James McMurtry w/ BettySoo

James McMurtry is heading out on the road where he’ll be including songs from his recent record, The Horses and the Hounds (released August 20, 2021 on New West Records) as well as some of his old favorites, a few comments on the State of the Union, perhaps a couple of touring tales, but mostly, just a fabulously fun time!  

And ~ Spoiler Alert! ~ as there is a new James McMurtry album in the works with legendary producer Don Dixon, James has recently begun throwing a few of the new songs into the live setlist.  

James McMurtry's first full-length studio album in seven years, The Horses and the Hounds embodies effortless elegance and endless energy as familiar foundations guide the journey.

“There’s a definite Los Angeles vibe to this record. The ghost of Warren Zevon seems to be stomping around among the guitar tracks,” James quips. "Don’t know how he got there. He never signed on for work for hire." 

McMurtry recorded The Horses and the Hounds with Ross Hogarth, legendary producer (Van Halen, John Fogerty) and old friend (Hogarth recorded James’ first two albums and mixed his first self-produced effort - see below for specifics), their first meeting being thirty years ago when Hogarth was a recording engineer in the employ of John Mellencamp. Much more about the new songs/album below - check it out.

James McMurtry tours year-round, consistently throwing down unparalleled powerhouse performances famous for his outspoken, sensible views, melodically succinct lyrics and lauded storytelling.

Expect nothing less from this tour as James McMurtry lets loose The Horses and the Hounds.

BETTY SOO

BettySoo’s vocal prowess is a thing of wonder. A world-class instrument of deft phrasing and purity, a voice that knows when to hold back and when to dive in. At her own live shows, taking a verse onstage with friends or singing harmonies in sessions with Austin’s finest, BettySoo sings with consummate loveliness and self-assurance. A voice that knows the roots of American music inside and out; coming from a most unexpected place – a diminutive Korean-American with a deceptively girl-next-door demeanor.

Here’s what BettySoo has been up to: 

• Touring nationally, both solo and as dedicated support for artists such as James McMurtry, Chris Smither, and Alejandro Escovedo.
• Wrote, recorded, and toured in Europe and the U.S. with Rebecca Loebe and Grace Pettis for the new buzz-heavy trio Nobody’s Girl, celebrating the release of their debut EP Waterline with Lucky Hound Records in Fall 2018 and their self-titled album July 2021. 
• Recorded vocal harmonies for countless luminaries, including two Eliza Gilkyson records, the latest James McMurtry release, Robert Harrison's (Cotton Mather) solo release, Pat Byrne (winner of Ireland's The Voice), among others.
• Approved mixes for a sparkling country-rock collaboration with song-writer and filmmaker Gandulf Hennig (documentaries on Gram Parsons, Merle Haggard) produced by Grammy-winner Sheldon Gomberg (Ben Harper, Rickie Lee Jones), with guest appearances by Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), David Steele (Dwight Yoakam, John Prine), Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello), Taras Prodaniuk (Merle Haggard, Richard Thompson), and others. 
• Debuted two full-band, full-throated songs from her hotly-anticipated China Girl: The Songs of David Bowie and David Byrne at a packed-to-the-rafters benefit for beloved Austin bassist George Reiff with artists like Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes and Patty Griffin. 
• Designed and produced a creative productivity planner entitled Work Play Every Day that combines self-improvement prompts, creative ideas, productivity tools, and more -- all within an effective old-school time-management device.
• …and she still manages to find the time for one of her very favorite things: to sit in at gigs and collaborate with friends such as Butch Hancock (the Flatlanders), Michael Fracasso, Jaimee Harris, Bonnie Whitmore, and Jon Dee Graham.