Americana Highways brings you the premiere of Luke Callen’s song “Tomatoes from the Vine” from his forthcoming album Also Going Nowhere, due to be released later this year. The album was co-produced by Erik Koskinen and Luke Callen, engineered by Erik Koskinen and additional tracking by Hannah Hebl. All lyrics and music on the record are by Luke Callen.
Musicians on the album are Erik Koskinen on guitars; Luke Callen on guitars and vocals; Lauren Anderson (Spanish Villager / The Last Revel) on bass and harmony vocals; Chris Gray (Charlie Parr / Portal iii) on drums and percussion; and Franky Moscow (Jaedyn James) on organ.
“Tomatoes from the Vine” is the first single track from the forthcoming album, and it is brimming with nostalgia and joy. Luke spent formative years in the foothills of Fort Collins, Colorado, a place of freedom and spontaneity for the young artist. This song is easygoing and reflective, and steeped in reminiscence for the careless abandon of younger days. A fresh tomato from the vine stands for so much from carefree youthful summertimes, and Luke Callen captures that perfectly in a song.
Listen to “Tomatoes from the Vine”:
Now residing in Minneapolis,Minnesota – Luke Callen has earned a reputation as a serious singer-songwriter, and performer – sharing the stage with artists, Dom Flemons, Dead Horses, The Dustbowl Revival, Kacy & Clayton, James McMurtry, Whiskey Shivers, Charlie Parr, The Lowest Pair, The Last Revel, Lilly Hiatt, Chicago Farmer, and Robbie Fulks among others.
Luke Callen has the kind of grounding in songwriting and music-making that comes from his combined experiences. Like so many talented songwriters and performers, he believes in the power of communication a live audience gives him.
Luke brings his humble sense of humor and humanity wherever he may go, with his deep roots of his early years growing up in the Mississippi River town of La Crosse, Wisconsin and the memories of being a restless young man in the mountains of Colorado, where he learned to play traditional folk tunes and the rock, pop and folk of the past and present. Luke Callen works in the timeless space of folk music. But he’s a thoroughly modern songwriter, influenced by Bobby Charles, Danny O’Keefe, Karen Dalton, Bill Withers, Dolly Parton and Randy Newman.
We orchestrated a lot of our day around going to the ponds just outside of town – or over to the Poudre River – then making our way to a friend’s house to pass the time picking and playing music in the backyard. From time to time I’d run up to the canyon and just sit there in awe at the formations that have seized their way out of the earth… and every now and again I’d catch a fish. There was a carelessness that was heavy on my mind and in my body those days – and I certainly miss that feeling and the people that became true friends. A lot of those memories rush back when I’m out in the garden, and that first ripe cherry tomato is ready for the world. It’s no wonder that during the height of the lockdown I would pen a song all about the big blue skies we saw out west. — Luke Callen
Find Luke Callen’s music here – https://lukecallenmusic.bandcamp.com/music