Marcus King made waves earlier this year with Mood Swings, his third solo studio record, which ushered in a bold new era for the guitar virtuoso. With production from the iconic Rick Rubin, the artist’s latest debuted a striking new sound, trading off some classic country-rock hallmarks for a potent and distinctive blend of R&B, soul, gospel, psychedelia and much more. Today, King reminds fans that he’s more than capable of making a strong impression without that coat of studio shine, stripping back two fan-favorite cuts to their bare bones and announcing a new acoustic tour.
In December and January, King will give fans a closer view of his talent and magnetism with a tour of “Intimate Acoustic Evenings,” plotting 17 small-room stops across the South, East and Central regions of the country. All of these performances will show King centerstage with his acoustic guitar, with support from longtime Marcus King Band guitarist Drew Smithers.
As a first taste of what fans can expect on his upcoming acoustic tour, King has shared new acoustic versions of two standout selections from his catalog; re-imaginings of the 2018 Marcus King Band standout “8 A.M.” and the country-inflected knowing ode to understanding “Hero,” co-written with Dan Auerbach for Mood Swings. Both cuts were recorded during King’s summer shows at Nashville, Tenn.’s Bluebird Cafe, and the latter is paired with a live video.
Regarding the new renditions, King shared, “I’m so thrilled to present these songs to you all in an intimate setting – talking through the stories behind the songs and playing them in their most stripped down way.”