Rod Picott so vividly conveys the lives of those on the edge, struggling to earn a living or those just too exhausted to carry on. Much of his inspiration is personal; he has lived that life himself. A trademark of his writing are the characters through whom he portrays his vista of bleakness. Unchanged is Picott’s relentless melancholy. What is different is his perspective. He looks back at his life but also ponders darkly what lies ahead. There is a sense of reckoning but also defiance, grace, and dignity.
It’s been an absolute privilege to have this job the last 24 years. I never took it for granted and like my buddy Slaid Cleaves wrote, “I didn’t get what I wanted but I probably got what I deserved.” There is a lot of wisdom in that simple declaration. This business is hard with a capital H. Hard as Maine well water. My ability to make a living the last quarter of a century (jesus…) depended so much on luck, elbow grease, and some simple elements of my personality (I’m very adaptable on the road and can tour for weeks on end all by myself — I’ve felt at home wherever I went).
The new album Starlight Tour has arrived. We are getting some of the best reviews of my career for this piece of work. Produced by Neilson Hubbard and featuring Lex Price, Juan Solorzano and Neilson himself pounding the drums; Starlight Tour is possibly the finest album I’ve made in 23 years of digging these ditches. I’ll let you decide…
“Rod Picott is one of our too-little-known songwriting treasures. Like Hemingway, he peers into the jangly tentativeness of the relationships between men and women. Like Harry Crews, he captures the spectral gothic shadows that haunt rural settings. Like Townes Van Zandt, Picott tells riveting tales about memorable characters — the moonshiner, Sonny Liston, his daddy — that plumb the misery and the fleeting moments of hope that mark the human condition.” Henry Carrigan, No Depression
“Picott’s albums are like that aged bottle of wine or whiskey you hoard for special occasions to be shared only with your significant other or maybe just alone. You marvel at his storytelling and dive in intensely as if it’s just he and you in that one room. His songs are just too good to share with casual listeners who don’t appreciate great writing.” Jim Hynes, Glide Magazine
“Rod Picott doesn’t leave anything to chance. His songs are expertly crafted, living creations filled with marks of the human condition. He continually impresses, constantly grows within his art. ” Donald Teplyske, Fervor Coulee
“The ace story teller brings things to their basics, delivers his sharpest writing yet and totally knocks you over. Singer/songwriter material at the top of it's game.” Chris Spector, Midwest Record
