Renowned Nashville-based Americana troubadour Rod Picott announces October UK tour

Renowned Nashville-based Americana troubadour Rod Picott announces October UK tour dates in support of his acclaimed new album 'Tell The Truth & Shame The Devil' ...

“Picott’s quality is unmistakable” Daily Mirror

Praise for Tell The Truth & Shame The Devil

“To call Rod Picott a “singer/songwriter” would hardly scratch the surface of the man’s creativity. Picott is far more than that. He is a poet who squeezes every last drop of meaning and emotion through his writing as he takes the listener deep into the hardship and heartache of working people struggling to hold a life together.” Americana Music Show

“…a magnificent record. It’s the sound of a master craftsman who has supped with his devil and lived to tell the tale.” Blabber ‘n’ Smoke

“…introspective and personal” Country Music People (4 stars)

“Artists of higher stature like Dylan and Springsteen have gone down this raw, solo route. Arguably, Picott’s poetry and well thought out songs are on a par or superior to those efforts.” Glide magazine

“A great poet and storyteller needs only a guitar to deliver the emotional rawness of soul searching and the ragged desperation of trying to come to terms with one’s place in the world. East Nashville’s Rod Picott creates stark, haunting, and poignant music with spare strums of his guitar and the sonic echoes of his harmonica that produce a spacious clarity in which his crystalline poetry can shine.” No Depression

“...his best work yet...A towering and courageous achievement.” RNR (5 stars)

“…an introspection rarely explored…gritty” Uncut (8/10)

Release Date: 19 July 2019

Label: Welding Rod Records

Total Length: 46:41

Genres: Country

Amazon - iTunes

Listen to sample tracks on Soundcloud

Touring UK October 3-17, 2019

Many of the songs on Tell The Truth & Shame The Devil were prompted by a health scare that rattled Rod Picott through the winter of 2018/2019. It took several weeks to chase down the devil causing the heart issue during which Picott also underwent back surgery (five blood pressure checks until they gave up and said “I guess we’ll just do it anyway…”). In the end, this week’s long event of a freight train banging away in his chest informed Picott’s new album profoundly in both the writing and the recording. Alone with his modest recording gear, Picott set about making an album as honest, raw and uncontrived as his spine would allow. The new album is completely acoustic, featuring only guitar, harmonica and Picott’s weathered vocals. Already known for the intimacy and vivid narratives of his previous work, Tell The Truth & Shame The Devil opens the door wider still. Picott’s health is now in check.

An album to have close by you when sleep won't come in the long night of the soul, clinging to it as it helps you through to the light of a possible better tomorrow.
- Mike Davies (Fatea Review read more)

The question recording artists always ask themselves is “What record do I want to make?” 

There are endless ways to make a great album. Robert Johnson recorded the most influential blues recordings ever made, in a hotel room in Texas. Bruce Springsteen laboured over a single song - Born To Run for nine agonizing months. But what happened to Rod Picott this past winter made something very clear this time around. 

He wanted to make an album that was completely stripped of anything other than the songs. He wasn’t looking for perfect takes. He was looking for the right takes. Picott was hunting magic and wanted to tell the truth of who he is as a songwriter and human being walking this rock. The album starts and ends with a few seconds of nature to let you know this album is different. Picott recorded all the tracks alone, at home, with no engineer then turned them over to Neilson Hubbard to mix. This is the most personal group of songs Rod Picott has released and in some ways it is a memoir in song. It’s also by far the most intimate recording he’s made. It’s all in the title - Tell The Truth & Shame The Devil. He did just that. The truth is in every string squeak, false start, missed chord and in the writing as well. The devil is gone…for now.

The opening song, ‘Ghost’ reveals Picott’s inner voice announcing itself with introspection, openness and poetic revelation, while ‘Mama’s Boy’ was written with Picott’s long-time co-writing partner Slaid Cleaves. The song asks questions of masculinity and self identification in a world that can be so often cruel and limited. Picott’s own working class childhood is explored nakedly.

Now in his fifties, Rod Picott has garnered a cult audience across the U.S. and Europe. He tours tirelessly and continues to garner rave reviews for both his songwriting skills and darkly humorous, compelling live show. A prolific writer, Picott has recently turned his hand to poetry (God In His Slippers, Murmuration - Mezcalita Press) short fiction (Out Past The Wires - Working Title Farm) and has a novel in the works titled A Bony Right Fist. Born in the small mill town of South Berwick, Maine and residing in Nashville, TN since 1994, Tell The Truth & Shame The Devil is the latest release from former construction worker Rod Picott.

ROD PICOTT · OCTOBER 2019 UK TOUR

Thu 3 October 2019 - The Admiral, Glasgow Americana 2019, Glasgow (72a Waterloo St) Ticketweb £14.63

Glasgow G2 7DA

Fri 4 October 2019 - Montrose Folk Club, The Links Hotel,  Montrose Event £9.50

Sat 5 October 2019 - St Georges Hall, Bewdley (Website; Load Street, Worcestershire, DY12 2EQ)

Sun 6 October 2019 - The Running Horse, Nottingham (16 Alfreton Rd, NG7 3NG) Event £13.20

Mon 7  October 2019 - Davenham Players Theatre, Davenham (59 Church Street, Northwich, CW9 8NF) Event £11           

Tue 8 October 2019 - The Greystones, Sheffield (Greystones Road, S11 7BS) Event £12.10      

Thu 10 October 2019 - The Live Theatre Studio, Newcastle upon Tyne (Broad Chare, Quayside NE1 3DQ) Event £12.50 with Elaine Palmer

Fri 11 October 2019 - Private House Concert, Great Easton, Leicestershire        

Sat 12 October 2019 - The Royal Oak,  Eccleshall, Staffordshire (25 High street, Staffordshire ST21 6BW) Event £16.50 

Sun 13 October 2019 - Santini’s Restaurannt, Kenley, Croydon (64 Godstone Road, CR8 5AA)   

Mon 14 October 2019 - The Greys, Brighton (105 Southover Street, BN2 9UA) Event £13.20      

Tue 15 October 2019 -   The Hen & Chicken, Bristol (210 North St, BS3 1JF) Event £14.50         

Wed 16 October 2019 -  What’s Cookin' @ Leytonstone Ex-Servicemens Club, London   

Thu 17 October 2019 - Kingsmead House Concert, High Wycombe Venue Event £13.20 address will be provided upon purchase of tickets

European Dates

October 18 Van Slag Borger Netherlands Details

October 19 Ramblin’ Roots Festival Utrecht Netherlands Details

October 23 Moskus, Trondheim Norway

October 24 Arnemoen Gård, Ringebu Norway

October 28 Dust of Daylight, Bergen Norway

Rod Picott.com - Tour Dates

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