Lots of new music from Pony Bradshaw is coming very, very soon.
Last year, Bradshaw dropped his critically acclaimed North Georgia Rounder record, which beautifully captured the heart and soul of North Georgia in a captivating and poetic way. The album landed at #13 on the Whiskey Riff 40 Top Albums of 2023 list, and with his most recent announcement, I hope to see him on the 2024 list for best albums.
The North Georgia native is unveiling his next project, Thus Spoke The Fool, which is slated for an August 16th release date via Soundly Records. The forthcoming record will be the final chapter of Bradshaw’s trilogy, which started with Calico Jim in 2021 and continued with North Georgia Rounder in 2023.
He says:
“This record is what I consider the third part of a North Georgia trilogy. A lot of the characters and rivers and stories have been mentioned across my last three records.
I’ve always been interested in myth, history and folklore, and building worlds. It’s what drives me to create and write songs still. Fact and fiction intertwined.”
The 10-track album was partially recorded in an old church near Athens, Georgia, and the location’s rich history seeps into the songwriting of the lead single, “Ginseng Daddy.”
“‘Ginseng Daddy is “a man of the hills, made of sun, dust, and dead leaves,’ continuing and adding to our creation story.”
The new single highlights Pony Bradshaw’s love for literature as he sings the song in the spirit of Herman Melville’s narrator, Ishmael. The track is an homage to his homeland of Appalachia, living off the land and embracing a simple way of life. The intentional word choice of the lyrics combined with the rich melodies highlights the history rooted in this land.
“They call me ginseng daddy
I’m the pride of my kin
I’m just fooling, halfway gone
On that foxfire again
I two-stepped all through Georgia
Just to find what I don’t need
Living high on the hog
Getting lost in the weeds
But I’m safe in the arms of vernacular
Yeah, I’m safe in the arms of vernacular.”
This single highlights the songwriting wiz that Bradshaw is, drawing inspiration from places that no other artist is doing. There is a reason Pony Bradshaw fans would die on a hill for him, and his songwriting is a large portion of his devout following.
“My hope is that [my music] brings these small and big ideas forward to share a new perspective. It’s something I think is important and worthwhile in this strange world. Place, and community, and sticking around seem important. History does, too. Telling the story of North Georgia seems important.”
I can’t wait for this one.
PONY BRADSHAW 2024 TOUR DATES
June 21 – Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater
June 22 – Greeley, CO – Moxie Theater
June 24 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Urban Lounge
June 26 – Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern
June 27 – Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios
June 28 – Pendleton, OR – Jackalope Jamboree
June 29 – Boise, ID – The Olympic Venue
July 12 – Teton Village, WY – Mangy Moose Steakhouse and Saloon
July 13 – Helena, MT – Lewis & Clark Taproom
July 14 – Whitefish, MT – Under the Big Sky Festival
July 17 – Spokane, WA – The District at Knitting Factory
July 19 – Teton Village, WY – Mangy Moose
July 20 – Gallatin Gateway. MT – The Westerner
July 22 – Billings, MT – Pub Station
July 25 – Lincoln, NE – Bourbon Theatre
July 27 – Davenport, IA – Raccoon Motel
August 10 – Camino, CA – Delfino Farms
August 11 – San Francisco, CA – The Chapel
August 13 – Los Angeles, CA – Moroccan Lounge
August 15 – San Diego, CA – Casbah
August 16 – Pioneertown, CA – Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace
August 17 – Flagstaff, AZ – The Museum Club
August 18 – Phoenix, AZ – Valley Bar
August 21 – Denton, TX – Dan’s Silverleaf
August 29 – Winston-Salem, NC – The Ramkat & Gas Hill
August 30 – Mill Spring, NC – Earl Scruggs Music Festival
September 5– Athens, GA – 40 Watt Club
September 6 – Nashville, TN – The Ryman
September 7 – Indianapolis, IN – HI-FI Indy
September 12 – Shreveport, LA – Louisiana Grandstand
September 14 – Pryor, OK – Born & Raised 2024
September 15 – Oklahoma City, OK – Beer City Music Hall
October 3 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
October 4 – Saint Paul, MN – Turf Club
October 19 – Waverly, AL – Standard Deluxe
October 30 – Houston, TX – The Heights Theater
October 31 – Ft. Worth, TX – Tannahill’s Tavern & Music Hall
November 1 – Austin, TX – Sagebrush
November 2 – San Antonio, TX – Sam’s Burger Joint
November 8 – Pineville, KY – Bell Theater
November 9 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl Nashville
November 14 – Raleigh, NC – The Rialto Theatre
November 16 – Atlanta, GA – Terminal West
