This week, Joe Purdy released his sixteenth album ‘Desert Outtakes Volume 1: Folk-Slinger‘. The self-produced album was recorded on a tape machine between 2019-2020 in a desert landscape near Joshua Tree in California. It features seven original songs, all of which are outtakes from Purdy’s recent full-length album ‘Coyote’ which was his first album in six years.
Listen to ‘Desert Outtakes Volume 1: Folk-Slinger’ by Joe Purdy
According to Purdy, “‘Coyote’ was really personal and sad. ‘Folk-Slinger’ is more upbeat and a continuation of his 2016 release ‘Who Will Be Next?’ which was considered 100% social commentary, maybe even political.
“I want to get through to people in a positive way. I don’t want to preach. My new trick or approach is talk fast, make ’em laugh and see if I can get away with sliding in some points of view along the way,” he said.
“I also really want to sing these songs live and it’s not the same if people can’t hear them on the way home too. That’s my biggest reason for deciding to release these outtakes.”
Earlier this Spring, Purdy wrote about ‘Coyote’, “I honestly don’t know if it’s any good or not. I’m much harder on myself than I used to be. I’m working on that. I try to be brutally honest in my writing.”
“I not only wrote but also recorded this record at a particularly dark time, by myself in the middle of the desert. I think you can hear the way I felt in the recordings themselves,” he said.
Watch: Joe Purdy – ‘Coyote’ Album Film
Hailing from Northwest Arkansas, he left for California in 2001, where he learned how to play the piano and began writing songs. He went on to record several homemade albums, breaking into the L.A. music scene with 2003’s Stompin Grounds.
He was contacted by J.J. Abrams, the executive producer of Lost, who asked Purdy to write a song for the show. Purdy, who at the time was visiting an island on a river in upstate New York, wrote “Wash Away,” which went on to hit the country chart. The album that featured the song, Julie Blue, was released in 2004.
Watch: Tabula Rasa (LOST) – Wash Away
Purdy continued to get song placements in multiple film and TV shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, House M.D., The Secret Life Of Bees, Straight A’s and A Case Of You. In 2017, Purdy made his acting debut in the feature film American Folk.
After returning from his solo excursions near Joshua Tree, Purdy found a renewed sense of spirit and purpose which led to relocation from Los Angeles, CA to Taos, New Mexico and a fresh start for his music career.
Joe Purdy 2022 Tour Dates
June 15 – San Francisco, CA – Bottom Of the Hill
June 18 – Pioneertown, CA – Pappy & Harriet’s
June 19 – Hollywood, CA – The Hotel Café
June 20 – San Diego, CA – Soda Bar
June 22 – Phoenix, AZ – Musical Instrument Museum
July 15-16 – Okemah, OK – Woodyfest
July 21 – Dallas, TX – Sundown at Granada
July 22 – Tomball, TX – Main Street Crossing
July 23 – Austin, TX – 3TEN
August 25 – Fayetteville, AR – Fayetteville Roots 2022
September 13 – Nashville, TN – Americanafest
September 14 – Carbarro, NC – Arts Center
September 19 – Louisville, KY – Manchester Music Hall
September 20 – Columbus, OH – Athenaeum
September 22 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark
September 23 – Chicago, IL – Old Town School of Folk
September 24 – Milwaukee, WI – The Back Room @ Colectivo
September 25 – Iowa City, IA – Englert Theatre