Michael Lawson

Tell Us About the Making of Your Forthcoming, 7 Song EP…

It all started last summer with the release of Tennessee River Shakedown. The build-up around the release was amazing.  I played a live radio set for WMOT in Nashville which was followed by a showcase at the Basement in Nashville a few weeks later.  I started to get some radio play nationally for Tears and Whiskey and I was also then selected to play a showcase in New Orleans in August. 

But by the time that NOLA show rolled around, the momentum had decidedly shifted.  I was having a hard time getting booked outside of Birmingham and playing live with a band was costing too much money relative to the amount that I was getting paid, which was essentially zero.  Promises of having my tunes put in full rotation on Non-Com stations shifted to a “maybe we’ll spin it again” on a specialty show kind of thing.  At that point, I realized that time had already expired on a record that I thought was really great.  And with that, it felt like my music career went with it.

Meaning what?

Meaning that, at the time, I felt like my dream of having any kind of professional music career was over.  It’s hard to describe, but when I looked at the monetary cost of the whole thing, I mean, that conventional path to a career just didn't feel like a wall that could I climb, not as an unsigned solo artist.  It just wasn't feasible given my salary and resources. So, there was a fork in the road that I knew I needed to take.

So, what happened then?

Its funny because all these “come to Jesus” thoughts and emotions all came to me at once. On one hand, I knew realistically  that my path to a music career was at best on life support. But my instant reaction to all of that was also to have some resolve: no matter what happens, I am never, ever going to stop making music.  It is something that I absolutely have to do because it's who I am.

So, with that, I knew that I needed to carve a path that was more manageable and affordable: record when I can and market however I can.  Let the chips fall where they may, but never stop doing what I love. And with that, I started writing for the new record.

And how did that go?

Honestly, not very well. I had developed a bunch of tunes for summer brewery shows I played in 2024 that I thought were pretty cool and rocking.  So, I demoed those tunes and then wrote a couple more. I sent them off to Jimbo Hart, my producer, and told him I wanted to go back in the studio and record them. He was busy at the time (he’s always busy), so he didn’t respond.  A few weeks later, I listened to the tracks I sent him and realized they were terrible.  Basically, the tunes sounded like a collection of half-baked B sides written for the B sides on Tennessee River Shakedown.  Once again, I was devasted. It felt like now I had also lost my ability to write. What was striking was that there was virtually no emotional quality to those new songs/demos. The tracks felt vibe-less.  I knew that had to change.

So what happened then?

My wife Kaye had been imploring me all summer to get my keyboard out of the attic because it’s like 140 degrees up there and it was going to get ruined.  So, I finally got smart and brought the thing down to my music office.  I set up the stand and plugged the thing into my Fishman Loudbox and started to mess around.  Within a couple of hours, I had written the music and vocal line to a tune on the album called “Anytime Blues.”  At that point, I realized that the artist that I really wanted to be was one that wrote predominantly piano-based tunes.  So, I kept writing, but this time with a laser clear intent of focusing on my own artistry.

Did the rest come quickly?

Pretty much.  We booked studio time for December sometime in early November of 2024.  The plan was to record 4 piano songs, 1 guitar tune, and 1 hybrid which is on the record called “Freedom.”  About 2-3 weeks before the studio I wrote a tune called “Better” which felt great from the moment I wrote the verse piano line.  So, we ditched the guitar tune in favor of Better and then recorded 6 songs with the Dream-makers in December of 2025. And let me tell you, it felt great!

But aren’t there 7 songs on the new record?

Yep. “Better”, in particular felt so, so good when we recorded it. Wes Sheffield, who engineered, mixed, and played some guitar on the record made a comment that it felt like something that Paul McCartney would write. And that put me in a very Beatles-like space for about three days.  On Christmas Eve, I was driving around and the melody for a new tune came into my head. It was the line “And if you have a song, I’d like to sing along.”  And once I had that line, I made a mad dash home and finished the instrumental on piano in about 3 hours. We recorded “It’s Love” the next month in January of 2025, this time with Trevor McKay on guitar.

What’s different about this record versus your past efforts?

The songs are piano-based and even though the base piano parts are my original lines, the record highlights the immense talents of Brad Kuhn, who currently plays keyboards for the band Shenandoah.  Brad also plays synth on the record which really rounds out the sound.  The songs, I think, continue to have classic singer-songwriter feels, but there are 80’s undertones that are much more prominent on this record, especially vocally.  And Jimbo Hart shows again on this one that he is one heckuva producer and musical mind.  

