Musician offered second chance at lifelong dream with debut album
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — June 15, 2018 – When RJ Comer
dropped out of music school thirty years ago, he thought that was the
end of his dream – but music wasn’t done with him just yet. Three
decades later, his dream of becoming a full-time musician was not only
re-ignited, but became his reality. He’s releasing his debut solo album One Last Kiss today, and it is available everywhere.
Multi-instrumentalist Shawn Byrne produced One Last Kiss,
and fluidly combines various themes ranging from somber moments to
happy love songs. The album features contributions from Grammy-winning
guitarist Randy Kohrs (Jim Lauderdale, Dolly Parton, Dierks Bentley),
fiddler Daniel Foulks (Parker Millsap) and cellist Brian Sutherland.
The album moves from joyful moments like “Under a Lover’s Moon,” an
upbeat love song co-written with Comer’s wife Deborah, to darker moments
like the bluesy title track. “All Over Again” is for those who work
hard day in and day out with a smile on their face, putting in long
hours for the sake of their families, and humorous tinges weave
throughout “Desert Mama” and “Bad Day in Paradise.”
When
music school didn’t work out, Comer’s path took a grim turn: years of
violence, poverty, addiction, fractured relationships and suicide
attempts followed. After a come-to-Jesus weekend in a Mississippi jail,
he straightened his life out, worked his way through law school and
became a lawyer. Along the way, Comer kept coming back to music,
starting a band for fun on the side – one that was eventually signed. He
took the opening and stormed back into music. Though One Last Kiss
is his debut full-length album as a solo artist, it’s his sixth release
since returning to music, including two band LPs and two solo EPs.
Offering insights of a man who transcended hardships few people escape, the songs on One Last Kiss deftly straddle the line between traditional and contemporary Americana and blues. With a ragged edge to his baritone voice, One Last Kiss shows
the emotional and experiential range of a man who once only knew how to
fight or flee — who slowly learned to live and prosper, and eventually
learned to love.
Leaving
his former life in Los Angeles behind, Comer now resides in the
Tennessee woods with his wife of 23 years and tours throughout the US
and Canada. He has played official showcases at SXSW, Canadian Music
Week and various songwriter’s festivals.
