Artist: Pierce Pettis
Album: Father’s Son
Label: Compass
Release Date: 1.18.2019
Billy Joe Shaver may have coined the phrase, “I may not be able to sing them real well, but I sure can write them,” a songwriter’s statement that could just as easily be applied to folk singer/songwriter Pierce Pettis. Like the best of songwriters, Pettis gives his songs an enduring quality, with a voice that may not draw a listener in right away but somehow rings authentic, heartfelt and, in a weird way, endearing. This, Father’s Son, is his first album in nearly a decade with a stellar cast of backing musicians.
The Alabama songwriter is in a reflective mode, writing about friends he’s lost, childhood memories, and relationships experienced as both a father and son. It reunites Pettis with label owner, bassist, and four-time producer Garry West, with whom Pettis collaborated to comb through 40 songs before landing on the ten. Eight are originals and there is a cover of Jesse Winchester’s “A Showman’s Life” and Mark Heard’s “Look Over Your Shoulder.”
The backing cast were familiar friends and veterans from previous albums including keyboardist Reese Wynans, fiddler/mandolinist Stuart Duncan, and violinist Andrea Zonn. His daughter, Grace, joins again on backing vocals. Newcomers include acclaimed guitarist Doug Lancio (John Hiatt, Gretchen Peters) and drummers/percussionists Josh Day and Jordan Perlson along with Ruth Moddy (The Wailin’ Jennys) on background vocals.
The album opens with the upbeat message of positivity with “Wouldn’t Change It for the World,” a song about contentment, made that more touching by the harmony vocals of his daughter. His cover of Winchester’s tune is a bit slower and even more aching than the great version that Buddy Miller did on Midnight and Lonesome. The centerpiece of the album is found in the title track, a song about never forgetting where you came from, and the following childhood memory song, “Mr. Zeidman,” that he describes as about the “one and only Jew” in his little town, who always wore long sleeves to “keep an ugly thing from view.” Andrea Zonn adds a lush string arrangement to give it even more poignancy.
As you’d expect, given the overriding theme, he touches on mortality in “More.” Per his usual, he includes a song from his late good friend Mark Heart, covering “Look Over Your Shoulder.” It has special meaning for Pettis, who elaborates, “…as it was the last song Mark ever performed. I know this because Kate Miner and I were with him at a festival in Illinois and on stage with him at the time.”
As you listen to these tunes and peruse the lyrics, it’s as if Pettis has reached the point in life when the proverbial upward career arc has flattened. Like others in many professions, he’s taking stock of what his job Is now—songwriter, father, husband—committing to doing the best he can.
—Jim Hynes.
Love the review, Jim. I just purchased FATHER’S SON and am really enjoying it. It’s been way too long since Pierce has released new music. The only criticism I have of your review is the misspelling of Ruth Moody’s and Mark Heard’s names. Otherwise it is a stellar piece. I thank you.