Reckless Kelly Release Latest Single 'North American Jackpot'

Today, the Austin, TX-based country rock band Reckless Kelly released "North American Jackpot," the first single and title track from their upcoming album American Jackpot (out May 22 alongside their album American Girls). The song will be available everywhere tomorrow but you can hear it now on Taste of Country.

Listen below!

"Writing 'North American Jackpot' I kept hitting a wall with the verses and the theme," says Willy Braun, who co-founded Reckless Kelly with his older brother Cody Braun and drummer Jay Nazz in 1996. "Trouble was, I kept going back to my first idea, a story about my grandparents, which wasn't really going anywhere, but I couldn't get away from it. I thought, I'd have to scrap this one till it made sense... the problem was, I'd already started writing the rest of the album and was close to being finished, but the title track, 'North American Jackpot' wasn't close to being completed, and far from the cornerstone it needed to be. I called Jeff Crosby, songwriter extraordinaire from the Gem State asking for help. The next day he sent a nearly perfect first verse that got me out of the rut and on the right track. I wrote a second verse almost immediately and we polished it up in Boise a couple weeks later. I had my cornerstone."

For nearly 25 years, Reckless Kelly has graced the musical landscape with a high-powered form of Americana, equally rooted in raw passion, refined musicianship, and gritty authenticity. With the dual release of two new albums-American Jackpot and American Girls-the Idaho-bred band presents a beautifully detailed portrait of their beloved country, turning their nuanced songwriting to its many glories and tragedies. "North American Jackpot" appears on American Jackpot, throughout which Reckless Kelly joyously examines what they most cherish about their homeland, exalting everything from the thrill of mule-riding through the Grand Canyon to the country's singular potential as a cultural melting pot. At the same time, the band never shies away from calling out forces that threaten America's character. To that end, the album is bookended by two piano-driven tracks with lyrics lifted from the Emma Lazarus poem inscribed at the Statue of Liberty: the full-hearted and hopeful "North American Jackpot," and "Goodbye Colorado #3" (a quietly impassioned response to anti-immigrant rhetoric).

For American Jackpot and American Girls, the band called upon friends and fellow musicians Bukka Allen, Jeff Crosby, Charlie Sexton, Gary Clark Jr., Rosie Flores, Shawn Sahm, Muzzie Braun, Suzy Bogguss, Wade Bowen and many more to join their recording sessions. Although Reckless Kelly initially intended to make just one album, the project took on a life of its own once they headed into the studio. "I wanted to produce this one by myself, just to try that out, and I made sure to book plenty of studio time to get it done right," says Willy. "We ended up moving along really fast, so I pulled out a few more songs and figured we'd end up using them down the road. Before we knew it, we had enough material for two really good records."

Tour Dates:

2/27: Duling Hall - Jackson, MS

2/28: Manship Theatre - Baton Rouge, LA

3/5: TempleLive - Fort Smith, AR

3/6: The Brendon McLarty Memorial Foundation Concert - Oklahoma City, OK

3/7: Revolution Music Room - Little Rock, AR

3/13: House of Blues - Houston, TX

3/14: Cook's Garage - Lubbock, TX

4/11: Bluebonnet Festival - Burnet, TX

4/17: Fiesta Oyster Bake - San Antonio, TX

4/18: Main Street Arts Festival - Fort Worth, TX

4/20: Larry Joe Taylor's Music Festival - Stephenville, TX

4/23: Washington's - Fort Collins, CO

4/24: Stargazers Theatre - Colorado Springs, CO

5/29: Grizzly Rose - Denver, CO

6/4-5: Mountain Village Resort - Stanley, ID

6/6: Washington County Fairgrounds - Cambridge, ID

7/29: McMenamin's Spanish Ballroom - Tacoma, WA

7/31: Tower Theatre - Bend, OR

8/1: Back Country Bash - Joseph, OR

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