Local singer-songwriter Jerry Popiel aims to “capture a retrospective look at life in the Midwest” with his new album, Folksinger, which is due out April 3. The release opens with a faithful rendition of the John Denver classic “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
“John Denver’s original is one of the iconic songs of all time,” says Popiel in a press release. “But the original recording always sounded distant to me. With my version, I tried to make it less reverb-drenched and more immediate.”
Another highlight, “Shine Like the Moon,” addresses the theme of choosing one’s path and features pedal steel guitar by Cleveland’s Tyler Ray (Reverend Lee, Cats on Holiday). “Marine Electric (Ode to Stan Rogers)” honors the late, great Canadian folk singer Stan Rogers and the crew of a doomed ship, and Popiel wrote “1934,” a song about the Great Depression, on a 1934 Gibson acoustic guitar. An uptempo acoustic guitar riff gives “Reflection” a real buoyancy.
Popiel performed all instruments on the album (except pedal steel) including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolin, bass guitar, drums, piano, organ, harmonica and vocals. He recorded, mixed and mastered the album at his home studio.
“This is the first time I’ve brought in an extra musician for additional tracks on one of my solo albums, and Tyler Ray absolutely shines on here,” says Popiel. “He is the real deal — uber-talented and a joy to work with.”
A member of the indie band Birdhouse Gourds, Popiel regularly performs on local luxury Viking Cruise lines as well at local clubs and bars. Vinyl and CD versions of this new album are available via his Bandcamp page.
Popiel plays a release party on Friday, April 17, at John Christ Winery in Avon Lake.
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