Listen to the bluegrass-tinged new Marcus King Band single "Heartlands" and learn more about the upcoming album release of the outfit's "Darling Blue." Read my review of King's terrific 2022 album "Young Blood" HERE...Robert Kinsler
MARCUS KING BAND SHARES NEW SINGLE “HEARTLANDS”
HIGHLY ANTICIPATED ALBUM DARLING BLUE OUT SEPTEMBER 26, 2025 VIA AMERICAN RECORDS/REPUBLIC RECORDS
THE DARLING BLUE TOUR (PT. 1)
NORTH AMERICAN HEADLINE RUN BEGINS SEPTEMBER 11
HIGHLY ANTICIPATED ALBUM DARLING BLUE OUT SEPTEMBER 26, 2025 VIA AMERICAN RECORDS/REPUBLIC RECORDS
THE DARLING BLUE TOUR (PT. 1)
NORTH AMERICAN HEADLINE RUN BEGINS SEPTEMBER 11
[Of “Here Today”] “Each artist brings their own distinct sound to the verses, between King’s soulful grit, Butts’ smoky twang and Johnson’s powerful vocal growl — but when their voices merge, it evokes a freewheeling, jam-band feel that dares fans not to sing along." -- Billboard Magazine
“Darling Blue is loaded sincere and sharp-tongued reflections on the personal revolutions that frontman King has faced in his travels since the band’s last offering.” -- Relix
“September 26th can’t get here soon enough.” -- Whiskey Riff
“Darling Blue is loaded sincere and sharp-tongued reflections on the personal revolutions that frontman King has faced in his travels since the band’s last offering.” -- Relix
“September 26th can’t get here soon enough.” -- Whiskey Riff
September 5, 2025—Ahead of their much-anticipated new album Darling Blue, Marcus King Band shares a further taste of the new music with the single “Heartlands.” Listen/share the track HERE.
The album is due on September 26 via American Records/Republic Records. Pre-order/pre-save Darling Blue HERE.
“I wrote ‘Heartlands’ with one of my favorite writers and best pals in town, Jonathan Singleton,” says King. “This song puts into words just the way I feel about that sweet little wife of mine. She’s supported me through so many ups and downs. But when I fall, she’s always where my heart lands.”
“Heartlands” follows a string of recent releases from the LP, including “Here Today” featuring Jamey Johnson and Kaitlin Butts, of which Billboard raves, “when their voices merge, it evokes a freewheeling, jam-band feel that dares fans not to sing along.” The band has also shared “Carry Me Home,” “Carolina Honey” and “Honky Tonk Hell,” the latter of which became the fastest single of King’s career to hit one million streams.
Coming up on September 11, the band will kick off their headlining The Darling Blue Tour (Pt. 1), a 13-date North American run beginning in Davenport, IA. The tour includes stops in Memphis, Albuquerque, Little Rock and more. Support across select dates comes from Angel White, Laci Kaye Booth and Pearl. Tickets and more information can be found HERE, and see below for a complete list of dates.
Darling Blue finds Grammy-nominated Marcus King reuniting with his longtime live band for their first recorded album together since 2018’s Carolina Confessions. Inspired heavily by the Blue Ridge Mountains in his home state of South Carolina, the new album incorporates elements of country, folk, psychedelic rock and Motown-era R&B and continues the conversation on King’s experience with addiction and depression.
“It truly felt like home,” King details. “Like my band and I were just working out songs to perform live but ended up creating a piece of recorded music for our fans to hear. Our goal is always to be a vessel and allow the music to flow through us and tap into something that’s already there in the room. But more than anything I’ve done before, this album felt like a real concerted effort to make music for myself, and for ourselves as a band—creating for the love of creating and being as honest as we possibly can. We put everything we had into making something that we love and we have faith that the audience will feel that and love it too.”
Recently, King collaborated with Gibson for the release of his second signature guitar, the Gibson Marcus King ES-345. Learn more: PEOPLE, Guitar World, Premier Guitar
The beloved Marcus King Band Family Reunion music festival recently returned for its fourth installment and landmark year in Charleston, SC. The two-day festival featured performances by Marcus King Band, Jamey Johnson, Stephen Wilson Jr., Molly Tuttle, Hiss Golden Messenger and more.
