Arlo McKinley at the Raccoon Motel -- April 5.
Friday, April 5, 7 p.m.
Raccoon Motel, 315 East Second Street, Davenport IA
With Glide magazine deeming his 2022 recording This Mess We're In "an introspective and impactful album" and Flood lauding it for its "profound happy-sadness that captures the extremes of the human experience," country singer/songwriter Arlo McKinley headlines an April 5 concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, No Depression adding to the artist's praise by calling This Mess We're In a "riveting self-portrait."
Born Timothy Carr in Cincinnati, Ohio, the singer/songwriter, as stated at ArloMcKinley.com,"started singing in Baptist church when he was eight. At home, the family record collection included everything from George Jones to Otis Redding. As a teen, inspired by his dad and uncle, who played guitars in church, Arlo learned some power chords and figured out every song on the first Social Distortion album. But a full-time music career was still years away. Through his twenties and early thirties, he worked at a record store, gigged with a duo called The Great Depression and 'dabbled in songwriting.' Weirdly, it wasn't until he found himself in what seemed like a dead-end job delivering tuxedos that he decided to pursue music. 'I did that for years, driving from Cincinnati to Detroit and back, but it gave me a lot of time to think and listen to music. That's when I started writing the songs that led to up to what I'm doing now.'
"He self-released his first album, Arlo McKinley & the Lonesome Sound, in 2014 when he was 35. It may have seemed he was getting a late start. But he entered the game almost fully-formed, without any immature or embarrassing skins to shed. He says, 'I wouldn't have been able to write about what I'm writing now or been very relatable if I hadn't lived the thirty-something years before I started writing.'
"Like his last album Die Midwestern – which Rolling Stone praised for its “songs of heartbreak, restlessness and hard-won experience” and NPR called “personal and moving” – the latest [This Mess We're In] was cut at Sam Phillips Recording Service in Memphis with an ace band that includes drummer Ken Coomer, guitarist Will Sexton, and keyboardist Rick Steff. McKinley says, That studio is like a time capsule. There's just a feel where you can tell there's been some great stuff made in there – Elvis, Jerry Lee, Roy Orbison. Really though, more than the studio, it's the band and the producer.'"
Arlo McKinley headlines his Davenport engagement on April 5 with an additional set by Carson McHone, admission to the 7 p.m. concert is $23.81, and tickets are available by visiting TheRaccoonMotel.com.
