NO DEPRESSION SESSIONS at Lucinda's: Hunter Root

We are thrilled to continue our No Depression Session series in partnership with new NYC honky-tonk Lucinda’s and Hiatus Tequila. When Lucinda Williams teamed up with industry lifers Laura McCarthy and Kelley Swindall to create a Southern country bar in NYC’s East Village with a killer jukebox, we knew we needed to work together.

Hunter Root joined us to share three songs from his current album Crooked Home, a record made up of confessional tales of a challenging upbringing marked by pain, addiction, and loss. "The songs weren't written to deliver a message, they’re simply confessions set to music,” says Root. “I think a lot of folks listen to my music because it helps them through tough times. If there is anything I hope this album has to offer, it’s that – a little bit of light.”

I'd been listening to Crooked Home for a few weeks before this session, and I knew that the album was a heavy one. But Root immediately injected a little bit of light into the room on arrival, he's about the friendliest and most sincere guy imaginable. The messenger didn't match the message at first, but my preconceptions melted quickly (had I expected a gloomy Layne Staley type?) and we had a really rewarding afternoon working and hanging together. A tip of the cap to Hunter and his team, y'all are the best.

The mere existence of the album is a profoundly hopeful statement. Having endured the loss of an older brother to heroin, fractured personal relationships, and chronic physical pain, it wouldn't be hard to imagine a person throwing in the towel on a life like that. Obviously Root chose the opposite, pushing through the pain and making art for himself and the rest of us to experience.

One of my personal favorite artists Anders Osborne helped Root bring the album to life at Addiction Sound Studios, audio engineer David Kalmusky's place in Nashville. Their chemistry was near instant, the process was fast.

Huge thanks to Kris and Hiatus Tequila for making this series possible and keeping our spirits high, to Kelley and Lucinda’s for setting the stage, and to all of the artists who participate in these sessions. Please stay tuned for more in the pipeline, we'll keep 'em coming.

Setlist:
"Friendly Fire"
"'94"
"String Up A Necklace"