Singer-songwriter and Live Lunch veteran, Fate McAfee, returns to the WKMS studios on the heels of the March release of Diesel Palomino, McAfee's second studio album. McAfee will be backed by Paducah, KY's Leonard the Band (who performed on Sounds Good in 2014 and 2018).
Described by American Songwriter as a "dark, brooding folk rocker with hints of Nick Drake and the War on Drugs," Fate McAfee began his music career with a pick-worn guitar he bought from a pawn shop. His intricate and empathetic story-telling is indicative of the many hats McAfee has donned throughout his career -- busking on the sidewalks of Denver, Austin, New Orleans, and Nashville; working as a laborer, a carpenter, a valet; and traveling up and down the Mississippi River as a lineboat deckhand.
Equally restless and observant -- McAfee has always been mindful of his interactions with the people he met, who came from all walks of life. Their lessons, wisdom, and experience spilled into the songs that became Diesel Palomino, the follow-up to his 2017 self-released record, Little Bill and the Late Fees.
Recorded at Loud and Clear Studios in Paducah, KY with the help of Shelby Preklas and S. Knox Montgomery and backed by Paducah group, Leonard the Band (Brian Rader, Zack Winding, Adam Rader, and Taylor Rader), Diesel Palomino shares tales of personal tragedy, loss, growth, and inner reflection. At times a dark interpretation of a contemporary mid-South existence, his sharp-witted vignettes are often autobiographical, based on events from his turbulent childhood and formative teenage years. From the sun-beaten car carrying strung out, heartbroken characters across the desert ("Stars of Tucumcari"), to a coquettish encounter with a religious woman ("Preacherwoman Blues"), McAfee draws on life experiences that seem enriched and testing beyond his 26 years.
McAfee played on the Live Lunch series for the first time in September 2017. Tune in to hear his second, full-band performance Friday, May 3rd, at 12 noon during Sounds Good. You can listen on air, on the WKMS website, or watch a live-stream video on WKMS' Facebook page. Live Lunch is made possible with support from Murray State's Digital Media Services, Just Hamburgers in Paducah, and listeners like you.
For more information on Fate McAfee and his music, visit his website. Diesel Palomino is available on all streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp.