This year also finds King hitting the road with Chris Stapleton, Cody Johnson, Eric Church and Dwight Yoakam; additional info follows below.
Greenville, South Carolina-born, Nashville-based Marcus King started performing alongside his blues guitarist father when he was just eight years old. He made his solo debut with El Dorado (2020), produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. The album was met with widespread acclaim, with the Associated Press calling it “a definite high point of 2020.” It went on to earn King his landmark Grammy nomination for Best Americana Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.
He followed up the success of El Dorado with Young Blood (2022), also produced by Auerbach. His sophomore album debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Blues Albums Chart, the magazine described it as a “staggeringly confident work.”Last year King returned with his third album, Mood Swings, produced by Rick Rubin, of which Rolling Stone said, “he…goes for something much more daring, vulnerable, and openhearted.”
The album is due on September 26 via American Records/Republic Records. Pre-order/pre-save Darling Blue HERE.
“I wrote ‘Heartlands’ with one of my favorite writers and best pals in town, Jonathan Singleton,” says King. “This song puts into words just the way I feel about that sweet little wife of mine. She’s supported me through so many ups and downs. But when I fall, she’s always where my heart lands.”
“Heartlands” follows a string of recent releases from the LP, including “Here Today” featuring Jamey Johnson and Kaitlin Butts, of which Billboard raves, “when their voices merge, it evokes a freewheeling, jam-band feel that dares fans not to sing along.” The band has also shared “Carry Me Home,” “Carolina Honey” and “Honky Tonk Hell,” the latter of which became the fastest single of King’s career to hit one million streams.
Coming up on September 11, the band will kick off their headlining The Darling Blue Tour (Pt. 1), a 13-date North American run beginning in Davenport, IA. The tour includes stops in Memphis, Albuquerque, Little Rock and more. Support across select dates comes from Angel White, Laci Kaye Booth and Pearl. Tickets and more information can be found HERE, and see below for a complete list of dates.
Darling Blue finds Grammy-nominated Marcus King reuniting with his longtime live band for their first recorded album together since 2018’s Carolina Confessions. Inspired heavily by the Blue Ridge Mountains in his home state of South Carolina, the new album incorporates elements of country, folk, psychedelic rock and Motown-era R&B and continues the conversation on King’s experience with addiction and depression.
“It truly felt like home,” King details. “Like my band and I were just working out songs to perform live but ended up creating a piece of recorded music for our fans to hear. Our goal is always to be a vessel and allow the music to flow through us and tap into something that’s already there in the room. But more than anything I’ve done before, this album felt like a real concerted effort to make music for myself, and for ourselves as a band—creating for the love of creating and being as honest as we possibly can. We put everything we had into making something that we love and we have faith that the audience will feel that and love it too.”
Recently, King collaborated with Gibson for the release of his second signature guitar, the Gibson Marcus King ES-345. Learn more: PEOPLE, Guitar World, Premier Guitar
The beloved Marcus King Band Family Reunion music festival recently returned for its fourth installment and landmark year in Charleston, SC. The two-day festival featured performances by Marcus King Band, Jamey Johnson, Stephen Wilson Jr., Molly Tuttle, Hiss Golden Messenger and more.
This year also finds King hitting the road with Chris Stapleton, Cody Johnson, Eric Church and Dwight Yoakam; additional info follows below.
Greenville, South Carolina-born, Nashville-based Marcus King started performing alongside his blues guitarist father when he was just eight years old. He made his solo debut with El Dorado (2020), produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. The album was met with widespread acclaim, with the Associated Press calling it “a definite high point of 2020.” It went on to earn King his landmark Grammy nomination for Best Americana Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.
He followed up the success of El Dorado with Young Blood (2022), also produced by Auerbach. His sophomore album debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Blues Albums Chart, the magazine described it as a “staggeringly confident work.”Last year King returned with his third album, Mood Swings, produced by Rick Rubin, of which Rolling Stone said, “he…goes for something much more daring, vulnerable, and openhearted.”
