Bill Kirchen Cat Out of the Bag
Some artists are excellent, some become heroes, and a rare few cross into the realm of the truly legendary. Bill Kirchen has long occupied all three spaces at once. On Cat Out of the Bag, released via Last Music Co., the Titan of the Telecaster sounds as alive, inventive and joyfully unrestrained as ever — a musician still discovering new corners of his own artistry six decades into the journey.
Recorded in Austin with his trusted road band — bassist Jack Saunders, drummer Rick Richards, and the late, great Austin de Lone on keyboards and Hammond organ — the album captures the unmistakable chemistry of players who know exactly how to serve a song. Kirchen’s Telecaster remains the guiding light: supple, stinging, tender, mischievous, and always unmistakably his.
The opening title track, “Cat Out of the Bag,” co‑written with de Lone and fellow Lost Planet Airman Dr. John Tichy, sets the tone with a burst of road‑tested energy. Kirchen calls it “a good‑to‑be‑alive song,” and it feels exactly that — a celebration of survival, renewal, and the simple joy of plugging in and turning up again after the long quiet of the pandemic years.
Across the record, Kirchen revisits the rockabilly‑meets‑honky‑tonk vocabulary that helped define Americana before the genre had a name, but he also stretches beyond it. There’s swaggering boogie, Western swing, jump blues, folk‑shaded storytelling and the kind of telepathic ensemble playing that only comes from decades of shared stages.
“Hamburger Man,” written by the late Joe New, is a honky‑tonk gem delivered with the easy authority of a song Kirchen has lived with on the road. “City Mix” rattles along with hillbilly‑licked charm, while “Honky‑Tonk Hellfire” is pure roadhouse joy — my own favourite today, though that will almost certainly change tomorrow.
The emotional centrepiece, however, is “Inside My Baby’s Heart.” Built on interwoven guitar textures, beautifully judged tones and gentle but insistent percussion, it unfolds slowly into a sweeping, near‑orchestral rise. The arrangement creates a quiet dramatic tension that mirrors the song’s theme: a lover trying to understand the darker corners of someone they care for. It’s one of Kirchen’s most affecting performances in years.
Elsewhere, “Highway to Heaven” pays tribute to the late Jerry Douthet, sparked by a friend’s wry comment on a Facebook obituary — a reminder of Kirchen’s lifelong ability to blend humour, humanity and heartache in the same breath. And the album closes with “Mercy Light,” co‑written with Farrell, featuring de Lone’s Hammond organ, Marty Muse’s pedal steel, and the thunder‑tight rhythm section of Saunders and Richards. From its opening drum crack to the long, ringing fade of Kirchen’s final chord, it’s a testament to perseverance, gratitude and the stubborn joy of still being here.
De Lone’s presence — musical, emotional, spiritual — runs through the album. His passing before the record was completed adds a quiet poignancy, and Kirchen’s dedication (“to the memory of my mentor and dear pal … always and forever”) feels deeply earned.
What makes Cat Out of the Bag so compelling is not reinvention for its own sake, but the sound of an artist expanding his palette while staying true to the core of what made him essential in the first place. Even when the styles are familiar, the playing feels fresh, the writing sharp, the performances full of life. It’s the work of a musician who still loves the craft, still loves the road, and still believes — wholeheartedly — in the power of rock ’n’ roll soul.
Get your copy here: https://www.billkirchen.com
Enjoy our interview here: Interview: Bill Kirchen On Connecting, Collaborating, and “Cat Out of the Bag”
The album was produced by Paul Riley and recorded by Jack Saunders, with additional co-production by by Bill, Rick, Jack, Austin and André; and additional recording by André Moran and Pat Collier.
Musicians on the album are Bill Kirchen on vocals, harmony vocals, acoustic, rhythm, baritone and electric guitar; Rick Richards on drums and percussion; Jack Saunders on bass, harmony vocals, mandolin, acoustic rhythm and electric rhythm guitars; Austin de Lone on rhythm guitar, Hammond organ and piano; George Lloyd on additional rhythm guitar; Floyd Domino on piano and Wurlitzer piano; Jimmie Dale Gilmore on harmony vocals; Marty Muse on pedal steel and lap steel; Paul Riley on baritone guitar and harmony vocals; Linda Gail Lewis on piano and harmony vocals; and Louise Kirchen on harmony vocals.
Track Listing:
Cat Out of the Bag
City Mix
Her Gone is Her Goodbye
Hamburger Man
One More Ride
Inside My Baby’s Heart
Black Sheep
Honky‑Tonk Hellfire
Highway to Heaven
Love’s Direction Home
Mercy Light