Oh Boy Records was started by the late John Prine in 1981. While the record label carries an eclectic roster that sits under the broad Americana/American folk umbrella, one aspect that unites them is the depth of their songwriting. That should come as no surprise for anyone familiar with John’s fantastic back catalogue of work; he was one of our finest songwriters; Bruce Springsteen called him “…a songwriter for the ages”.
It’s all about the craft, something John believed in and went to great lengths to tap into that creative flow…In our last interview with him, following the release of his groundbreaking album Tree of Forgiveness (reviewed here), he chuckled and told us, “I’ve never had a record sound like this one before. I was really taking my time about making it; I mean, it’s been thirteen years since the last one. I thought I only had about four songs I really liked, but then Fiona [Prine, John’s wife] and Jody [Whelan, his son and record label director] came up to me and said ‘we think it’s time you made a record.’ So they put me in a hotel in Nashville, because they know I work better in a hotel than I do at home, and I took ten boxes of unfinished lyrics, three guitars and ukulele. They closed me up in there for a week and I slept all day and wrote all night, ordered room service at four in the morning… After forty-five years on the road, I’m more used to hotels than I am my own house.”
Last year, the label celebrated its 40th Anniversary and signed Sacramento songwriter Tré Burt, whose sophomore album, You, Yeah, You (reviewed here), was another highly acclaimed gem to add to the label’s ongoing highclass output.
Oh Boy Goes To Europe
While this may all sound like a distant drum from across the water, that will all change next month as Oh Boy gather up some of their best names – Arlo McKinley, Emily Scott Robinson and Kelsey Waldon – for a UK & EU Tour, “Oh Boy Goes To Europe.”
Cincinnati-based singer-songwriter Arlo McKinley‘s music is deeply rooted in street soul, country, punk, and gospel. He was also the last artist to be signed by both John and his son Jody. This will be his first time in the UK performing songs from his critically acclaimed album Die Midwestern, as well as unveiling new songs from a soon-to-be-announced new record.
Joining him are Emily Scott Robinson and Kelsey Waldon. According to Mike Davies, Emily’s 2019 album Traveling Mercies, produced by Neilson Hubbard, was filled with compassion, empathy, and truth. She followed up with American Siren last year, her first release on Oh Boy Records and which saw her compared to Iris DeMent and Courtney Marie Andrews in a 4* review in Mojo.
Kelsey Waldon will be performing tracks from her well-received Oh Boy Records debut album White Noise/White Lines. She recently announced her new album, No Regular Dog, out on 12 August, the announcement of which was accompanied by her single Sweet Little Girl.
They will be stopping in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Dublin, Hamburg & Amsterdam from June 14th – 22nd, and John’s wife, Fiona Prine, will host select evenings.
All three artists will perform sets packed with new music – each night concluding with a group performance of a John Prine classic. The Hamburg date will also see a very special and rare additional performance from Oh Boy’s longest-signed artist Dan Reeder. Dan’s 2006 album Sweetheart was a personal favourite, and the song ‘You’ll Never Surf Again’ used to regularly feature on Folk Radio stream (back in the day). Having released all four of Reeder’s records, the albums garnered glowing reviews, and The New Yorker’s Ben Greenman coined him as “one of the foremost outsider artists in modern folk”.
With aspirations of growing the tour in the years to come, June’s dates are a stunning gesture in showcasing the finest artists on the label’s esteemed roster and in keeping the mighty John Prine spirit alive.
The Oh Boy Records tour will take place on the following dates: Tickets are available HERE.
JUNE
Tue 14th Germany – Hamburg, Nochtwache
Wed 15th Netherlands – Amsterdam, Tuinzaal (Paradiso Noord)
Thu 16th UK – London, St Pancras Old Church
Sat 18th UK – London, Old Blue Last
Sun 19th UK – Manchester, Gullivers
Tue 21st UK – Glasgow, Oran Mor
Wed 22nd Ireland – Dublin, The Workman’s Club