THE CADILLAC THREE

                                                                "This Town Is A Ghost"

                                                                Big Machine Records

Over the years, The Cadillac Three has become known and loved for their genre-breaking sound, unrelenting guitar riffs and intuitive songwriting.  The ability of this band to consistently take a personal topic and make it relatable to everyone is a trait that is difficult to encompass and has been one of the more respectable elements of their musical catalogue.

Perhaps, with the release of their latest single, “This Town Is A Ghost”, we have been exposed to most personal track to date – a singer’s ode and tribute to a parent’s passing.

Frontman Jaren Johnston proclaimed that the hours writing this song about his father’s passing were some of the most difficult of his life.  His father is the late Jerry Ray Johnston, drummer for the Grand Ole Opry and country music band Bandana, for which TC3’s current tour is named.

Co-written with Ross Copperman, the song is a glimpse into the mind and heart of someone who has lost a dear loved one.  The thoughts, feelings, emotions, and moods portrayed throughout the track are honest, vulnerable, and accurate and collectively articulate how we all have felt at some moment in our lives when we have lost someone we love.

The lyrics are sung as a letter to his father, telling the story of pain and heartache accompanied by a sweet, beautiful melody.

“No whiskey don’t put out the fire, it just fuels the flame

And I know it ain’t my fault, but I still take the blame

I can pick up the phone and call, but I can’t hear you laugh

And I can punch through every damn wall, but that won’t bring you back”

“This Town Is A Ghost” puts itself in rare company, though, by paying homage to the sentimental, personal tone of this subject matter without retreating from their trademark collective musicianship.  The ability to explore new musical realms without abandoning who you are as an artist is incredibly difficult and unfortunately under-appreciated, but this song is an example of why The Cadillac Three is truly one of more impressive acts we have, not just in country music, but across all genres.

In addition to penning the tunes on TC3’s five studio albums, Johnston has also made a name for himself as an accomplished songwriter for other top name artists including Tim McGraw, Thomas Rhett and Keith Urban, among others.

As always, the band is hitting the road hard and has dates scheduled from now through the summer and into the fall, alternating headlining gigs with support dates for Dierks Bentley and Kip Moore.

(Review Written By: Chad Carlson)

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