Helen Rose – “King of this Town”
Americana Highways is hosting this video premiere of Helen Rose’s song “King of this Town,” a co-write with Jonah Tolchin from her forthcoming album Rugged Elegance. Rugged Elegance was produced by Jonah Tolchin; engineered by Nic Coolidge and Sheldon Gomberg; and mastered by Alex DeTurk.
“King of this Town” is Helen Rose on vocals; Kevin Clifford on drums; Nic Coolidge on bass; Jonah Tolchin on guitar; Greg Leisz on pedal steel; Carey Frank on piano; Andrew Jocelyn on strings; and Marley Monroe, Valerie Pinkston and Tyler James Kelly on backing vocals.
Starring in the video is Mark Boone Jr., known by his roles in Sons Of Anarchy, Mandalorian, and Memento. It also stars Helen Rose, and footage of her uncle Thomas Weir Wright, a renowned supported of music in New York City area. The video was produced and directed by J. Pinder and Cole Dabney of Formosa House. It was edited by J. Pinder, with Courtney Simpson & Yezmin Saad as dancers and makeup and hair by Lauren T. Lillian. This song is about the king of the town, without any trace of irony – it’s a swaggery tribute to a person who was larger than life – Helen’s uncle, Thomas Wright. “You’re the king of this town / There’s a hole in the world / Without you here / I can’t see the bottom / Can’t stop the tears.” Helen Rose crafts some heavy hitting roots rock that truly honors the art of songwriting with its powerful emotional resonance.
“King of this Town” is a tribute to my Uncle, Tom Wright, who I was very close with. My first time to New York in 1994, he picked my mom and I up at the JFK airport wearing a chauffeur’s cap. We cruised down Broadway in his 1980’s Cadillac with 3 dogs, including a Great Dane named Pearl, who he named one of his beautiful daughters after. At 5 years old I felt like I was in the King’s chariot, he knew all the secrets of every building- and every person on the street…..The smell of leather and dog, a deep and eternal comfort scent from then on. As New York City was maybe at first a muse to Tom, he became a muse to New York City. Everyone who ever met Tom or entered the loft – his spirit and essence resonated deep within their memory. From golden rats on the floor, to pissing off uppity neighbors, and the cops by refusing to take down windchimes from the fire escape, to running his wolf dogs down the snowy streets of 1970’s TriBeca, the stories go on and on… NYC will never be the same without him. – Helen Rose
Find the music here: https://sym.ffm.to/kingofthistown
