Americana Highways is hosting this premiere of Jake Potter’s song “Emerald” from his forthcoming album Apparitions. The album was produced by Clay Conner and Jake Potter; engineered by Clay Conner in Durham, N.C. and Benjy Johnson at Earthtones Recording Studio in Greensboro, N.C.; mixed by Chris Boerner at Sound Pure Studios in Durham, N.C.; with additional mixing by Benjy Johnson at Earthtones Recording Studio in Greensboro, N.C.
Musicians on the song are Jake Potter on vocals and guitars; Clay Conner on guitars, pedal steel, and lap steel; Alecia Evans on keyboards; Charlie Hunter on bass; and George Sluppick on drums. Jake Potter has one of those voices that’ll grip you with its raw grit. “Emerald” is a full-bodied slow build-up to joyful peaks, and you’ll be right there with it.
“Emerald” is my shot at bottling the blood rush you get when you fall into something new with someone new. In moments like those, everything feels visceral and fully saturated. I wanted the music to follow that cue: the second verse leads into an instrumental crescendo that, to me, felt like that first swell of emotion that came over me in that barroom back in Raleigh.
I wrote “Emerald” right at the height of lockdown back in 2020. The lyrics and melody came to me on a whim as I took a walk downtown. I didn’t have my phone or a pen or anything on me. I had to run back to my apartment reciting the lyrics out loud, so I wouldn’t forget anything. I’m sure it looked like lockdown had finally sent me over the edge.
George and Charlie added a great sense of groove to what originally was a simple love song in three-quarter time. At the coda, you start to hear the instruments fall apart. We loved it so much, we decided to keep it on the final cut. — Jake Potter
Pre-save “Emerald,” out Sept. 30: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/jakepotter/emerald