New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Gabe Lee has a knack for detailing the intricacies of everyday life, focusing on the small distinctions that leave some on the fringe and others in the mainstream. The up-and-coming Nashville-based singer-songwriter recently released his sophomore album, Honky Tonk Hell, on March 13, and wasn't planning on releasing a new single so soon. But, these are strange times. Released yesterday, "Talk to You," is his hopeful prayer for the current moment.
"'Talk to You' is about the connection between people, places, communities, and lack thereof," Lee says. "Music is one of the-if not the most-powerful communicators spanning time and distance, race and origin, and despite the temporary shutdown of virtually every live venue across the globe, songs are still being sung, shared, and celebrated in a whole new era of online concerts, home videos, and even facetime songwriting sessions. The fact remains however that a shadow blankets our world."
"Probably like most songwriters in quarantine, I have been glued to the guitar, trying to put emotions into words for the state we're in," he continued. "This particular song I think captures that delicate balance between hope and hopelessness folks experience not only now, but in any times of trouble. In so many words this hymn for the homebound is an address to the outside world, from living rooms to lonely streets-that if nothing else...dare to hope."
Lee's material mixes a deep understanding of his early classical training with modern influences. His latest, Honky Tonk Hell, offers hints of Lee's distinct perspective, influenced by a childhood amalgam of gospel and classical music and NPR radio. One of just a few songwriters of Asian descent in Nashville's music scene, Lee's parents immigrated from Taiwan in the early '80s, and Lee was raised in Nashville.
To date, Honky Tonk Hell has received praise from Rolling Stone Country, Wide Open Country, Billboard, The Bluegrass Situation,
Sounds Like Nashville, Whiskey Riff and critic Grady Smith, among others.
