Song Premiere: Jefferson Ross “Soul Is Made of Broken Things”

Atlanta, Georgia’s Jefferson Ross shares the intimacy of a house Concert with his first Live album, Live at Hillbilly Haiku. The album was taken from a show last winter in Nashville at Hillbilly Haiku House Concerts with long-time friend and producer, Thomm Jutz (Otis Gibbs, Mac Wiseman, Nanci Griffith) on guitar. Ross and Jutz’s guitars provide the backdrop for Jefferson’s back porch vocals and lyrics that range from heartbreaking to hilarious. The between-song banter and the crowd give the listener the feeling of hanging out next to a campfire, sipping whiskey, and listening to an old friend tell stories and sing songs.

Ross says of the project, “I made a live album because, as much as I like my studio projects, I didn’t feel they fully captured the live show”. He goes on to explain the choice of venue, “I wanted the live to be recorded at a house concert because I knew the room would be warm and intimate… I had played Hillbilly Haiku several times before. The hosts, Denise and Rick Williams, have become close friends so I immediately thought of them when the live album idea started percolating.”

Included in the set are favorites from Jefferson’s previous four records. Songs like “Two Horses”, “Isle of Hope”, and “Yesterday’s Papers” grab the listener and pull them close. While the humorous “Slap it On” and “Family Drama” break up the album with well written comedic relief. One of two brand new songs, the album’s first single, “Soul is Made of Broken Things” is Ross’s ode to the southern U.S. that he holds near to his heart and often celebrates in his songs.

Ross commented on the track, “A buddy drove me around the Mississippi Delta one day and I couldn’t help but notice how worn and broken everything seemed and yet it all seemed so beautiful and soulful. Lived in. Broken in. I guess I just wanted to write a song about soul. How the new and gleaming, disposable things don’t really preach. It’s the neglected and used up items that keep on giving in a deeper way. They have a powerful story. The two women in the song represent victory over neglect and being misused.”

Stream the beautifully tender, “Soul Is Made of Broken Things” and watch the video, which is a comprised of photos from Ross’s own photography, above. Live at Hillbilly Haiku officially releases June 23rd.