The rousing salute to our troops is the first single from the band's upcoming album
LOS ANGELES, June 20, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Fast-rising Americana rock band Gil Karson and the Karson City Rebels announce the release of their debut single, "Freedom Guaranteed," on Enchanted Land Records Enchanted Land Records (distributed by Hitskope Music Group under their agreement with Sony Orchard). The rousing and anthemic track, which seamlessly blends country-rock and blues, is a heartfelt musical salute to all members of the U.S. military, and it's sure to evoke feelings of pride and patriotism.
Says band leader and frontman Gil Karson, "I wrote 'Freedom Guaranteed' with Alan Nathanson as a way of thanking the men and women who have given their lives so that we can enjoy our freedom. I'm not trying to be evangelical about it or change hearts and minds. I'm just incredibly thankful to all who serve and have served. If I'm not free, then I can't pursue my life the way I want. I can't go out and play the music I love."
Over a sweeping arrangement that elegantly weaves lush acoustic and electric guitars, uplifting organ swells and tasteful splashes of pedal steel, Karson sings, "they gave their lives so you and I could live free/ men and women who served our country/ from the birth of our nation until today/ they stood up proud for the U.S.A./ they've always been there in our time of need/ to keep our freedom… freedom guaranteed."
Karson produced the song at Sal Rodriguez's studio in Los Angeles (Rodriguez is the drummer for the band War). The track was mixed and mastered by Grammy winner Gerhard Joost (Sangeeta, Stevie Wonder, Missy Elliot, among others) at Studio Hill Austin. "Both Sal and Gerhard are old friends," says Karson. "I worked with them on various projects years ago, and it was a pleasure to reconnect with them on this project. They're both incredible at everything they do."
The inspirational video for "Freedom Guaranteed" mixes live footage of Gil Karson and the Karson City Rebels with poignant scenes honoring the U.S. military. Karson, who directed the clip, is no stranger to cinematic storytelling – he spent years as one of Hollywood's top editors. His music has been featured in a number of films, among them Angel Town (for which he wrote 10 songs including the title track; he also appeared in the movie with his band) and Lionheart. "I come from a show business family," Karson says. "My brother is a DGA director, and my father worked in radio before he moved into TV with shows like Wagon Train, My Favorite Martin and others. Whether it's through music or images – or both – telling stories has always fascinated me."
Karson has also enjoyed several chart hits as a writer (most notably the 1977 disco smash "Le Spank" by Le Pamplemousse) and has had portions of his music sampled by superstar acts such as Eminem and the Black Eyed Peas. As a performer, the California native appeared on bills that included iconic bands such as the Byrds, the Jefferson Airplane, Steppenwolf and the Rascals.
Karson got started in music early, drawing inspiration from classic rock, country and blues artists. "It spans a pretty wide range of artists," he says. "The Eagles, Chuck Berry, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings are some of my major influences." After making a name for himself performing throughout the Southwest, Karson took a break from music to focus on raising a family while working in the film business. But the call of music beckoned. As he explains, "I started performing again kind of innocently, doing acoustic gigs and open-mic nights. It felt good and I realized that I wanted to rock out, so I put this new band together."
In addition to Karson on bass and lead vocals, the Karson City Rebels consists of drummer Lionel Barton, Jon Greathouse on keyboards and vocals, guitarists Kyle Appleton and Chris Brooks, and multi-instrumentalist Jon Adams. "It's such a fantastic band," Karson enthuses. "The guys are all superb players, and we have a great time whenever we're on stage together."
Karson and his band are currently finishing an upcoming album, which will include "Freedom Guaranteed" along with tracks such as "Runaway Train" and "Let's Party." "We have some more tunes that are inspirational in nature, but others focus on personal relationships," he says. "And, of course, we like to have fun, so there's 'Let's Party,' which says it all. I want to provide listeners with a chance to suspend reality and have fun. You can be serious, but you can also shake it off and feel energized. When you come to our show or listen to the record we're finishing, you'll get the complete experience."
For more information, please visit:
https://gilkarson.com/home
Media Contact
Ryan Romenesko, Jensen Communications, Inc., 1 626-585-9575, [email protected]
SOURCE Gil Karson and the Karson City Rebels
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