DES MOINES, IOWA (August 2, 2023) — From the mind of Iowa country singer-songwriter Royce Johns comes Thank Ya Kindly, a ten-track journey through multiple genres and influences of music. The album, released this week, was recorded at Sun Drop Sound in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and produced by Grammy award-winning musician and producer Ben Tanner, along with Single Lock Records recording artist Caleb Elliott. The album is now available on all streaming services.
“Thank Ya Kindly is a departure from the neo-traditional country sound that I’ve been chasing for the last five years,” said Johns. “It’s a deeper dive into stories, dreams, and weird ideas I’ve never been able to quite slip past the Nashville system I’ve been trying to fit into this last decade. It’s a reflection of many influences throughout my lifetime from John Prine, The Beatles, George Jones, Jim Croce, to singer/songwriter Caleb Elliott. I believe there’s something for everybody on this record, and I can only hope they have as much listening as we did creating it!”
Johns, a staple of the local Iowa music scene, plays an average of 100 shows per year around Central Iowa and has developed a faithful following. A husband, father, guitar-picker, and singer/songwriter in Iowa, he has been pickin' and grinnin' for the last decade, and has been fortunate enough to work with talented singers, songwriters and musicians.
During his time playing music, Johns has had the opportunity to open for great acts in the industry, including Sammy Kershaw, Deana Carter, Sawyer Brown, Collin Raye, Aaron Tippin, Eric Paslay, The Cadillac Three, Trick Pony, Walker McGuire, and Sunny Sweeney. After recording an EP and two records compiled of other songwriter's songs and co-writes (2018’s Truckstop Souvenirs, 2020’s One Last Two Step), Johns’ main goal going forward is to release full length records that will hopefully stand the test of time.
The full album was released to the public today August 1, 2023. To learn more about Royce, visit roycejohns.com. Click here to download a high-resolution copy of the album cover.
