trying to remind yourself of that the whole way through.”
Burkum adds that chasing the live performance feeling of the music is an inspiration. He says, “[The music is] going to go through so many different iterations, but that’s a very life-giving thing: to keep your eye on the prize and get excited about those songs.”
As a band that’s spent nearly two decades on the road in front of crowds, from opening for Taylor Swift to selling out arenas, Needtobreathe wanted to write an album with the live shows in mind. They stacked this album with old friends and new, and blended genres through featured artists.
“We have Foy Vance who we’ve been friends with for a long time. He’s one of the greatest artists making music now—maybe ever,” says Lovelace. “Then we have our new friends in Old Dominion and Carly Pearce.
“For Old Dominion, we met them at an event we did and realized that we’re a lot alike. They had been listening to our band and we’d been watching them. We also had our friends, Judah & The Lion, who we’ve known forever,” Lovelace adds.
Needtobreathe will kick off “The Caves World Tour” in October with their friends Judah & The Lion.
“It’s fun to do things with people that you admire and respect,” continues Lovelace. “We play a song called ‘Waste of Time’ with Old Dominion. It’s really fun. On the record it’s three and a half minutes, but when we’re playing [it live], it’s like 11 minutes long right now and it keeps getting longer and longer. It’s a jam.”
Whether fans listen to the album or hear it played live on tour, Bolt says, “I hope when people hear it, they hear a group of people are just really inspired to do what they do.”
Needtobreathe feels grateful heading with their ninth studio album out. With a couple thousand live shows under their belt, they are determined to make each song, album and tour as special as the one before.
“It’s a really special thing to make this much music with people you grew up with and experience life with,” says Bolt. “I remember early on when we were making our first and second records, you’d hear people say, ‘A lot of bands don’t make it past their second record or their third record.’ So to be making the ninth one just feels very extraordinary.”
Caves is available to stream on all platforms, and tickets to “The Caves World Tour” are on sale online.