Americana Highways brings you this video premiere of Rodney Rice’s song “Rabbit Ears Motel” from his forthcoming self-titled album, due to be released in May 19. Rodney Rice was recorded at The Bomb Shelter; engineered, produced and mixed by Drew Carroll (The Deslondes, Courtney Marie Andrews); and mastered by Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes “Boys and Girls”(Certified Platinum, Grammy Nom), Margo Price).
“Rabbit Ears Motel” is Rodney Rice on vocals and guitars; Dave Racine (Jim Lauderdale) on drums; Dennis Crouch (Loretta Lynn, Robert Plant, Allison Krauss, Elvis Costello, Riley Downing, Logan Ledger, Dolly Parton, Ralph Stanley) on bass; Jeff Taylor (Riley Downing, Jimmy Buffett, Joshua Hedley, AJ Croce, Willie Nelson) on keys; Steve Daly on guitars; Maureen Murphy (Zac Brown Band, Blackberry Smoke); Kyshona Armstrong (Kyshona) and Nickie Conley on backing vocals.
The video was directed by Joshua Shoemaker with Steve Voss and Schuyler Howie. This is a honky tonk song about what you might call a honky tonk hotel, but also, this song is about the bland experiences we sometimes have just before we realize that our mortality may not happen close on the heels of any particularly grand extravaganza. “Stumbling back to my room after the Friday night rodeo… gonna live it up til you lay me down and I bid this world farewell…” Rodney’s deadpan expressions in the video captures the reflective mood of it all.
This is the song that started the whole album. My wife and I got married outside of Steamboat Springs on a long county highway that overlooked the valley. When we were leaving town she said, ‘You should write a song about this place,’ referring to the Rabbit Ears Motel, a Steamboat Springs staple marked by a classic neon sign. The power of suggestion is real, so is the power of love, encouragement, and support. I have been lucky enough to find myself surrounded by great people who have provided me with an abundance of love, encouragement, and support. — Rodney Rice