Rob Baird - Wrong Side of the River (2016)

2016 release. Soul-hungry, honky tonk-fueled and seeking creativity that wasn't being found in Nashville, Memphis-born storyteller Rob Baird took a one-way ticket to Austin, TX, trekking through miles of self-reflection, and found his re-discovered passion for music in the hands of producer Brian Phillips (David Ramirez, Penny + Sparrow). Now, after taking matters into his own hands, Baird is ready to share his journey on Wrong Side of the River, a musical autobiography. After releasing his 2012 SPIN Top Album of the Year, I Swear It's The Truth, Baird found himself hungry for independence. While he's always had an affection for classic country, he found himself - and his music - compartmentalized in places that were leaving him emotionally empty, resulting in the urge to flee the one-size-fits-all mantra and re-discover songwriting on his own terms. With influences as deep-welled as the Stax-era, soul-seeping from the Memphis streets of his youth and melodies reminiscent of skipping study hall to see world-weathered bluesmen perform - Baird knew the direction he wanted to go. After weeks on the road, he found it both lyrically and sonically at the core of Wrong Side of the River.