WATCH HERE
“In the grand tradition of Hank Williams and Merle Haggard, Pony Bradshaw is country music’s latest rambling troubadour.” – Rolling Stone Country
Nashville, TN —Pony Bradshaw has released a compelling animated video for his historically-influenced new song “The Long Man,” off of his forthcoming album Thus Spoke the Fool (out August 16th via Soundly Music). The acclaimed singer-songwriter honors the Cherokee people and the land they once inhabited in North Georgia, where Bradshaw resides with his family.
“’The Long Man’ is a historical song about our region. To the Cherokee, the Long Man is a “personification of the river, whose head lays in the mountains and feet stretch to the sea,” says Bradshaw. “Some folks believe in the legend, passed down through generations, which tells the story of a spectral figure who wanders and watches over the rivers and mountains of Cherokee land.” Watch “The Long Man” HERE.
He adds, “I grew up in East Texas in a region dubbed the Ark-La-Tex (where Arkansas, Texas, and Louisiana join together. It also includes the southeastern tip of Oklahoma.) Growing up us kids were always told we were part Cherokee. When I moved to North Georgia 20 years ago, I knew nothing about where the Trail of Tears began, nor the geography and culture of the people. Turns out I ended up right at the beginning of it all. I dove into the history of the Cherokee soon-after and still read about and visit rivers and mountains they once lived by and in. The Cherokee’s existence, the knowing what happened here and how they honored the land and respected these rivers and mountains, is palpable. I never want to romanticize it but I also don’t want it to be forgotten.”
Thus Spoke the Fool is a captivating 10-song collection, and the final chapter in a trilogy that started with Bradshaw’s critically acclaimed Calico Jim in 2021 and continued with North Georgia Rounder in 2023. Bradshaw’s songs serve as odes to the land and language of Appalachia. His songwriting overflows sincerity and features vivid imagery that transports the listener as though they were deeply immersed in a novel. Bradshaw’s 2023 celebrated release North Georgia Rounder earned raves from Rolling Stone, Brooklyn Vegan, No Depression, Holler and more. Bradshaw continues his rich character-driven songwriting on Thus Spoke the Fool, as he depicts the landscapes and people of his beloved North Georgia community.
Catch Pony Bradshaw on tour (dates below). Visit ponybradshaw.net
Listen to “The Long Man” at your preferred DSPs HERE
Pre-save Thus Spoke the Fool HERE.
Pony Bradshaw 2024 Tour Dates
July 19 – Teton Village, WY – Mangy Moose
July 20 – Gallatin Gateway. MT – The Westerner
July 22 – Billings, MT – Pub Station
July 25 – Lincoln, NE – Bourbon Theatre
July 27 – Davenport, IA – Raccoon Motel
August 10 – Camino, CA – Delfino Farms
August 11 – San Francisco, CA – The Chapel
August 13 – Los Angeles, CA – Moroccan Lounge
August 15 – San Diego, CA – Casbah
August 16 – Pioneertown, CA – Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace
August 17 – Flagstaff, AZ – The Museum Club
August 18 – Phoenix, AZ – Valley Bar
August 21 – Denton, TX – Dan’s Silverleaf
August 29 – Winston-Salem, NC – The Ramkat & Gas Hill
August 30 – Mill Spring, NC – Earl Scruggs Music Festival
September 5– Athens, GA – 40 Watt Club
September 6 – Nashville, TN – The Ryman
September 7 – Indianapolis, IN – HI-FI Indy
September 12 – Shreveport, LA – Louisiana Grandstand
September 14 – Pryor, OK – Born & Raised 2024
September 15 – Oklahoma City, OK – Beer City Music Hall
October 3 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
October 4 – Saint Paul, MN – Turf Club
October 19 – Waverly, AL – Standard Deluxe
October 30 – Houston, TX – The Heights Theater
October 31 – Ft. Worth, TX – Tannahill’s Tavern & Music Hall
November 1 – Austin, TX – Sagebrush
November 2 – San Antonio, TX – Sam’s Burger Joint
November 8 – Pineville, KY – Bell Theater
November 9 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl Nashville
November 14 – Raleigh, NC – The Rialto Theatre
November 16 – Atlanta GA – Terminal West
For press information about Pony Bradshaw, please contact Jim Flammia jim@alleyesmedia.com or Brittany Kellam brittany@alleyesmedia.com