New York, NY (Top40 Charts) After battling with addiction for nearly 20 years, Michael McDermott is "Never Goin' Down Again". Four years sober, McDermott has won a hard-fought battle with addiction and released his latest album, Out from Under. Michael McDermott's brand of rock n' roll brims with the kind of well-honed style and wisdom that can only come from a career on the road and a pedigree in the studio. Effortlessly blending natural folk sensibility, pop hooks, and honest rock, McDermott's music is as much for the outcast as the congregation. McDermott tours year-round and has announced his summer touring schedule (details below).
For nearly 20 years, singer-songwriter Michael McDermott buried himself in drugs and alcohol, and he surveys the toll his addiction took on his personal and professional life with remarkable candor. "I burned a lot of bridges and screwed things up pretty bad," he states. "I'm not being hyperbolic when I say that it was just short of suicide by cop. I knew I had to stop, but it took awhile for me to get the message." He credits his wife and their young daughter, Rain, for finally pulling him through. "Seeing the way they look at you when you're messed up - after a while you go, 'I just can't do this anymore. Something has to change.' I'm so grateful I turned things around. I know it sounds cheesy, but I'm grateful for every day now. I try to lead a good life, and I'm making up for lost time. I've re-dedicated myself to making music I can be proud of."
"Never Goin' Down Again" is one of the standout tracks on McDermott's 11th studio recording, Out From Under. The poignant new album sees him riding the crest of a critical and commercial upswing following the unprecedented success of his previous effort, 2016's
Willow Springs, which reached No. 1 on Euro Americana charts. But Out From Under is more than a victory lap: brimming with richly autobiographical songs that mix stunning frankness with wicked, idiosyncratic humor, it's the sound of a clear-eyed, dedicated artist, now a contented husband and father, giving in to his heart's most urgent commands and trusting his instincts in ways he never thought possible.
"I could say that this is the record I always wanted to make, but the real truth is, this is the album I was always supposed to make," McDermott observes. "I had put out a lot of records that I didn't feel confident about, but when I took control of my life and made
Willow Springs, I felt like a new man. The success of that record stayed with me on Out From Under. I had a belief in myself and this overarching sense of ambition." He laughs, then adds. "At the same time, I learned how to stop being so damn self-aware. Letting go of your fear can allow you to stop overthinking things so much. I just got out of my own way and let it happen."
As he's done for several years now, McDermott produced and recorded Out From Under at his home facility, Pauper Sky Studio, in
Willow Springs, Illinois. In addition to vocals, he played guitar, bass, piano, and keyboards, and then called up band members and guest players - some in the studio, others, who contributed remotely - to fill out the sound. (His wife, Heather Lynne Horton, a recording artist in her own right, sang backups and played the fiddle.) "Having my own studio allows me to be very workman-like," he notes. "I'm Irish, from the south side of Chicago. I get up and work every day. And it's great to be able to send files to musicians in Nashville. People feel free when they can work on something on their own. I know I feel that way."
Learn more about Michael McDermott:
https://www.michael-mcdermott.com/
Listen to Michael on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6fqXoFLlBDM3exihRtUQsx
Listen to Michael on Apple Music:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/michael-mcdermott/6192346
Listen to Michael's Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/michaelmcdermottmusic
Tour Dates:
June 6th - Minneapolis, MN - The Warming House
June 8th - Milwaukee, WI - Shank Hall
June 9th - Madison, WI - Marquette Waterfront Festival
June 24th - Ann Arbour, MI - The Ark
July 14th - Chicago, IL -
Roscoe Village Burgerfest
July 18th - Washington DC -
Pearl Street Warehouse
July 19th - New York, NY - The Loft at City Winery
July 20th - Westport, MA - Log House Concerts
July 21st - Templeton, MA -
Music and Arts Festival
August 16th - Nashville, TN - City Winery
August 17th - Decatur, GA - Eddie's Attic
September 13th - Asbury Park, NJ - Asbury Cafe at The Saint
September 15th - Ringwood, NJ - Live at Drew's
September 19th - Worthington, OH - Natalie's Coal Fired Pizza
September 20th - Pittsburg, PA - Club Cafe
September 21th - Port Clinton, OH - The Listening Room
October 5th - Houston, TX - McMillan Public House
October 19th - Chicago, IL - Parkwest Halloweensteen
November 17th - Valparaiso, IN - Memorial Open House
April 13th, 2019 - Tree Oaks, MI - The Acorn Theater
