The Album Cover Story

The Album Cover Story...

Well here is the story about the cover art for my new sophomore release “A Fond Farewell."  The photo used holds special meaning for me, so I wanted to share its story with everyone. When I was in my teens I would hop in my first car and drive two hours from my mother’s home in Murray, Utah to my families’ ranch in the Uinta Mountains. My sister, my brother and my step Dad and his loving wife Pat all lived together with their families on this beautiful sprawling ranch. It’s a beautiful property that contains a huge apple orchard, horse fields, vegetable gardens, manicured fields and miles of riverfront land. The two hour drive to the ranch took me through the beautiful Rocky Mountains, past Park City Utah and through Utah’s backcountry… but the part of trip that always thrilled me the most was when I turned off Interstate 40 onto Highway 208.

Highway 208 as you can see here on my new album cover is literally a long stretch of highway out in the middle of nowhere. Hitting this road was very important, because it meant I was only 20 minutes away from freedom and fun in the country with my family.  It was also a temporary farewell to the troubled home life I had after I came out at the age of 16; it was also huge break from the bullies of high school.  So when I reached that fateful turn off, I would purposely burn rubber turning the corner onto Highway 208 and barrel down it as fast as my little brown Mazda would travel, of course with my music blaring. I loved it so much because it always felt like I was flying, I felt young, free, alive and untouchable.

Throughout my life I have driven down many roads and been many places, but not one of those roads are as important to me as this one, because of all it held for me back then. I think that ever since I left Utah in 1996, I have been searching endlessly for a road just like it.

So last year, after coming home for the first time in 9 years, I made a point to get a photograph of Highway 208 from the turnoff. And as I took that photo with tears in my eyes, I decided that while I may not get to drive that road often, I will never let another road take me away from my Utah family for that long again.

And now that I have my own little family here in Maryland, I have found a new road, one that takes me to my own personal freedom, my music and into to the arms of my loving husband and little boy.

I hope you all enjoy the new album.

Michael

What If - NEW SINGLE!

Years ago we collaborated on a song that was full of hope and promise, it was titled “What If”. We never completed it and another version of the song was released in 2012. Our version remained in a digital vault among many other tracks. With our nation taking to the streets to fight for change and make themselves heard, we decided to come together and use the power of music to help heal. We re-worked the song and lyrics and then with the help of producer and community leader Freddy Freeman we captured a new version of the song that is so relevant for 2020.

In this moment we cannot change the way things are by sitting on our hands and being silent. So we offer this song as a beacon of promise, strength, solidarity and hope! We are so proud to use music and creativity as fuel for change. Crossing Alternative Country and Hip Hop is a fitting way to show that things that may not always go together can coexist in harmony!

All proceeds will be donated to: The Minneapolis Foundation and The ACLU, 

We love you all. Stay safe and love your fellow human beings. Michael and Jose (Nugg)