Darling Blue album art
MARCUS KING BAND—DARLING BLUE
1. On & On
2. Here Today ft. Jamey Johnson & Kaitlin Butts
3. Honky Tonk Hell
4. Heartlands
5. Die Alone
6. Somebody Else ft. Jesse Welles
7. Levi’s & Goodbyes
8. Carolina Honey
9. No Room For Blue
10. Blue Ridge Mountain Moon
11. Dirt (Nashville version) ft. Billy Strings
12. The Shadows ft. Noah Cyrus
13. Pretty Petty
14. Carry Me Home
TOUR DATES
BOLD DATES: The Darling Blue Tour (Pt. 1)
September 5—Madison, IN—Unbroken Circle Festival At Bicentennial Park
September 11—Davenport, IA—Capitol Theater*
September 12—Lincoln, NE—Pinnacle Bank Arena‡
September 15-21—Seattle, WA—Keeping The Blues Alive at Sea Alaska
September 22—Nashville, TN—Grand Ole Opry (Grand Ole Opry House)
September 25—Green Bay, WI—Resch Center§
September 26—Milwaukee, WI—Fiserv Forum§
September 27—Des Moines, IA—Casey’s Center§
September 28—St. Louis, MO—Evolution Festival
October 2—Detroit, MI—Little Caesars Arena§
October 3—Lexington, KY—Rupp Arena§
October 9—Indianapolis, IN—Gainbridge Fieldhouse§
October 10—Grand Rapids, MI—Van Andel Arena§
October 11—Cleveland, OH—Rocket Arena§
October 12—Peoria, IL—Civic Center Theater*
October 14—Lawrence, KS—Liberty Hall*
October 16—Sugar Land, TX—Smart Financial Centre At Sugar Land**
October 17—Stephenville, TX—Twisted J Live
October 18—Austin, TX—Moody Center**
October 19—Fayetteville, AR—JJ’s††
October 21—Starkville, MS—Rick’s Cafe††
October 23—Memphis, TN—Graceland*
October 24—Fairhope, AL—Live at Five*
October 25—Birmingham, AL—Legacy Arena at The BJCC‡
October 30—Catoosa, OK—Hard Rock Live
October 31—Little Rock, AR—The Hall‡‡
November 1—Gonzales, LA—Boots On The Bayou
November 2—Corpus Christi, TX—Concrete Street Pavilion‡‡
November 5—Lubbock, TX—Cook’s Garage (indoors)‡‡
November 6—Albuquerque, NM—Revel‡‡
November 11-16—Los Angeles, CA—Blue Note LA
May 29—Panama City Beach, FL—Gulf Coast Jam
*with Angel White
†with Chris Stapleton
‡with Cody Johnson
§with Eric Church
**with Dwight Yoakam
††Laci Kaye Booth
‡‡Pearl
About Republic Records
A division of Universal Music Group, the world's leading music company, Republic Records has been recognized by Billboard as the industry’s #1 label over the last decade. It is home to an all-star roster of multi-platinum, award-winning legends such as Anitta, Ariana Grande, Billy Porter, Conan Gray, Cynthia Erivo, Daniel Caesar, Eddie Vedder, Florence + the Machine, Glass Animals, Jelly Roll, Jimmy Fallon, John Legend, John Mellencamp, Jonas Brothers, Kid Cudi, Kim Petras, Lorde, Miranda Lambert, Nicki Minaj, Pearl Jam, Shania Twain, Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift and more. Founded by brothers and chief executives Monte and Avery Lipman, it is also comprised of innovative business ventures with chart topping artists and partners including American Recordings (Marcus King), Boominati Worldwide (Metro Boomin), Brushfire (Jack Johnson), Casablanca Records (Nelly Furtado, Martin Garrix), Cash Money (Birdman, Jacquees), HYBE (TXT), JYP Entertainment (Stray Kids, TWICE), Lava Records (Greta Van Fleet), Mavin Records (Ayra Starr), OVO (Drake), XO (The Weeknd), Young Money (Lil Wayne), among others. Additionally, Republic recently launched Federal Films, the film and TV division that aims to bring compelling stories to audiences around the world, as well as Republic Records: Kids & Family, the official children's division of Republic Records.
