The Appalachian Soul Man: Aristotle Jones has released his new album, Mountain Doo-Wop & The Streets of Osage. Jones describes the album as a tribute to several genres that emerged from rural black populations of Appalachia and throughout America in the Mid-20th Century. He was inspired by the music in his parents record collections. Aristotle tried to create music that would have been playing in the background of Osage, WV on the night when his Granddad met his Grandmother outside the dancehall on their first official date, or the sounds that his parents danced to in the kitchen while preparing meals at their first home as a family. The songs are optimistic and speak to enduring love in the midst of the struggle and hardship of living in a rural coal town of Osage, WV.
Aristotle says that he hopes someone listening to Mountain Doo-Wop & The Streets of Osage will grab ahold of the message that if you don’t know where you came from it’s hard to know where you are going. The arc of the album takes the listener through big productions and elaborately arranged songs and then strips away the armor and lands the listener on a reprise that is simple acoustic guitar and vocals.. showcasing the strength in the vulnerability of just being yourself.
Listen to a song below and add it on Spotify and Apple Music.
Drums / Synth – David Haley Bass/Backing Vocals – Cody Barcroft Bass/keyboards (The Outside, Breathe, Best Nest) – Drew Jones Bass (Streets of Osage) – Tom Heckman Keyboard/Synth (Breathe) – Xavier Williams Horn Arrangements (Straight to You, Breathe, You, Best Nest, The Moment Before) – CJ Rhen Electric Guitar (The Outside) – Derek Springston Lead Vocals (I’ll Fly Away) – Robert A. Jones (Aristotles Granddad) Lead Vocals/Acoustic Guitar/Electric Guitar – Aristotle Jones
