J.M. Clifford Releases THINGS THAT WE CAN'T CHANGE Album

New York-based singer-songwriter and bluegrass musician J.M. Clifford has released Things That We Can't Change, a deeply reflective album about what life asks us to accept, what we wish we could undo, and the choices we make in between. Produced by Ron Pope, the record pairs the emotional directness of traditional bluegrass with thoughtful, deeply human songwriting, finding moments of connection and clarity amid life's inevitable uncertainties. The album grew out of a question Clifford keeps coming back to: what do we do when life doesn't go the way we hoped?

The album can be heard here.

'My mom was raised Jewish, and my dad was raised Catholic. When I was born, they decided to let me figure spirituality out for myself. We went to church and temple. It's a journey I'm still on,' says Clifford. 'Throughout, I've heard echoes of a mantra that is perhaps best summed up in the Serenity Prayer: Accept the things we can't change, change the things we can, and have the wisdom to know the difference. It's valuable common sense that I'm constantly trying to put into practice. How will I choose to respond to the challenges and mysteries that life throws my way? This collection of songs grapples with that question.'

The songs on Things That We Can't Change take up that question in different ways. The title track looks back at the past and the desire to do things differently. 'Empty Glass of Gin' turns to regret and the ways we try to avoid facing it. On 'Hard Luck Man,' an encounter with a young man passed out on a Brooklyn subway platform prompts Clifford to consider how easily we look away from someone else's suffering. Other songs take a different turn: 'The Night I Fell In Love With You' captures the surprise of falling in love, and 'Old Dirt Road' reflects on how parenthood changes your perspective and also features Chris Eldridge on guitar and vocals. 'I'm Alright' finds humor in the face of mortality. The album ends with 'White Dove Waltz,' an instrumental that lets the music speak for itself.

Produced by Ron Pope, the album features songwriting collaborations and performances by Wes Corbett (banjo), Shaun Richardson (mandolin), Christian Sedelmyer (fiddle), Jeff Picker (bass), and Justin Moses (dobro). Clifford handles guitar and lead vocals, joined by Liz Dewey and Justin Blanner on backing vocals. Together, the musicians give the songs the sound and feel of a traditional bluegrass ensemble while leaving plenty of room for the stories at their center.

Clifford's connection to bluegrass extends beyond the music itself. After finding his place in Brooklyn's bluegrass scene, he became a performer, an advocate for the tradition, and a public school music teacher. Those experiences shaped his view of music as a way to bring people together, a perspective that carries through the album's songs about love, hardship, faith, and how we show up for one another.

Things That We Can't Change doesn't try to resolve every question it raises. Instead, Clifford leaves space for the things that remain uncertain, the mistakes we carry with us, and the moments that make it all worthwhile. Sometimes, moving forward means accepting that we can't change what happened. What we can change is how we live with it.

About J.M. Clifford

J.M. Clifford is a Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter and elementary school music educator whose work blends bluegrass, folk, and Americana with a strong narrative voice. A rising presence on the national songwriting circuit, he has earned top honors at the Pensacola Beach Songwriter Festival and Solarfest, and was a finalist in the 2025 Telluride Troubadour Songwriting Contest and the 2024 American Songwriter Contest. His debut album On a Saturday Night drew praise from The Bluegrass Situation, Bluegrass Today, and Holler Country, while 'Complicated Man' landed on Ear to the Ground Music's Top 20 Songs of 2023. A 2026 Grey Fox Emerging Artist and an Official Showcase Artist at the 2023 IBMA Business Conference, Clifford has toured nationally and opened for Ron Pope and Dar Williams. Offstage, he brings that same passion to the classroom, teaching music to elementary students in New York City.