1. On & On
2. Here Today ft. Jamey Johnson & Kaitlin Butts
3. Honky Tonk Hell
4. Heartlands
5. Die Alone
6. Somebody Else ft. Jesse Welles
7. Levi’s & Goodbyes
8. Carolina Honey
9. No Room For Blue
10. Blue Ridge Mountain Moon
11. Dirt (Nashville version) ft. Billy Strings
12. The Shadows ft. Noah Cyrus
13. Pretty Petty
14. Carry Me Home
TOUR DATES
BOLD DATES: The Darling Blue Tour (Pt. 1)
September 5—Madison, IN—Unbroken Circle Festival At Bicentennial Park
September 11—Davenport, IA—Capitol Theater*
September 12—Lincoln, NE—Pinnacle Bank Arena‡
September 15-21—Seattle, WA—Keeping The Blues Alive at Sea Alaska
September 22—Nashville, TN—Grand Ole Opry (Grand Ole Opry House)
September 25—Green Bay, WI—Resch Center§
September 26—Milwaukee, WI—Fiserv Forum§
September 27—Des Moines, IA—Casey’s Center§
September 28—St. Louis, MO—Evolution Festival
October 2—Detroit, MI—Little Caesars Arena§
October 3—Lexington, KY—Rupp Arena§
October 9—Indianapolis, IN—Gainbridge Fieldhouse§
October 10—Grand Rapids, MI—Van Andel Arena§
October 11—Cleveland, OH—Rocket Arena§
October 12—Peoria, IL—Civic Center Theater*
October 14—Lawrence, KS—Liberty Hall*
October 16—Sugar Land, TX—Smart Financial Centre At Sugar Land**
October 17—Stephenville, TX—Twisted J Live
October 18—Austin, TX—Moody Center**
October 19—Fayetteville, AR—JJ’s††
October 21—Starkville, MS—Rick’s Cafe††
October 23—Memphis, TN—Graceland*
October 24—Fairhope, AL—Live at Five*
October 25—Birmingham, AL—Legacy Arena at The BJCC‡
October 30—Catoosa, OK—Hard Rock Live
October 31—Little Rock, AR—The Hall‡‡
November 1—Gonzales, LA—Boots On The Bayou
November 2—Corpus Christi, TX—Concrete Street Pavilion‡‡
November 5—Lubbock, TX—Cook’s Garage (indoors)‡‡
November 6—Albuquerque, NM—Revel‡‡
November 11-16—Los Angeles, CA—Blue Note LA
May 29—Panama City Beach, FL—Gulf Coast Jam
*with Angel White
†with Chris Stapleton
‡with Cody Johnson
§with Eric Church
**with Dwight Yoakam
††Laci Kaye Booth
‡‡Pearl
About Republic Records
A division of Universal Music Group, the world's leading music company, Republic Records has been recognized by Billboard as the industry’s #1 label over the last decade. It is home to an all-star roster of multi-platinum, award-winning legends such as Anitta, Ariana Grande, Billy Porter, Conan Gray, Cynthia Erivo, Daniel Caesar, Eddie Vedder, Florence + the Machine, Glass Animals, Jelly Roll, Jimmy Fallon, John Legend, John Mellencamp, Jonas Brothers, Kid Cudi, Kim Petras, Lorde, Miranda Lambert, Nicki Minaj, Pearl Jam, Shania Twain, Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift and more. Founded by brothers and chief executives Monte and Avery Lipman, it is also comprised of innovative business ventures with chart topping artists and partners including American Recordings (Marcus King), Boominati Worldwide (Metro Boomin), Brushfire (Jack Johnson), Casablanca Records (Nelly Furtado, Martin Garrix), Cash Money (Birdman, Jacquees), HYBE (TXT), JYP Entertainment (Stray Kids, TWICE), Lava Records (Greta Van Fleet), Mavin Records (Ayra Starr), OVO (Drake), XO (The Weeknd), Young Money (Lil Wayne), among others. Additionally, Republic recently launched Federal Films, the film and TV division that aims to bring compelling stories to audiences around the world, as well as Republic Records: Kids & Family, the official children's division of Republic Records.
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