Christopher Paul Stelling Releases New Album "Best of Luck"
On Friday, Americana folk guitarist Christopher Paul Stelling released his fifth studio album, Best of Luck.
The album was produced by Ben Harper, who has previously produced records by Mavis Staples, Rickie Lee Jones, The Blind Boys of Alabama and more, and recruited an all-star rhythm section with Jimmy Paxson (Stevie Nicks, Dixie Chicks) on drums and upright bass player Mike Valerio (Randy Newman, LA Philharmonic) to lend a versatility and finesse. “I really believe this record is the intersection where folk and soul meet,” Harper says.
Stelling also performed three riveting tracks from his new album on CBS This Morning: Saturday over the weekend. Energetically playing guitar and a kick drum simultaneously, Stelling is joined by a bassist, drummer and backing vocalist to round out his upbeat sound.
Watch Christopher Paul Stelling Perform on CBS This Morning: Saturday:
“Trouble Don’t Follow Me” – HERE
“Hear Me Calling” – HERE
“Lucky Stars” – HERE
Throughout Best of Luck, discontent and self-doubt are transformed into messages of resilience and hope. “Trouble Don’t Follow Me” captures this perfectly, with an upbeat almost anthemic rhythm and soulful, gospel-tinged vocals. “It comes as no surprise to me that one of my most optimistic songs could be written in the most difficult hour,” Stelling says. “When all I needed was a little hope and a song I could play night after night and not get tired of. Something that captured the basic recipe for endurance. A song about marching on, a warning to anything that might stand in your way, and needing to feel strong for the people around you, so you can inspire them to do the same.”
The Boot recently spoke with Stelling about the new album and premiered a live performance video of the latest track, “Hear Me Calling”. “On "Hear Me Calling,” The Boot says, “Stelling digs deep to summon the ghosts of his past. "There's always a place for the lower self in rock 'n' roll,” he says with a chuckle.” Read the interview in full and listen to “Hear Me Calling” HERE.
Stelling is currently on a worldwide 2020 tour, traversing the East coast, Southeast and Midwest before a final show in his hometown of Asheville, North Carolina on March 21. European tour dates begin in Sweden just a week later on March 28 – all upcoming tour dates are listed below.
US TOUR DATES
2/11 - Northampton, MA @ The Parlor Room
2/12 - Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom (Front Room)
2/13 - Washington DC @ City Winery Upstairs
2/14 - Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live Upstairs
2/15 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Cafe
2/16 - Charleston, WV @ Mountain Stage
2/18 - Worthington, OH @ Natalie’s
2/19 - Indianapolis, IN @ Square Cat Vinyl
2/20 - Chicago, IL @ Schuba’s
2/21 - Grand Rapids, MI @ Listening Room
2/22 - Madison, WI @ The Winnebago
2/23 - Rock Island, IL @ Rozz Tox
2/25 - Kansas City, MO @ Minibar
2/26 - Fayetteville, AK @ Fayetteville Roots HQ
2/27 - Dallas, TX @ Sundown at Granada
2/28 - Austin, TX @ The Townsend
3/1 - Apache Junction, AZ @ Desert Valley House Concerts
3/3 - San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar
3/4 - Los Angeles, CA @ Moroccan Lounge
3/5 - San Francisco, CA @ Amado's
3/7 - Seattle, WA @ Conor Byrne
3/8 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
3/13 - Fort Collins, CO @ Magic Rat
3/14 - Denver, CO @ Tuft Theatre at Swallow Hill
3/17 - St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
3/18 - Memphis, TN @ Lafayette’s Music Room
3/19 - Birmingham, AL @ Seasick Records
3/20 - Atlanta, GA @ Eddie’s Attic
3/21 - Asheville, NC @ Ambrose West
7/10 & 11 - Snowshoe, WV @ 4848 Festival
EUROPEAN TOUR DATES
3/28 - Gustavsberg, SWE @ R’n’R Diner
3/29 - Stockholm, SWE @ Twang
3/30 - Oslo, NO @ Krøsset
3/31 - Malmö, SWE @ Folk å Rock
4/1 - Odense, DK @ Dexter
4/2 - Gladsaxe, DK @ Richter
4/3 - Berlin, DE @ Privatclub
4/4 - Cologne, DE @ Weltempfänger
4/5 - Utrecht, NL @ TivoliVredenburg
4/6 - London, UK @ The Old Blue Last
4/7 - Chester, UK @ St Marys Creative Space
4/8 - Glasgow, UK @ Broadcast
4/10 - Oostende, BE @ De Zwerver
4/11 - Rotterdam, NL @ Rotown
4/13 - Recklinghausen, DE @ Creative Outlaws
4/15 - Milano, IT @ Legend Club
4/16 - Turin, IT @ Blah Blah
4/17 - Florence, IT @ Arci Progresso
4/18 - Ravenna, IT @ Boca Barranca
4/20 - Langnau, CH @ Käptn Holger
4/22 - Barberaz, FR @ Le Brin de Zinc
4/23 - Nevers, FR @ La Tavern
4/28 - Barcelona, ESP @ Casa Gràcia
4/29 - Zaragoza, ESP @ Rock & Blues Café
4/30 - Madrid, ESP @ El Intruso
5/1 - Vigo, ESP @ Radar Estudios
5/2 - Braga, PT @ Teatro Circo
5/6 - Brussels, BE @ Secret Show
5/8 - Groningen, NL @ Der-Aa Theater
5/9 - Middelburg, NL @ Kaffee ’t Hof
8/27- 8/30 - Tønder, DK @ Tønder Festival
9/12 - Enschede, NL @ Tuckerville