Before packing up their acoustic guitars and making the 2,000-mile move to Nashville, Fairground Saints played their earliest shows in California. Formed in Santa Barbara, the trio carved out a sound that nodded to their homelands rich musical past, from the layered harmonies echoing throughout the hills of Laurel Canyon to the classic twang of Dwight Yoakam, Buck Owens and other Golden State songwriters.
Bandmates Elijah Edwards, Meg McAllister and Mason Van Valin have been full-time Tennesseans for several years now, having landed a deal with Sony Music Nashville two weeks after relocating to Music City. Even so, they havent forgotten about the state they left behind in the rear-view mirror. Their newest single, California, unfolds like a love letter to Fairground Saints birthplace, complete with richly-detailed SoCal imagery and a chorus that soars higher than the Santa Monica Mountains.
Theres so much about this song that just feels right, explains the band in statement. It was written by our good friend and producer, Marshall Altman. From the first time we heard it, we knew it was a song that encapsulated who we are, what we want to say, and fondly reminds us of where it all started for our band.
Released today, California hits its peak during each refrain, where McAllisters voice is backed by thick, sunny harmonies from her two bandmates. The song nods to Fairground Saints West Coast past as well as their Nashville present, mixing Music Row know-how with unforced Californian cool. Fairground Saints new EP is scheduled for release this spring.