"Wonderful songwriting, beautiful production, and deeply rooted in what makes American Roots Music great: Deep Southern Pain. It's the hurt that brings the songs, and it's the songs that heal the hurt. Jonathan's songs bring us there, and back. Check this record out, it's a good 'un." ~ Mary Gauthier "damn he makes great records…" ~ No Depression "like church and sex at the same time" ~ Jessee Havey of The Duhks Expect Harmony. Think Country. Jonathan Byrd's new cd brings soul and songwriting together Country/folk/rock songwriter Jonathan Byrd has trouble standing still and gets tired of playing alone on the road. “I get tired of playing by myself and I get tired of having all of my own ideas out there every night”, he recently said in Acoustic Guitar Magazine. This time around on his upcoming new release, You Can't Outrun The Radio, Jonathan has made one of his favorite albums of all time with strangers. Kicking off with a chugging bassline from a lost 60's spy movie, the new You Can't Outrun The Radio is a wild ride where Country meets hi-fi Soul. Recorded in two days by people who'd never met each other, the new collection is being released September 22 on Waterbug Records. "I live in North Carolina but I tour in Canada often” says Jonathan. “In 2009, I was on tour with Corin Raymond. We played the Green Room in Montreal- since burned down. Two heavy soul singers, Alexa Dirks and Andrina Turenne (Chic Gamine), were there. Corin introduced me. After the show, we sang and passed a guitar around the sidewalk until the bartender came out and said, 'Please don't stop, but you have to come inside so I can lock the door.' We left at four in the morning. We all fell in love that night. I had to make a record with them." It took Jonathan two years to get a session together with Alexa and Andrina and when it happened it was February in Winnipeg. He didn't know any of the session players and had never met the engineer Jaxon Haldane of the D Rangers. Yet, the session turned out to be one of those magical encounters. Guitarist Grant Siemens, usually with Alberta cowpunk Corb Lund, twangs out stunning updates of Stephen Bruton and Bill Kirchen. Drummer Joanna Miller (Scott Nolan, Mary Gauthier) coasts on a smoky, behind-the-beat feel reminiscent of Roger Hawkins. Bassist Rejean Ricard, of Winnipeg locals The Wind Ups, alternately summons Tim Drummond and Brian Ritchie. Gluing it all together with smoke and soul, are Alexa and Andrina. Corin Raymond even makes a cameo on a truck-song harmony. "We arrived at the impossible. Somewhere between Harvest and I'm Still In Love With You. We call each other from time to time and say, 'I'm listening to our record!' We are all still surprised that we made one of our favorite albums of all time with strangers." “...raw and gritty with moments of crystalline beauty.” ~ popmatters.com