On the evening of Aug. 15, 2019, country artist, Drake White collapsed on stage in Roanoke, Virginia. A hemorrhagic stroke that temporarily ceased the left side of his body was indicative of his diagnosed debilitating brain condition. After months of operations, rehabilitation, and treatment for arteriovenous malformation, or a tangle of abnormal blood vessels that reduces blood flow to the brain, White shared with American Songwriter that he feels he is 75-percent back to his pre-stroke self.
Today, Drake White and his band, The Big Fire, share an exclusive premiere of single, “All Would Be Right With The World.”
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This timely track comes ahead of his five-song EP, ‘Stars’, set for release Friday, courtesy of White’s own label, Reverend White Records. He cut the songs for ‘Stars’ in May of 2019. White continued to work on the EP from his hospital bed a few months later. Proud of the perseverance this work reverberates, White is eager to share ‘Stars’ as a milestone and intends to uphold his promise to release twenty songs in 2020.
Much of the music was written prior to his medical incident. However, the recovery period influenced the construction. This release marks a revival. “I’ve been focused on recovering and through that decided to share about it and push it through this new music,” White explained. “Through recovery and this pandemic, I am just trying to spread a positive message of resilience, of authenticity, and tenacity to get through the stroke, and to be vulnerable enough to share it from a musical standpoint.”
Produced with Jaren Johnston of the Cadillac Three, “All Would Be Right With The World,” gives a back porch-y vibe. “We went really “Fishin’ In The Dark” with it,” White explained of the production. “It feels like sitting around a fire telling people what my heaven looks likes. Jared thought the first take sounded like I recorded it in my backyard, and he ran with it.”
The song was written a few years ago with Tommy Cecil and Matt Alderman, but White feels it has never held more meaning than it does in our current state. The hypothetical lyric lines manifest a world that has adjusted in favor of a eutopia. “It’s about the appreciation you have now going to a baseball game or into a concert, all those things you didn’t think you’d have to miss,” the country artist shared. “It’s not perfect, but nothing is, and I love it. They’re crickets in the background. You can hear it. It’s not a pristine recording, but it’s just exactly what the song needed. It brought this spirit out that everybody’s living right now. And remembering the good times because that’s what will get you through.”
White’s reverberating twang tells the story of Appalachian foothills home. Born and raised in Northeast Alabama, the recovering star spent his childhood hiking mountain trails, kayaking, and exploring caves. He attributes his “Muscle Shoals feel-good” to regional upbringing and love for the outdoors. Summers spent near the water in Mobile and trips down to New Orleans influenced a dynamic intersection of classic rock and country to develop his self-defined “Alabama Dirt Road” sound.
While anxiously awaiting his opportunity to get back on the road, White performs weekly “Wednesday Night Therapy” at Whitewood Hollow. With the help of his wife, White fulfilled a years-long dream to construct this rustic event space in an oak-covered hand-designed barn outside of Nashville. The rootsy-charm nods to his Appalachian home. The meaningful structure creates an opportunity for White and his wife, a multi-talented chef, event planner, and businesswoman, to combine passion and serve others.
Listen exclusively to the celebratory “All Would Be Right With The World.” Tune in live on Facebook or Instagram tomorrow at 7:00 CST to this week’s “Wednesday Night Therapy” to hear more stories behind his upcoming songs.