New Album
“Reynolds Station”
Produced by Shannon Lawson
All Songs Written by Josh Merritt
Photography and Design by Jacob Sommerville
Liner Notes
Josh Merritt - Vocals & Acoustic Guitar
Drums - Shakey Fowls (Kid Rock)
Bass - Robert Kerns (Sheryl Crow)
Electric Guitar - Jack Ruch
Keyboards - Peter Keys (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
Michael Gutierrez - Saxophone
Shannon Lawson - Vocal Harmony, Mandolin, Acoustic Guitar Lead
Barbara Lamb - Fiddle
Cynthia Murray - Vocal Harmony
Track List
1.) The High (3:46)
2.) How Many Times (3:05)
3.) Live With That (4:00)
4.) Reynolds Station (5:12)
5.) Honest as a Song (3:46)
6.) Best of Me (3:58)
7.) Run (2:55)
8.) Not a Life to Save (4:48)
9.) Tonya Jo (2:44)
10.) Fly Away (4:02)
Authenticity can’t be faked. So when an artist hails from the heartland and shares stories drawn from personal experience, the music resonates in ways that genuinely express their passion and purpose. Josh Merritt is one of those artists.
A native of Owensboro, Kentucky, he inherited the grit and honesty so essential to heartland culture. Having spent the better part of the past decade honing his chops on the Southern tour circuit, Merritt slides effortlessly into his own on debut studio release Reynolds Station, a stirring collection of autobiographical songs that recount his tumultuous childhood in the clutches of rural America’s amphetamine epidemic. A countrified concept album, it’s a grim testament to the tragedy that has upended so many lives and led to the loss of both faith and fortitude. Taken from his young mother as she struggled with drug addiction and raised by his grandparents, Merritt experienced the effects of substance abuse at close range.
“I’m not necessarily trying to impart any big lesson here,” Merritt says, “I’m just trying to tell people about what I’ve experienced, to share this album with people who have gone through the same thing so maybe they’ll be able to relate and find a connection to their own experience.”
Despite Reynolds Station being Merritt’s first formal outing, the 30 year-old singer and songwriter possesses a knowing intellect, an assured delivery and a confidence and clarity borne of experience that allow these songs to resonate. The influence of his home state’s rich musical tradition is apparent in his impassioned vocal delivery, and the music feels at once emotionally raw and commercially accessible. Songs such as “The High,” “How Many Times,” “Run” and “Not a Life to Save” highlight the longing and despair of Merritt’s coming of age in Kentucky, all of them shot through with a satisfyingly dowhome resolve.
Produced by hit songwriter and recording artist Shannon Lawson, and engineered and mixed by Zac Kasik (who worked with Jamey Johnson on platinum-selling album That Lonesome Song), Reynolds Station features veteran session players such as bassist Robert Kerns (Sheryl Crow), drummer Shakey Fowles (Kid Rock) and keyboard player Peter Keys (Lynyrd Skynyrd).
Merritt had previously recorded 2016 concert album, Live at Songhouse, to use as his calling card, but he was eager to have Lawson oversee his debut studio effort, citing Lawson’s skills and expertise as the driving force that saw the record through to fruition. Merritt does more than appreciate the insight Lawson brought to the project; he also credits Lawson with allowing the record to evolve at its own pace. “He never rushed things in the studio,” Merritt recalls. “There’s something to be said for taking the time to do things right.”
Though Reynolds Station is his first studio album, Merritt already has plenty of hard-won experience under his belt, having opened shows for Hank Williams Jr., Charlie Daniels Band, LoCash Cowboys, Colt Ford, Corey Smith, Trent Tomlinson and Sonia Leigh. He was initially inspired to make music by his father, the middle child of 14, who cut his teeth playing bluegrass in the family band. That same enthusiasm for music rubbed off on Merritt when he was still a youngster, and he soon found his way down the path to a set of influences that includes Jason Isbell, Todd Snider, New Grass Revival, The Eagles, John Moreland and John Anderson.
Though there were many obstacles along the way. Merritt was immersed in a volatile scene that easily could have derailed his ambitions. “Most of the people I knew and hung out with growing up were raised in families where drugs were the predominant factor,” Merritt says. “I did my share of experimenting along the way, but I was always looking for a way to escape that predicament. I’ve been sober for a year and a half now, so I wanted to bring light to this situation, and maybe give others some hope that things can turn out ok.”
Of the songs Merritt wrote for Reynolds Station, the ones that convey a sense of affirmation are the ones that mean the most to him. “My hope for this record is that it connects in some way with people who are still searching for that light,” he says. “If I accomplish that, I’ll know for sure that I’ve succeeded.”
About Josh Merritt
Contact
JNM Entertainment, LLC
Booking or Pressjnmentertainmentco@gmail.com
(270) 903-9223 (Call or Text)
““Josh can sing. He can play. And he absolutely knows how to take charge of a room and command a crowd. And he does it with electric musicality and personality. He’s a big guy with a big smile and big talent. Music’s in Josh’s soul and his love for it pours out of him every-time he throws a guitar strap around his shoulder and steps up to a mic.””
— Chad Benefield- Brand Manager/Morning Guy 92.5 WBKR-FM
“Of all the talented people I’ve had the pleasure of working with, Josh Merritt is a standout in my mind. He is naturally charismatic and strikes me as a born entertainer. He’s got the voice to go with it. But these things alone don’t make an artist’s career and Josh knows that. He also has the drive to get there and he knows who he wants to be.””
— Andy Brasher- Singer/Songwriter Owensboro, KY
Press Releases
American Songwriter
https://americansongwriter.com/josh-merritt-offers-solace-in-the-face-of-depression-and-addiction/
Glide Magazine ‘Live With That’ video premier
Bluegrass Situation
https://thebluegrasssituation.com/read/listen-josh-merritt-tonya-jo/
Hancock Clarion
Americana UK “The High” premier
https://americana-uk.com/track-premiere-josh-merritt-the-high
Alt. Country / Americana / Folk Rock
Owensboro, Ky
About Josh Merritt
Josh Merritt is a singer/songwriter from Owensboro, Ky who has spent most of the last 8 years touring the mid-west sharing his music. Josh writes powerful songs that tell the deep story of many peoples troubles. The kind of songs you just can't help but stop and get lost in. His show is made up of a steady mix of original music AND cover songs which is a good formula to keep him unique and the crowd ready to party. Josh is best comparable to the styles of Chris Stapleton, Travis Tritt, Sturgill Simpson, Blackberry Smoke, Jason Isbell, and Ryan Adams.
Josh Merritt has opened and played music with...
Hank Williams Jr., Charlie Daniels, Colt Ford, Corey Smith, LoCash Cowboys, Sonia Leigh, Ricky Gunn
MENTION-ABLE places Josh has played...
Elbo Room - Chicago, IL,
Iowa State Fair - Des Moines, IO,
Lefty's Music Hall - Des Moines, IO,
Rocky's Pub - Little Rock, AR,
Tiki Bar - Islamorada, FL
Sloppy Joe's - Key West, FL
Florabama - Perdido Key, FL
Beaver Bar - Daytona Beach, FL
Lamasco's Bar - Evansville, IN
Hard Rock Cafe - Indianopolis, IN
The Heavy Anchor - St. Louis, MO
The Hideaway - Louisville, KY
Boiler Room - Owensboro, KY
Spillway Bar - Bowling Green, KY
Tequila Cowboys - Nashville, TN
Swingin' Doors - Nashville, TN
Sidetracks Music Hall - Huntsville, AL
Terrapin Beer Co. - Athens, GA
Redlight Cafe - Atlanta, GA