Sometimes a man’s best friend is not his dog. Nashville-based songwriter Tim Easton recorded an album dedicated to Paco, his black Gibson J-45 acoustic guitar. Fittingly, Easton—who has travelled and written with this guitar for 30 years—celebrated his classic acoustic instrument by recording his latest CD, Paco & The Melodic Polaroids, direct to lacquer at The Earnest Tube Studio in Bristol, Virginia.

Like a troubadour’s performance, this method of capturing songs leaves no room for manipulation or overdubbing:  this is the very roots of performance-based American Music. Using a single 1940’s RCA 74B ribbon microphone, each Paco track was recorded via portable lathe, which cuts a mono signal directly to a lacquer acetate disc, much the way the Carter Family or Jimmie Rodgers cut their first records in Bristol over 90 years ago.

In as much time as it takes to listen, Easton recorded nine original songs and one cover. Alternating between rapidfire flatpicking and steady thumb picking —inspired by his hero Doc Watson—Easton coupled his vocals with country blues style rack harmonica playing and the occasional foot stomp. As a man who has spent decades on the road, Easton’s music is folk, but not always the gentle variety. Personal, experienced, observant and authentic; this is what a troubadour sounds like.

Elmore is privileged to premiere the “Elmore James” track from Easton’s new album—conveniently in the year of the Magazine’s namesakes’ 100th birthday. We asked Easton how he came to know Elmore James’ work, and he told us: “I first heard of Elmore James when George Harrison was taking the piss out of John Lennon’s slide guitar playing on “For You Blue.” I went down to the library in Akron where my Mom worked and got some Elmore James on vinyl. I also picked up some Sonny Terry and Brownie Maghee records and wrote this love song to Elmore James in Sonny and Brownie country  blues style.”

Tim Easton has released several critically acclaimed albums with both New West Records and Thirty Tigers, and his previous album, 2016’s American Fork, reached #11 on the Americana Music Association Radio Charts. Easton continues to perform around the world, has scored two feature documentaries, The Power Of Two (2012), and The Bullish Farmer (2017) and placed his songs in film and television.

Learn more about Tim Easton HERE, connect with him on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, or INSTAGRAM.

To find a Tim Easton performance near you, click HERE