New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Folk-pop's rising singer-songwriter Max McNown has released the new music video for "Strong As Iron," from his recently released debut album Wandering. The album is a compelling convergence of folk and country sharing stories of intense heartache and perseverance.
Honing in on intricate storytelling, Wandering shares anecdotes of intense heartache-examining everything from breakups to new love to the pain of watching family members overcome life's biggest challenges. With production by AJ Pruis, Wandering showcases an ornate musical palette rich in live instrumentation of fiddle, mandolin, dreamy pedal-steel tones, and spellbinding guitar work. Yet McNown took care to foreground his lyrics on every track, viewing his songs as poems set to music.
At 22, McNown has already been on a storied musical journey. Taking control of his future, overcoming personal challenges and drawing inspiration from his brother who was bravely fighting cancer, McNown packed his bags and drove from remote Oregon to Southern California. From there, videos of him busking on a pier made an impact online and eventually grew into a legion of supporters on TikTok.
After attracting interest from major TV talent shows, McNown auditioned for one and then decided it wasn't for him, and gracefully turned them down as he knew he needed to walk his own path. His loyal fanbase then helped Max amass 27M+ streams and a spot on Billboard's Emerging Artists chart with his breakout single, "A Lot More Free," which peaked at #1 on the TikTok Breakthrough USA chart.
Since the album's delivery, McNown has successfully completed his first tour and is gearing up for live performances at larger venues this summer including an opening slot for famed country artist Billy Currington at the St. Augustine Amphitheater in Florida this June and an opening slot for Trampled by Turtles + JOSEPH at the Hayden Homes Amphitheater this August in McNown's hometown of Bend, Oregon. McNown notes that he's found an essential touchstone in his own experience with the transformative power of music. "The reason I want to put my songs out into the world is I know how much music has helped me throughout my life," he says. "Whether it was dealing with a breakup or my brother's cancer or the troubles we all go through, music gave me hope and made me feel less alone, so now I want to return the favor." Be on the lookout for new music soon as McNown adds more songs to his fast-growing catalog!
LIVE SHOWS:
April 18 - Opening for Briscoe - The Coast - Fort Collins, CO
April 19 - Opening for Briscoe - The Basement at Oskar Blues - Colorado Springs, CO
April 20 - Opening for Blake Rose - Songbyrd - Washington, D.C.
April 22 - Opening for Blake Rose - The Fillmore - Philadelphia, PA
April 24 - Opening for Blake Rose - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY
April 28 - Opening for Blake Rose - Vinyl - Atlanta, GA
April 29 - Opening for Blake Rose - The End - Nashville, TN
May 1 - Opening for Blake Rose - Ruins - Dallas, TX
May 2 - Opening for Blake Rose - Antone's Nightclub - Austin, TX
May 5 - Opening for Blake Rose - Crescent Ballroom - Phoenix, AZ
May 6 - Opening for Blake Rose - The Echo - Los Angeles, CA
May 8 - Opening for Blake Rose - Voodoo Room, House of Blues - San Diego, CA
June 8 - Opening for Billy Currington - St. Augustine Amphitheater - St. Augustine, FL
August 9 - Opening for Trampled by Turtles + JOSEPH - Bend, OR - Hayden Homes Amphitheater
