Song Premiere: John Shipe “What Do I Owe?”

John Shipe – “What Do I Owe?”

Americana Highways brings you this premiere of John Shipe’s song “What Do I Owe?” from his forthcoming album Water This Dark, which is due to be released on May 10th.  This song, however, will be available on February 9th. Water This Dark was produced by Tyler Fortier, with additional recording by Ehren Ebbage.   It was mastered by Thaddeus Moore at Liquid Mastering.

“What Do I Owe?” is John Shipe on vocals, guitars, and piano; Mike Walker on organ, and pianos; Bryan Daste on pedal steel guitar; Lilli Worona on violin and vocals; Nate Barnes (Mary Chapin Carpenter) on drums; Sam Howard on bass; Erin Flood Fortier on vocals; and Tyler Fortier on guitars, vocals, organ, piano, and percussion

Shipe’s music, and especially this song, with both its lyrics and the production, is wonderful and can be deeply felt by anyone of any age who’s prone to philosophical reflection and holds on to sorrows and the random injustices that befall us all.  We find ourselves inhabiting a natural world of spendor, and then those events that are just unfair, and here is a wry twist of sorrow after a lifetime of hard work, despite the beauty that still shines through.  “What do I owe anything that took everything from me in the end…. ”  but also, “if you’re going to go on living you ought to do it well. ”

I imagined an aging family man facing down his Creator. Appreciating the dignity & goodness of solid people like my Dad, I realized I was personally updating the Book of Job. Because I’m not very fond of that biblical ending. I wanted Job to have the last word. – John Shipe

Find more details on his website here: https://www.johnshipemusic.com/