Lyrically, the songs continue my intention and general spirit of hopefulness and optimism. But the undertones are dark, reflecting both the times but also my occasional tendency to struggle with depression-like symptoms that I think a lot of people deal with.  In the end, it’s all about love, forgiveness, and hope. I think my music will always reflect that.

When do we get to hear it?

I’ve learned a lot about how to not release records over the last five years.  So, this one is going to be more of a slow drip. Right now the plan is to release “It’s Love” as the first single in July or August.  A music video will go along with it. From there, we’ll do a slow build. It’s a great effort—Wes Sheffield did an amazing job mixing it. I’m really excited for folks to hear it.

Q: Tell us a bit about the record and the name Tennessee River Shakedown?

Michael: The record was recorded in two different “six song sessions” at FAME recording studios in 2023. The first session started in February and the second in September.  After the first session, I felt like the songs were cool but I didn’t’ think they were cohesive enough for an EP. I had a couple of rock n roll tunes, and I had some cool R&B grooves going on. It felt classic, but each song felt like it needed a “buddy.” So, I wrote this tune called “Lighter Load” in March and I was like, “man this sounds like Tupelo Elvis with an edge.” From there, I landed on the title of the record pretty quickly since  the music follows the lore of the Shoals and surrounding areas.

Q:  What do you think will draw people to the record?

Michael:  I think the album will attract a diverse audience because the songs cover a lot of territory. Overall, I think the record is going to play well with folks who like old school rock n roll because the record has a timeless feel to it while also being progressive in areas. That was Jimbo Hart’s vision for the record. And man, there were so many choices he made as a producer that took the music to a whole different level.

The other appeal of the record, I think, are the lyrics.  Like my previous stuff, there are songs that are written about my person, Kaye, and how she makes me feel and how she has changed my life. But the album also delves into some of the personal pain I have experienced as an adult, and I also opine on the current direction and division in the country.  So, there’s a lot in the songs that I think people can and will relate to.

Q.  You mentioned that the record was recorded in two, six song sessions.  How does that work?

Michael: Honestly, it’s magic. There are a group of session players in Muscle Shoals, and that includes Jimbo Hart, who I call the Dream Makers. They’re incredible players who not only play well together, they play really well with me.  We mesh and the vibe we have together is great.

I record demos of the song at home and then send them to FAME. Guitarist Will McFarlane charts the songs using the Nashville Number system. We then listen to the Demo in the studio, talk a few things over, rehearse some transitions and BAM! We track all the basics in three takes or less. And that takes a day including instrumental overdubs. Vocals took 2-3 days for each session with much of that time being devoted to back-ups and harmonies.

Q.  You mentioned that Jimbo Hart produced the record.  How did he get involved?

Michael:  Jimbo has played on all of my recordings at FAME and he is a world class bass player. He’s also an amazing person who everyone loves. We had some interactions and moments when I first started recorded at FAME that made me feel connected to him. I really trust him. So, when I started planning for this record in the Fall of 2022, I called him up and asked him if he would produce. He said yes and I almost drove off the road I was so excited.

And for good reason: His work on the record was invaluable and he had this amazing ability to know when to coax the right performance, add instruments, subtract them, and then also create cool and sometimes weird vibes and sounds. He’s a great creative partner and he also sings some mean harmonies on the record as well. That Beach Boys harmony on the chorus of Tears and Whiskey is Jimbo.

Q.  Who else was involved in making the record?

Michael: In terms of the band, Justin Holder played drums and Brad Kuhn played keys.  Both are absolute MONSTERS—I challenge you to find anyone who are better.  We also added a second guitar player for this record. Jay Burgess of the Pollies played on the first set of songs and Grammy award winner Gary Nichols hit the axe for the second.  That session was the first time Jimbo and Gary had played together in years, so that was really special.

Long-time studio manager at FAME, Spencer Coats--who is a good friend and great engineer--engineered the first session. Wes Sheffield of FAME, who is an amazing musician and songwriter in his own right, engineered the second session and then also did an incredible job mixing the record. He also sang back-ups on the chorus of "Lighter Load." Pete Lyman was the mastering engineer.

Q. What’s next?

Michael:  I’ve learned from past efforts that releasing a record takes a lot of planning that requires a team to execute. So, I have been busy team building. I have hired Notorious Liz to help with radio and the mighty Eric Alper to help with Canadian radio, Sirius, and the like in order to realize the dream of becoming an international man of mystery, We’ll then be looking for folks to help with booking some additional live dates this summer and fall. And then there is the whole Merch thing as well. So, it will be a busy 2024, but we’re so looking forward to it.