Rodeo Star (Official Video)

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2023May 18

‪@alexmcewanmusic‬ ‘Rodeo Star’ tells the story of a man whose big ambitions have remained unfulfilled. Instead of the rodeo star of the title, its narrator is a cab driver in the heart of Nashville. While he never lost sight of those dreams, his reality is that they’re unlikely to come true. Yet deep down he knows that is who he really is, regardless of how his life has turned out. It’s a song which is full of the yearning, nostalgic and world-weary qualities that make Alex McEwan such an engaging writer. Those aspects are also delivered with the grainy, dusky soul of his vocal, beautifully plaintive slide guitar, and lyrical references to advice passed down the generations - plus a fleeting fictional cameo from Johnny Cash. Alex says, “After coming back to the UK from Nashville, it all seemed like a different world, but hanging out with the folks in Nashville I realised we have all got dreams. The great thing about Nashville is that it’s a place where dreamers like myself are welcomed.” ‘Rodeo Star’ was written by Alex, who co-produced the track with Lou Natkin (Brian Wilson, Joan Jett), with mixing courtesy of Ian Grimble (Bear’s Den, Mumford & Sons, Daughter). It also features backing vocals from Anthony Clark (Elton John, Rick Astley, Eva Cassidy), as well as drums from Paul Winter-Hart of Kula Shaker. The song’s story feels like a near reflection of Alex’s own life journey. From his early years in Glasgow to busking in London and finally achieving a big break in Nashville, music seemed to be his destiny. That seemed even more likely with the release of his debut album ‘Beautiful Lies’ in 2005, especially when his single ‘Make A Wave’ was playlisted on Radio 2 and he was invited to tour the UK and Ireland as guest to Katie Melua. Sometimes life has other plans. Instead, Alex forged a new career in the world of finance, leaving his adventure in music like some kind of fever dream. Then in 2019, an impromptu open mic night somewhere in the Caribbean inadvertently opened a second chapter for him as a musician. Soon the songs were flowing out of him, and against all odds his single ‘In A World We Don’t Know’ was greeted by the UK Americana community like an old friend. Now Alex McEwan has shown that the dream of his ‘Rodeo Star’ isn’t always a forlorn one. Maybe this could’ve all happened for him after that first opportunity almost two decades ago. Perhaps it hasn’t gone precisely as he would’ve hoped. But somehow it is happening - and that’s something well worth cherishing.