| “I can’t say I was searching for a song at all; ‘AMERICAN MAN’ was one of those songs that just came to me,” says contemporary country singer TOM DOBSON about his debut single. “Who knows, maybe it was just the right time in my life.” An upbeat, party-starting anthem built on Dobson’s natural swagger and Southern Rock boogie, “American Man” is a great introduction to a fresh new voice for the country scene. His rousing firebrand of fiery roots packed NYC’s Rockwood Music Hall this past Summer and he will be returning to the venue’s Stage 2 on Wednesday, November 15th at 7:00pm.
Recently signed to NJ-based independent label Rhyme & Reason Records, Dobson is the first country signing by this growing and buzz-heavy label. Founded in 2015, Rhyme & Reason is home to a diverse roster that includes Sweet Crude. pronoun, Red Baraat, and SNST. “After hearing ‘American Man’, I was hooked,” says label president and founder Emmy Black. “I listened to the song on repeat for months. Then he really impressed me when I saw him live with his natural charisma and bold performance style. RARR has a pretty diverse roster and Tom takes that one step farther. When signing bands, I go with my gut. Welcoming Tom to the RARR family made perfect sense.”
Growing up in rural Connecticut, Dobson first fell in love with the country tradition through his music-loving parents who raised him on a catalog of music that included Garth Brooks, Jimmy Buffett and especially Johnny Cash. “I appreciate Johnny Cash’s rebellious tone and his ability to write a really dark or humorous song,” he explains. “He never put himself in a box… He was always true to himself.”
With that musical thread woven into the fabric of his upbringing, Dobson honed his own songwriting craft and set forth to write music. “American Man” is the first song he’s released and a great introduction to who he is as an artist and as a person. “Every line of that song applies to something real in my life,” he says. Not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, the song celebrates the wild recklessness filled with wide-bed pick up trucks and “drinking beer from a can,” while backed by the traditional banjo and pedal steel, firmly planting him in the classic tradition of country music. |
