Chicago’s Henhouse Prowlers are back with another single and music video, Lead and Iron, the title track from their upcoming Dark Shadow Recording project, due in September.
Despite the long-haired vibe, the Prowlers play in a traditional bluegrass style, tempered by their urban raising and existence, focusing on original music written within the band.
Lead and Iron serves as a 21st century protest song, written and sung by mandolinist Jake Howard, which he says was inspired by one of worst experiences that any parents fear.
“I wrote this song from the perspective of a parent who has lost a child in a school shooting. I found myself thinking about the quote that no parent should have to bury their child. That quote always hit me hard, and I couldn’t imagine the pain of losing a child, especially from a school shooting, a place meant for peace and learning.
I wrote this one at the end of last summer, I wonder if it was a way for myself to mentally preparing for the next school year and the potential of another deadly shooting (the potential which seems to come true every year).”
The somber tone of this song is further developed by banjoist Ben Wright’s use of a cello banjo on the recording. He says that Lead and Iron hit them all hard the first time they heard it.
“I realized what this song was about halfway through listening to it on a rough demo Jake sent us in October last year, and it immediately gave me chills. There’s something about the perspective of it all that continues to rock me when we are rehearsing it. That line about ‘first words spoken and tying shoes’ hits hard.”
Henhouse Prowlers are completed by Chris Dollar on guitar and Jon Goldfine on bass.
Check it out…
Lead and Iron is available now from popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers will find the track via AirPlay Direct.