Summer Break

Wilderado, Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors, Red Clay Strays, and a Peach State great

Kiss me hard before you go
Summertime sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby, you the best

—Lana Del Rey

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Music Swap family!!! You the best! We’re taking a summer break and wanted you to know how much we appreciate you for subscribing and reading this hobby music newsletter. What a great year of music sharing, themed editions, and Bonus Tracks. Adding Mat and Adam to the list of song pickers has taken the Swap to a new level. And congratulations to David Simmons for contributing the Bonus Track for the most viewed Music Swap edition in our 1.5 year history.

We’ll drop a few surprise editions over the summer to make sure you’re still playing tunes and sharing songs with friends.

Until then, here are three summer song selections from Kody, Ben, and Jonathan, along with a Bonus Track (from a saint who just went down (moved) to Georgia) on a summer great from the Peach State.

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Talker by Wilderado (Kody)

Wilderado fits the summer. The lead singer has a solid stache and looks like the summer of nineteen-eighty-something.

I’m hooked on this song Talker. I love how it builds from a soft-spoken “talker” pace to a climactic chorus with echoey emotion-filled singing and sounds.

I’m gonna see them in Indy on June 8th and I hope they play this song.

I Need to Go Somewhere by Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors (Ben)

This was a well timed single by Drew and co. during the leftover sentiments of COVID claustrophobia (even in TN). Not only is it a catchy listen for summer — but he snuck “Jack Kerouac” into a lyric. That’s a party trick. Give it a listen and it might even change your weekend plans. There is a ton of good music to listen to this summer, keep the tunes rolling and share songs with your friends.

Don’t Care by Red Clay Strays (Jonathan)

I had never heard of this group until about a month ago, but apparently they blew up this year. After sharing my newfound knowledge of this band with Kody and Ben, a common practice on our Music Swap text thread, Kody asked me to describe their sound. While not exactly sure, my answer was broadly Americana, Westen-ish, folky, rock, and county. They’re smooth. After a few listens, I was hooked. My pick today stands out with its strong vocals by the lead singer. Spend some time this summer listening to this band from Mobile, Alabama. The Red Clay Strays will for sure be on my summer playlist.

Bonus Track: Hotlanta and the Soundtrack of Summer by Chris Smith

I've always thought of Memorial Day as the official start of summer. School is over, baseball is in full swing, and it's usually warm enough for the year's first lake day. It's hard to beat the excitement of the start of summer. And it's hard to imagine a city that has more of what you need to enjoy summer than my new home--Atlanta. Need to beat the heat? Find someone with a boat and head out to Lake Lanier. Into sports? Grab a ticket for the cheap seats for a Braves game. Love live music? Catch a show outside at Lakewood or head inside for a show at the Fox or the Tabernacle. Need to get away? Catch the start of the Appalachian Trail just a short drive north. Don't have that time? Cast a line in the Chattahoochee right in town (which is what I hope to be doing when this hits your inbox).

Not only does Atlanta have everything you need for the perfect summer, it has also given us the quintessential song for summer--"Chattahoochee" by Alan Jackson. Alan Jackson was born just outside Atlanta and is one of many incredible artists to hail from Georgia. He may not be remembered as one of the greats, but the man sold a ton of records. Not only that, he wrote the official soundtrack of summer. "Summertime Blues" and his collaboration with Jimmy Buffet on "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" are excellent contributions, but I can't think of a song that epitomizes summer like "Chattahoochee."

The drums start things off and you're tappin' your toes before you know it. The unmistakable guitar riff comes in immediately putting a smile on your face. Then, the classic opening line hits and you're taken back to all the fun memories of summers past.

The details may not be exact, but Jackson captures the freedom and fun of summer in his lyrics. For me, I was way down yonder on the Saluda and Wateree Rivers, too busy fishing to worry about girls. With the stresses of work and family and, for me, the stress of a move and everything that comes with that, it's a good reminder to enjoy these summer days while they last. Whether you're hitting the lake, the links, or the live music scene, crank up this upbeat, summer playlist brought to you by Alan Jackson. You'll be singing along in no time.

• Chattahoochee

• Summertime Blues

• It's Five O'Clock Somewhere

• Don't Rock the Jukebox

• I Don't Even Know Your Name

• Livin' on Love

• Gone Country

• Tall, Tall Trees

• Little Bitty

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Chris Smith has the best beard and is one of the best friends a man could ask for. He now lives in Atlanta with his wife Holly and three boys. If you’re looking for a late-night theological or philosophical conversation, there’s no better place to be than Chris’ couch. He once scalped an $8 ticket to see Willie Nelson at the Tabernacle. One time he was mistaken for David Crowder.

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Have a great summer friends. Don’t forget to write!!!

-TheMusicSwap