Arlo McKinley to Share Album After 2-Year Hiatus

Oh Boy Records singer-songwriter Arlo McKinley will release Untitled, a new album, on November 20, marking his return after a two-year hiatus. The rootsy, meditative collection features songs by John Prine, Blaze Foley, Gram Parsons, and more, alongside original material. McKinley previews the project with two singles, 'All Night Long' and Prine's 'Late John Garfield Blues.'

'When looking at the greats of Americana music or songwriting in general, I always put Gram, John, Blaze and Jason at the top of that list. My Mount Rushmore, if you will,' McKinley shares. 'Each [offers] their own take on the human condition through their own life experiences that somehow felt like my own.'

The lead singles showcase the album's lush instrumentation and McKinley's raw vocals. 'All Night Long' revisits one of his earliest compositions, a song he's long wanted to release. Meanwhile, 'Late John Garfield Blues' pays tribute to Prine, whose recognition and decision to sign McKinley to Oh Boy Records remain career highlights.

'It's one of my favorite John songs,' McKinley says of the cover. 'When I was picking songs to cover, I picked artists who have influenced me and shaped the way I write songs. John is definitely one of those people.'

In addition to the lead singles, Untitled will feature covers of Gram Parsons' 'A Song for You,' Jason Molina's 'Just Be Simple,' 'Killing the Blues,' popularized by Alison Krauss, and Blaze Foley's 'Cold Cold World.' More than paying homage to the artists who shaped him, McKinley also takes time on the album to further his own story with original material.

The album celebrates the enduring power of straightforward, honest songwriting. As McKinley puts it, 'I think these artists were honest to themselves and wrote about their experiences with the human condition.'

Untitled Tracklisting

All Night Long

Late John Garfield Blues (John Prine Cover)

A Song for You (Gram Parsons Cover)

Scatter Myself

Just Be Simple (Jason Molina Cover)

Killing the Blues (Alison Krauss Cover)

Cold Cold World (Blaze Foley Cover)

A Few More Good Years

More About Arlo McKinley

Ohio singer-songwriter Arlo McKinley grew up surrounded by music, from singing in his family's Baptist church choir to listening to Hank Williams, George Jones, Bob Dylan, and Otis Redding. He began writing songs in his twenties, blending rootsy country and soul with rock influences. He made his debut in 2014 with Arlo McKinley & the Lonesome Sound.

McKinley later toured alongside artists including Tyler Childers, John Moreland, Jason Isbell, and Justin Townes Earle. In 2020, he released Die Midwestern, his first album on Prine's Oh Boy Records, followed by This Mess We're In. His latest album, Untitled, brings together original material and covers of songs by the artists who helped shape his songwriting.