Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors Bares His Grief in New Song YOU NEVER LEAVE MY HEART

"Grief is a lonesome but loyal friend. I lost a brother when I was seventeen. His name was Jay. He was three years younger than me and was born paralyzed from the chest down. He was an incredible person, full of joy and laughter in the face of a life of physical trials that most humans will never encounter. I started writing songs in college as a way to deal with the loss. In those early years, I only wrote one song explicitly about him, and have struggled to do it again in the following fourteen years.

His memory hits me at the most unexpected times. One day, walking down the street in my own neighborhood, lost in my thoughts, and I am transported to my childhood home. It is evening, the day of the funeral, and friends and family have gathered at our house to weep and laugh and be together. I am a ghost in the room, seeing myself talking to friends, and I am reminded of the loneliness, the depth of agony in saying permanent goodbyes to my blood, my brother, my memory companion, my friend. Even still, a lifetime removed from his presence, the love and story he wrote on my heart is eternal.

In the studio, I told Cason and the band that I wanted to record the song at night, so it would feel like it did in that childhood home, the scene of the song. I told them I only had 4 or 5 vocal takes in me, because I was going to allow myself to re-enter the grief in its totality, and sing in a way that I have never sung before. I believe our grief, in order to endure the transformation towards joy, must be externalized, in laughter and in tears, and in song. Here is my song, brother, I love you."

- Drew Holcomb on writing and recording "You Never Leave My Heart"

Listen on your favorite steaming service here.

Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors will release its most collaborative album yet -Dragons - on August 16th via Thirty Tigers. Produced by Cason Cooley (Ingrid Michaelson, Ben Rector), the album is Holcomb's first to feature songwriters outside of The Neighbors and to feature artists on several tracks throughout the LP. Those collaborators include Lori McKenna, Natalie Hemby, Sean McConnell, The Lone Bellow, and Ellie Holcomb. Dragons is a standout record in Holcomb's storied career, seeing him in top form as a songwriter, vocalist, and arranger, bolstered by the collaborative spirit he embraced while creating the album. Pre-orders are available now, and listen to already released songs "Family," "Dragons (feat. The Lone Bellow)," and single "End of the World," which this week was AAA Radio's #1 Most Added andAmericana Radio's #4 Most Added song!

Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors were recently announced as headliners for this year'sAmericanaFest, joining Tanya Tucker, Rising Appalachia, and Keb' Mo' and so many others in Nashville from Sept. 10-15th. Other festival appearances on the horizon include Austin City Limits, Railbird Festival, Bright Nights Belhaven Lights, and the 13th Annual Cayamo cruise. On Sept. 7-8th Drew hosts the fifth installment of Moon River Music Festival at Chattanooga, TN's Coolidge Park. Holcomb founded and curates the annual fest and this year's sold out line-up features headliners Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit and Brandi Carlile. Also in September, the band kicks off their fall headlining tour at the Ryman Auditorium on Sept. 14th - full dates are below and tickets for all shows are available now via www.drewholcomb.com.

Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors
August 10 @ Bright Lights Belhaven Nights in Jackson, MS
August 11 @ Railbird Festival in Lexington, KY
September 7-8 @ Moon River Music Festival in Chattanooga, TN (SOLD OUT)
September 10-15 @ AmericanaFest in Nashville, TN
September 14 @ The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN
September 19 @ Thalia Hall in Chicago, IL^
September 20 @ Varsity Theatre in Minneapolis, MN^
September 21 @ Majestic Theatre in Madison, WI^
September 25 @ Lyric Fine Arts Theatre in Birmingham, IL
September 26 @ Neighborhood Theatre in Charlotte, NC
September 27 @ Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh NC
September 28 @ Jefferson Center in Roanoke, VA
October 2 @ Charleston Music Hall in Charleston, SC
October 3 @ The Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville, TN
October 4 @ Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, GA
October 5 @ HOB in Orlando, FL*
October 9 @ George's Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville, AR
October 10 @ Common Grounds in Waco, TX
October 11 @ The Heights Theater in Houston, TX
October 12 @ The Statler in Dallas, TX
October 13 @ Austin City Limits in Austin, TX
October 15 @ Tower Theatre in Oklahoma City, OK
October 16 @ Liberty Hall in Lawrence, KS
October 17 @ Old Rock House in St. Louis, MO
October 18 @ Germantown Performing Arts Center in Memphis, TN
October 19 @ Saenger Theatre in Hattiesburg, MS
October 22 @ City Winery in Boston, MA
October 23 @ World Café Live in Philadelphia, PA
October 24 @ Gramercy Theatre in New York, NY
October 25 @ Union Stage in Washington, DC
October 28 @ Ford Center for Performing Arts in Oxford, MS
October 29 @ Bologna Performing Arts Center in Cleveland, MS
November 12 @ Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, CA
November 13 @ Troubadour in Los Angeles, CA
November 14 @ Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, CA
November 15 @ Aladdin Theater in Portland, OR
November 16 @ Neptune Theater in Seattle, WA
February 3-10 @ Cayamo Cruise in Tampa, FL

^ -Dan Rodriguez Supports
* - Support TBA
All other dates w/ support from Birdtalker