Americana Highways is hosting this premiere of Ben Balmer’s song “Johnson Farm,” from his forthcoming album Ben Balmer & Friends: Volume 1. The album was produced by Ben Balmer and Justin Douglas; recorded at King Electric Studios and Same Sky Productions; engineered by Justin Douglas and mastered by Andre Castro.
“Johnson Farm” is Ben Balmer on vocals, acoustic guitar, and harmonica; Josh Flowers on upright bass; Aaron Parks on drums; and Eddie Dickerson on fiddle. There’s a foreboding underpinning this song from the very first note; and the harmonies direct the chills down your spine. The song was written by Mark Jungers and Ben Balmer makes it his own.
“Johnson Farm” was written by a good friend, Mark Jungers. Mark is one of my very favorite songwriters, period. When I hear country and americana songs that speak of putting your back to a plow or driving a tractor out of the mud, I can’t help but wonder sometimes if the songwriter has ever actually experienced that kind of life. Mark has. From the work itself to witnessing the hardships and joy that come with that kind of life, Mark always tells an honest truth in his songs filled with everything from tragedy to humor. “Johnson Farm” is one of my favorites of his, a true farmer tragedy through and through. I was honored to play harmonica and sing harmonies on the track when he first released it, and I’m excited to put out my little spin on the tune. — Ben Balmer
This single will be available on streaming sites only, listeners can bookmark the album release at https://www.benbalmer.com/music or follow Ben directly on Spotify for access to singles as soon as they drop.