In 2021, Simon Flory released ‘Haul These Blues Away‘. Reviewed on Folk Radio, Mike Davies described it as “an album steeped in hardships and hurt perhaps, but ultimately a hymn to finding contentment and your own way in the world.”
Young Giants, his forthcoming EP, is sown with similar seeds of wisdom and reflection. Written and recorded in Fort Worth, Texas, which was once known as the “The Young Giant of the Prairie.” The title also encompasses the thematic stories of each song.
Taken from his new EP, listen to the song “Little Oak Tree”, which was inspired by the women in Simon’s life:
This is a story about an American girl’s life; from her childhood relationship with her dad to the struggles of adulthood; a story inspired by the many brave women I look up to in my life: my nieces, my wife, mother, granny, community organizers, business leaders, and artists. I tend to have a lot of male listeners and I also know that I can only tell stories from my limited perspective-but I think the hymnal of American hero worship should be rewritten to highlight the stories of the uniquely creative, hard-working, and determined women so integral to our society and culture.
For those of you that love the music of Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings, you’re sure to love this beautiful stripped-back roots number.
Although born in rural Indiana, Simon eventually moved to Fort Worth, Texas, after touring, songwriting and studio sessions with the likes of Charley Crockett, Summer Dean, and Vincent Neil Emerson, among others; his solo career flourished and opportunities in teaching, acting and filmmaking soon followed.
His most recent releases, 2019’s LP Radioville and 2020’s EP Songs From Paper Thin Lines, garnered local acclaim, as did his poetry film, Paper Thin Lines which was officially selected for the Thinline Music and Film Festival and the PressPlay Film Festival. 2021’s LP Haul These Blues Away found Flory’s music compared to John Hartford, The Carter Family, Gillian Welch, and even the Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack. His short film version of the LP’s single, The More You Talk The Less I Hear,” won “Best Short Short” at the 2021 Lonestar Film Festival.
More here: https://simonflory.com/