For Review: Singer-Songwriter Tom Wopat Finds His Comfortable Groove On New Album “Simple Man”

“His return to country record-making has a bluesy edge in this minor-key cautionary tale.”
— Robert K Oermann, Music Row Magazine

“Tom Wopat shows that he is anything but ‘A Simple Man’ with this great new album of music.  The simple and honest lyrics and production speak to Tom’s talent as singer, songwriter, and entertainer.  He keeps getting better.”
— Eric Dahl, Fox 17 Nashville’s ‘Rock & Review’

“Wopat’s earnest vocals shine.”
— Bethany Bowman, Main Street Nashville 

Upcoming TV appearances include TBN’s “Huckabee” and WATC’s “Atlanta Live” 

For digital & physical review copies, interview and appearance requests/scheduling, please email jwa@jwamedia.com

NEW YORK, N.Y. (Jan. 24, 2023) – Singer-songwriter and Broadway star Tom Wopat finds his comfortable groove on the release of his 13th studio album, Simple Man, available now across all major digital music streaming platforms (ffm.to/simpleman), with physical copies also available at TomWopat.com, and at Tom’s shows and promotional appearances.

Surrounded by his “A” band and music pals of more than 20 years, including producer and bassist David Finck who also has co-production credits on Simple Man. The album marks Wopat & Finck’s 4th studio collaboration together from a private New York City studio which was cut in Winter 2022 along with producer and musician Joel Arnow and sound engineer Roy Hendrickson.

“First and foremost, it is verified that Tom and I work well together,” said David Finck. “I knew this. Tom and I react and respond similarly to music. These factors combined with Tom’s strong work ethic and fantastic sense of humor allow for a recording process that can only result in a wonderful listening experience.” 

Simple Man is a 13-track pleasureful mixture of songs with musical elements that range from country, blues, jazz, to Americana. Simple Man contains Wopat originals like the smooth country blues on “County Line,” the album’s focus track and namesake of his current movie trilogy. There’s also several tributes to iconic songwriters like Graham Nash on the title track of “Simple Man,” James Taylor’s “Copperline” and “Frozen Man,” a Stephen Stills meets Bill Withers mashup of “Use Me / For What It’s Worth” and a jazzy take on a Shawn Colvin tune, “Riding Shotgun Down The Avalanche.”

“First of all, I’ve come to realize that a recording like this is truly a collective effort,” Wopat said. “I serve primarily as the instigator, but the real talent lies with those around me who facilitate what I’m trying to express. David Finck on bass, Tedd Firth on piano, and Peter Grant on drums, have been my “A” trio for over 20 years. I convened the four of us for a couple rehearsals, and we settled on some fairly disparate material, mostly songs we’ve worked up live, with a few unfamiliar selections thrown in for good measure.”

Media & Promotional Appearances:
Tom first previewed the album’s title track and “County Line” live on WSM Radio & Circle TV Network’s “Coffee, Country & Cody” with Bill Cody in October. He also gave performances of the new music on the 2022 season encore taping of the WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour broadcast (watch Livestream) which will air on RFD-TV & PBS-TV in 2023. Other promotional appearances include Fox 17 Nashville’s “Rock & Review” with Eric Dahl, “Today In Nashville” on WSMV-TV with Carole Sullivan, The Dr. Ward Bond Show, Racing Country Radio with Cathy Martindale, with upcoming appearances on Huckabee with Gov. Mike Huckabee, airing March 25 at 8/7c and March 26 at 9/8c on TBN-TV, and Atlanta Live, airing Feb 10 on WATC-TV. 

Album name: Simple Man
Digital / Physical release: December 16, 2022
Album audio producer(s): David Finck, Tom Wopat, Joel Arnow
Buy/Stream/Listen at ffm.to/simpleman or TomWopat.com

Track Listing & Songwriters: 

1. 1. Simple Man (Graham Nash)
   2. Riding Shotgun Down The Avalanche (Shawn Colvin, John Leventhal)
   3. County Line (Tom Wopat)
   4. Look Around (Cy Coleman, Betty Comden, Adolph Green)
   5. Frozen Man (James Taylor)
   6. Step In The Right Direction (Tom Wopat, Robert Byrne, Richard Bowles)
   7. Wait For It (Lin Manuel-Miranda)
   8. Why Is The Moon So Blue (Rhonda Coullet)
   9. Leave It Like It Is (David Wilcox)
   10. Use Me / For What It’s Worth (Bill Withers, Stephen Stills)
   11. Rita (Wiley Porter)
   12. Copperline (James Taylor)
   13. If I Had Only Known (Craig Morris, Jana Steinfeld)

Tom Wopat Shows & Appearances: 
FEB 10 Atlanta Live TV Show Appearance / WATC-TV
MAR 04-05 Diecast Super Convention Car Show / Las Vegas, Nev.
MAR 25-26 Cooter’s Place / Nashville, Tenn.
MAR 25-26 Huckabee TV Show Appearance / TBN-TV
APR 15-16 North Alabama Pickers Market / Rogersville, Ala.
SEP 23 Oak Park Moonshine Festival / Lyons, Ga.
OCT 06-07 Hazzard Fest / Newport, Tenn.
** For Tom Wopat’s most up-to-date tour and appearance schedule visit TomWopat.com or follow on BandsInTown. 

About Tom Wopat:
It’s been several decades since the General Lee first left the ground, sky-rocketing Tom Wopat and co-star John Schneider to instant Dukes of Hazzard stardom. In the 43 years since, Wopat has been blessed with a multifaceted career that has ranged from starring roles on Broadway, various television appearances, singing in such venues as The Ol’ Opera, Carnegie Hall, The Grand Ole Opry, and the Hollywood Bowl, to a featured role in Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained. Most recently he is finishing up a new recording project, a CD entitled Simple Man, a 14 song collection that will be his 13th solo release. Also, on the horizon is the premiere of the second movie of his County Line trilogy, County Line: All In, for the Inspiration Network. The third film, County Line: No Fear is due in early 2023. Recently starring on the TV series, Black List, which features James Spader, Wopat quipped “I enjoy keeping a lot of balls in the air.” Tom was a staple on the Broadway stage for 35 years, garnering a pair of Tony award nominations along the way. Long known for his musical leading man abilities, Wopat also was critically acclaimed for his dramatic work in The Trip to Bountiful and Glenn Gary Glenn Ross. But currently it’s his work in the studio and on the road with some of the most talented musicians in the world that has provided Tom the most satisfaction.

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