A year of touring, exploring, and writing culminating in a record, a 7" split, and boundless love.

(photos by Chad Cochran)

This year has been one of the strangest, most grueling, and trying years of this planet. After performing over 125+ shows accompanying John Moreland, 70+ of personal tour dates, and traveling close to 70,000 miles over the past 365 days, I had a lot of stories, a lot of fears, a lot of love, and a lot of questions about why the world was being spread thin, why the folks running the show were letting greed and bigotry into the ranks of government, and if home would still be there when I got home.

The music was always there, and the teams I've worked with have been steadfast and true and unerring in their paths, and for that, I am lucky and thankful. From performing alongside John Prine and playing guitar on the Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman Auditorium to the full US tour supporting Iron and Wine and backing John Moreland behind the piano on the Jools Holland show on the BBC, working with Moreland's team has been a dream among dreams. In the new year, the duo is becoming a full band beginning in February!

Amongst all of the good times and hard work, I found some answers and wrote and created a record containing songs that I hold very dear to my heart. Recording in full at Fellowship Hall once again in Little Rock, I had the opportunity to work with Paddy Ryan on drums, Shonna Tucker on bass and vocals, and Megan Palmer on violin, keys, and vocals. This full length record is mixed, mastered, and slated for a late spring release, more information coming shortly. We created some magic and can't wait to share with you finally in 2018.

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Tim Easton and I recorded a 7" split of traveling songs that is coming out at the end of February. My track, "Full of Farewells", is on side B, and I recorded it to tape at my house in Oklahoma. Tim also recorded his song analog and at home in Nashville, TN. We hope you'll enjoy our tunes and check out the grand folks who run Different Folk records out of Sioux Falls, SD, who continue to put out excellent artists and songs.

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take care and happy new year.

-john and family.

Solo Colorado Run, More Dates Accompanying John Moreland, and More News on the 7" Split Single

(photo by rambo)

Greetings, folks.

John Calvin Abney will be heading up to Colorado for a set of dates this September, including a show in Denver with the kind country singer Erika Ryann, who John co-wrote a song with in July across the plains and mountains. Check out the updates in the TOUR section above or by clicking here.

Continuing to support the inimitable John Moreland on guitar and piano, John Calvin will be accompanying Moreland on a set of dates supporting John Prine and Iron & Wine over the next two months. Go to John Moreland's tour section of his site to see if we are coming to your town at www.johnmoreland.net.

Different Folk Records will be releasing a 7" single split of Tim Easton and John Calvin Abney in the new year, but this is all that will be said for now. Songs are recorded and being mastered as I type these words for you. As I always say and continue to echo, keep those ears to the ground and those eyes to the sky.

With a entire set of songs written, a new LP is on the horizon, too. More about this later.

With another beaming and weighty summer behind us, we charge into autumn with our hearts in our words and our voices in our throats. From the wild fires on the west coast, the hurricanes in the south, and hateful, inept leaders making moves like a child playing chess, there has been more dark than we can count. But, do not fear, we've got better days ahead, I know it. I hope it, and hope counts for more that we can possibly imagine these days. Go listen to some music, help a friend, love your fellow human, and be there for each other.

we love you.

john calvin abney and family.

Continuing Summer Tours Accompanying John Moreland and One-Off Solo Shows

(photo by Brittany Phillips) John Calvin Abney will be accompanying John Moreland on multiple instruments through out the summer and autumn, including dates with Iron and Wine. Keep updated at johnmoreland.net and come see a show in a town near you!

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John will be playing at Summer Breeze Concert Series in Norman, OK with a full band on June 25, no tickets needed. Free performance at Lion's Park. The band will include many friends and family from many years of members Oklahomans will recognize. Thanks to the Norman Transcipt for covering the concert.

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Tim Easton, Nashvillian-Ohioan troubadour, and John will be recording a 7'' split on Different Folks records this summer to be released in late fall, keep an ear to the ground and your eyes wide open.

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love,

la familia