Canadian/Nashville based Linda McRae is a singer-songwriter and musician who bends the rules of genre by stripping a song clean and bringing it back to it's roots. With her new release Going to the Well, produced by Deni Gauthier, Linda McRae takes a deep draw, fresh and cool, on iconic influences, covering the likes of David Bowie, Willie P. Bennett, Richard Thompson, Don Williams and Bill Kirchen. McRae has released six critically acclaimed recordings as a solo performer and is featured on multiple artists’ albums. Numerous accolades and top radio charting have landed Linda a Canadian Folk Music nomination for Contemporary Album of The Year for “Rough Edges and Ragged Hearts,” two Escape to Create Residencies in Florida, Winner of the Family Folk Chorale for “Be Your Own Light.” Linda’s contribution to the Canadian music scene resulted in her being honored as a 2016 British Columbia Entertainment Hall of Fame “Pioneer” inductee. A multi-instrumentalist Linda works tirelessly as a touring singing songwriter, performing at premiere venues across Canada, the US and Europe while turning out new works. Off Going to the Well, Linda's original song "Long Shadow Trail," demonstrates her undeniable talent as a songwriter and performer. 'Long Shadow Trail' opens with a slow cascading double stop on acoustic guitar followed by arpeggios and delicate scale-wise melodies. The bluegrass, acoustic sound is in a minor key, melancholy and contemplative. The guitar has a reverberant full sound. This intro repeats between verses gluing the song together with a highly memorable, country blues riff.
Soon, the rhythm picks up and the guitar articulation changes with muted syncopation and anticipation as Linda enters singing, "Shadows need light and as a kid I was told mine was sewn to the souls of my feet / With little girl spins we’d throw our wishes to the wind and I swear I heard her heart beat."
Linda's voice is natural like the soil of the earth. Her vocal character is perfect for Americana storytelling. With an inviting, rich alto tone and a laid-back confidence, Linda spins her musical tale with the wisdom of an old soul who has music deep in her spirit.
"Long Shadow Trail" was inspired by Evangeline Elston’s photos “from the long shadow trail.” The song is a tale about a lonely little girl who collects her wishes in the wind. The lyrics utilize the juxtaposition of shadow and light to depict the casting away of fear and lonliness.
The song's video is as mesmerizing:
"Long Shadow Trail" has all the makings of a classic Americana song. From the dusty lyrics to the soulful melody, Linda McRae has written a timeless song. When an artist writes a song that other artists will surely want to cover, that is a very big compliment and this is that kind of song. With it's subtle nature, "Long Shadow Trail" forges a long trail of emotion.
Listen on Spotify.
For more information on Linda McRae, please visit her website.
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