Boomerang Town began gestating around this time of loss in 2016, with the songwriter losing several musicians close to her. The shift in the nation’s political landscape had ushered in a new level of polarization that saw whole swaths of cultural life being demonized. For someone who grew up in a small town outside of Waco, Texas, Harris believed the values instilled in her by her parents were not entirely in line with how many on the left were viewing—and vilifying—Christians, citing them as responsible for the new change in leadership. As a person in recovery, Harris has had to re-evaluate her own connection to faith and find strength in a higher power—“Though he’s not necessarily a blue-eyed Jesus,” she laughs—though she certainly knows what it’s like to “be told how to vote” in a Southern church setting. It was from the intersection of these social, personal, and political currents the album was born. And while much of the material on Boomerang Town was inspired by personal experience, the songs on this collection are far from autobiographical xeroxed copies. More than anything, they come from a place of emotional truth. More About Boomerang Town In Harris’s Words: “Why was I able to get out of my boomerang town? Why are others stuck there, longing to leave but unable to find their way out? Writing these songs, bringing these narrators to life, brought me closer to the answers. Even though I was able to leave, I was not able to escape the generational cycle of addiction and mental illness. I had to deconstruct my Evangelical upbringing, keeping the good things I took from it (the importance of service and loving my neighbor), and rejecting the bigotry and brainwashing – then find faith again, my own way, outside of religion, through recovery, fellowship, and the alchemy of songwriting. My hometown is no different than the hometown of millions of others. These songs tell the story of what it is like to live in these towns, in these times. This is what it’s like to be a part of the post ”Born to Run” generation. Springsteen’s generation had somewhere to run to. I’m not so sure mine does. Whether or not you grew up in a small town or were born and raised in New York City, I bet you can relate to these characters. I bet you know what it feels like to grieve the loss of a loved one or a dream. I bet you’ve experienced how one seemingly small decision can alter the course of your entire life, for better or worse. These characters are a reflection of a people whose resilience, hope, and faith is being tested.” Catch Jaimee Harris On Tour: Jan. 5 – Winter Haven, FL – Gram Parsons Derry Down* Jan. 6 – Sarasota, FL – Fogartyville Community Media Arts Center* Jan. 7 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Broward Center for the Performing Arts* Jan. 8 – Gainesville, FL – Heartwood Soundstage* Jan. 10 – St. Augustine, FL – Cafe Eleven* Jan. 11 – Tallahassee, FL – Purple House Concerts* Jan. 13-15 – Seaside, FL – 30A Songwriters Festival Jan. 18 – Mobile, AL – The People’s Room Jan 20. – LaGrange, GA – Pure Life House of Music Jan. 26 – Little Rock, AR – White Water Tavern^ Jan. 27 – Tulsa, OK – Mercury Lounge Jan. 28 – McAlester, OK – Spaceship Earth Coffee Jan. 29 – Pittsburg, KS – Olive Street Presents Feb. 1-3 – Kansas City, MO – Folk Alliance International Feb. 19 – Santa Monica, CA – McCabe’s Feb. 23 – San Francisco, CA – KC Turner’s House Concert Feb. 25 – Austin, TX – C-Boys Heart & Soul Mar. 9 – Nashville, TN – Analog Mar 15 – Durango, CO – Ft. Lewis College + Mar 16 – Santa Fe, NM – St. Francis Auditorium + Mar 17 – Corrales, NM – Historic Old San Ysidro Church + Mar 19 – Phoenix, AZ – Musical Instrument Museum + April 3 – Austin, TX – The Saxon Pub # April 4 – Fort Worth, TX – The Post at River East # April 5 – Houston, TX – McGonigel’s Mucky Duck # April 6 – Baton Rouge, LA – Red Dragon Listening Room # April 8 – Bluffton, SC – Roasting Room # Sep. 14 – Columbus, MS – Barn Concert Series ! *Supporting Mary Gauthier ^With Bonnie Montgomery #With Pat Bryne + With Tim O’Brien, Jan Fabricius, and Mary Gauthier ! Supporting Jim Lauderdale For all upcoming events and ticket information, please visit jaimeeharris.com/tour. |