Where To Be

New Single & Video From Yours Truly

It’s been far too long since I released a whole album of original music, as my last record, Dusted Off (PetRock, 2024), was entirely cover songs. And I released an Irish folk song, “Roads of Connemara,” on St. Paddy’s Day. Earlier this year, I began work on my twelfth long-player of new music; some of the songs I’ve played live for years, while others are brand-new compositions. Some personal challenges left me feeling reluctant to even want to record anything, let alone write new material. But I found a creative spark with the first song I recorded.

I co-wrote the folk-rock ballad—“Where To Be”—twelve years ago with my friend, the London-based singer-songwriter/producer David Ogilvy. It was tucked away on a shelf in one of my lyric books. As I was leafing through them a few months ago, I was seeking inspiration for Maximus Americanus (March 2026). Yeah, I had the album title before I’d written anything, but that title gave me a blueprint. The song conveys optimism and hope, celebrating the joy of youthful innocence and the unexpected nature of love found in relationships, emphasizing gratitude for these surprising connections.

I’m quite pleased with how the song came together and couldn’t have found the voice for it without the help of the talented musicians who played on it. I sang lead and played all the guitar parts, with longtime bandmate Kevin Mackall playing bass. Erik Deutsch (on loan from his tour with The Black Crowes) played organ. And David played drums, mandolin, and provided background vocals. I know it was a magical moment for all of us.

The song was co-produced by Graham Stone. He’s a new collaborator whom I met here in the Hudson Valley. He also mixed and mastered it at his beautiful country studio in Austerlitz, NY. He has a very relaxed way of conveying his creativity through my music. I can’t recommend him or Stone Studio enough; the vibe is intoxicating.

I found the cover art painting, “Woman Holding Bird Heading South,” by Sandra McCutcheon Pape, on eBay and purchased it. I loved the simple but elegant image of this very small pastel. Those of you who know my music may not be aware that I collect outsider art and have used some of these pieces as my album covers.

The video was created by Said Kanoun for Jelly Topsis Studio. I’ve worked with him in the past. I sent him the song, hoping to get some ideas. He fell in love with it and wanted to use an anime style for the characters. I was reluctant at first, but I trusted his instincts. Never imagined I’d see myself animated in one of my music videos, but it worked. We decided to add some of my family photos from my past that he animated using AI. The results gobsmacked me, and how they came to life. We know there is no turning back from this extraordinarily disruptive intelligence. When used properly, it can be revelatory, but suffice it to say, we are now living in the “matrix.”

I’m stoked to share “Where To Be” with all of you. The rest of the songs are far more Americana than my previous albums. You’d have to go back to my third album, Elevened, for comparison.

The song, along with all of my music, is available on all major digital platforms, including iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube. Please listen to it, add it to your playlists, and share it with your friends. Enjoy.