Americana Highways is pleased to debut the song “Magnolia” from Seth Walker’s upcoming release Are You Open? produced by Jano Rix of the Wood Brothers. The recording is Walker’s 10th album to date. In addition to Walker on vocals and guitars, it features a number of guest musicians across its ten tracks, including guitarist Jon Paul Ruggieri, keyboardist Stefano Intelisano, bassists Myles Week, Chris Wood and Steve Mackey and drummer Ben Teters.
“Magnolia” is a thoughtful, simplified arrangement featuring only the duo of Seth Walker on vocals and acoustic guitar with Stefano Intelisano on accordion. “You took me in as if I was your own… and in the blink of an eye … we bid that last good-bye,” with a Southern crescendo chorus and Louisiana accordion, the song dwells in the places of tender good-byes.
Sooner or later, we all have to say goodbye to people, places or things that we love. It’s just the long and short of it. Some have to say their goodbyes much more often than others depending on which way your winds may blow. As a traveling musician, the goodbye seems to be an all too common occurrence for me. This song came over me as I was walking down Magazine Street in New Orleans on one of those intoxicating spring days that are seemingly only indigenous to the Crescent City. I was in the middle of a moment reflecting on my living arrangements coming to somewhat of an end there full time, and how much of a mark the experience has left on me. I was also thinking of the people in my life I’m closest to and ironically how far I am from them much of the time. The breeze coming off the bayou that day whispered at that gentle tempo, and out came this tune of a lamenting goodbye, countered by that self-realization and gratitude that love never dies. The ‘magnolia’ lyrical idea came quickly to me as the chorus, as it is obviously a beautiful image of the South that has its seasons, just as we do. Also maybe subconsciously the name ‘magnolia’ has always stuck with me, as that was the name of the street my grandparents lived on in North Carolina: 903 Magnolia. I always remember that house as a safe haven of love and something much bigger than myself. Musically, I originally wrote the melody with a few more chords, almost in a classic Willie Nelson style, but my friend, bassist and collaborator Myles Weeks helped me simplify the arrangement that gave it more potency. It really helped us get to the essence of the tune musically. No frills. Just a stripped down tune and performance that hopefully takes you somewhere. — Seth Walker
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