courtesy of NC Music Love Army

The solo career of North Carolina’s Jon Lindsay has been nothing short of singular, prolific and awe-inspiring to behold since its 2010 kick-off, when the now-acclaimed singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer officially renounced membership in a slew of bands – including his role as Benji Hughes’ right-hand man on keyboards and vocals – and shot out of the gate to pursue his own records and tours full-time, never looking back. Since then, we’ve already been treated to 5 captivating solo releases, and Lindsay has TWO LP’s in the pipeline for 2015 – the first entitled Cities and Schools, the second, Letters to Randy Newman. To date, it’s a body of work that’s been widely regarded as fiercely original, literate and ambitious.

What’s a bit astonishing is that Lindsay has been able to maintain a host of diverse and compelling side projects during these formative years of his solo work. In 2013 he created and co-founded the NC Music Love Army with Caitlin Cary of Whiskeytown. The two set out to form a collective of prominent musicians either from or based in NC, with the goal of creating original protest music to combat the regressive policies brought forth by their home State’s legislature, which gained a supermajority not seen in decades upon the election of Pat McCrory to the Governor’s office. Within just weeks, the collective’s ranks swelled to include Grammy winners Rhiannon Giddens (of the Carolina Chocolate Drops) and Tift Merritt; indie standouts Hiss Golden Messenger, The Love Language, and the Old Ceremony; members of Ben Folds such as Britt Harper Uzzell; former Black Crowe and Sheryll Crowe’s current guitar ace Audley Freed, among many, many more. With Lindsay at the helm as Music Director and Producer the group fast-tracked the making of last year’s debut LP We Are Not For Sale: Songs of Protest (via Redeye) an impressive compilation of anthems that directly challenge the morally bankrupt agenda of the NC GOP.

The Love Army has continued to partner with the NC NAACP and other organizations to support the Forward Together Moral Monday Movement, performing at rallies outside the State General Assembly that draw upwards of 5000 attendees. They’ve had their music featured on MSNBC and have staged large-scale concert events across the Carolinas.

This new single “Dear Mr. McCrory” is the follow-up to last year’s debut LP and drops on 9/2 via Redeye. The melodic, heartfelt ballad was written by Lindsay, and features vocal performances by Lindsay, Cary, and the Raleigh Alt-Country band American Aquarium, whose Jason Isbell produced latest LP Burn.Flicker.Die has skyrocketed them to international notoriety. The song is a biting indictment of the Governor, is addressed to him by name and clearly spells out what Lindsay and the Love Army feel are unmistakable similarities between the actions of the NC GOP leadership – specifically a proposed Voter ID bill that is unprecedented in its restrictions and efforts to suppress voter turnout – and those of infamous segregationists such as George Wallace.”

NC Music Love Army Headlines Hopscotch Music Festival Block Party, 12noon-5pm, Saturday, Sept 6, Salisbury Street & Davie, Raleigh, NC

TheBlueIndian.com is pleased to partner with our neighbors to the North to premier “Dear Mr. McCory”