Buddy Guy & Switchfoot join forces on fiery "Last Man Standing"

 Switchfoot and blues icon Buddy Guy unite for “Last Man Standing” 

– a gritty, soul-stirring anthem of survival

Stream “Last Man Standing” on all digital platforms HERE

Watch the visualizer HERE

GRAMMY Award-winning rock band Switchfoot has joined forces with blues legend Buddy Guy for a collaboration unlike anything they’ve done before. “Last Man Standing” is a blistering fusion of rock and blues, built on searing guitar work, commanding vocals, and an undeniable sense of grit. It’s a meeting of two musical forces—one a pioneering icon, the other a band unafraid to push boundaries. The track, now available alongside an official visualizer, is also released in Dolby Atmos, delivering an immersive listening experience across all digital platforms.

Produced by Switchfoot and Tom Hambridge, “Last Man Standing” strips the blues down to its rawest form, driven by the unmistakable interplay between Buddy Guy and Jon Foreman. Their fiery vocal and guitar exchange is anchored by Chad Butler’s driving drums, Tim Foreman’s steady bassline, and a groove that effortlessly bridges generations of rock and blues.

“Buddy Guy was the blues legend that taught me how to play the guitar,” shares Switchfoot frontman Jon Foreman. “I remember watching him live as a teenager and being completely transformed. I wanted this song to be something worthy of the man who helped shape my musical journey. Buddy, thanks for joining our band for a tune. Bigger than that—thanks for teaching me how to play.”

A torchbearer of the Chicago blues sound, Buddy Guy is one of the last living links to the genre’s golden era. With a career spanning over seven decades, Guy has influenced guitar icons like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. A Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and eight-time GRAMMY winner, Guy continues to shape the future of blues while carrying its deep-rooted traditions.

“Last Man Standing” encapsulates that legacy—gritty, unrelenting, and steeped in lived experience. The lyrics paint a picture of survival and perseverance, delivered with the unmistakable conviction of two artists who understand the weight of time. “I’ve seen kings reduced to thieves, I’ve seen the writing on the wall. I’ve seen the great walls crumble, I’ve watched the nations fall.” The song reflects on life’s unpredictability and the resilience required to endure, culminating in the powerful refrain: “None of this is how I planned it, but I’m the last man standing.”

Producer and co-writer Tom Hambridge, known for his work with legends like B.B. King and Buddy Guy himself, describes the song as a rare fusion of worlds. “Switchfoot and Buddy Guy together. Two of my favorites,” Hambridge shares. “We had a ball writing and recording this unique collaboration. I think the fun we had producing it shines through on the record.”

Celebrating over twenty years since their breakthrough album The Beautiful Letdown, Switchfoot has consistently pushed the boundaries of their sound, from alternative rock anthems to deeply introspective acoustic projects. Their latest creative ventures include reimagining The Beautiful Letdown (Our Version) [Deluxe Edition], a tribute to the album that launched them into the mainstream.

With over 10 million albums sold, a GRAMMY Award, and a global reputation for their emotionally charged performances, Switchfoot continues to evolve. “Last Man Standing” is a testament to their fearless approach—an unexpected but seamless fusion of their alt-rock roots with the soul of the blues.

Photo credit: Paul Natkin

Photo credit: Maggie Haas

ABOUT BUDDY GUY

At age 88, Buddy Guy is a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, a major influence on rock titans like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, a pioneer of Chicago’s fabled West Side sound, and a living link to the city’s halcyon days of electric blues. Buddy Guy has received 8 GRAMMY Awards, a 2015 Lifetime Achievement GRAMMY Award, 38 Blues Music Awards (the most any artist has received), the Billboard Magazine Century Award for distinguished artistic achievement, a Kennedy Center Honor, and the Presidential National Medal of Arts. Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him #23 in its "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time."

Though Buddy Guy will forever be associated with Chicago, his story actually begins in Louisiana. One of five children, he was born in 1936 to a sharecropper’s family and raised on a plantation in the small town of Lettsworth, located some 140 miles northwest of New Orleans. Buddy was just seven years old when he fashioned his first makeshift “guitar”—a two-string contraption attached to a piece of wood and secured with his mother’s hairpins.

In 1957, he took his guitar to Chicago, where he would permanently alter the direction of the instrument, first on numerous sessions for Chess Records playing alongside Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, and the rest of the label’s legendary roster, and then on recordings of his own. His incendiary style left its mark on guitarists from Jimmy Page to John Mayer. “He was for me what Elvis was probably like for other people,” said Eric Clapton at Guy’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2005. “My course was set, and he was my pilot.”

Seven years later, July 2012 proved to be one of Buddy Guy’s most remarkable years ever. He was awarded the 2012 Kennedy Center Honor for his lifetime contribution to American culture; earlier in the year, at a performance at the White House, he even persuaded President Obama to join him on a chorus of “Sweet Home Chicago.” Also in 2012, he published his long-awaited memoir, When I Left Home.

These many years later, Buddy Guy remains a genuine American treasure and one of the final surviving connections to an historic era in the country’s musical evolution.

ABOUT SWITCHFOOT

Switchfoot has sold over 10 million copies worldwide of their thirteen studio albums (including their 2003 triple-platinum breakthrough The Beautiful Letdown and 2009’s GRAMMY Award-winning Hello Hurricane), racked up a string of Alternative radio hit singles, and performed sold-out tours with over 5 million concert tickets sold in over 40 countries around the world. Through their unique blend of emotionally intelligent and uplifting brand of alternative rock, Switchfoot has earned a devoted and loyal global fan base.

Switchfoot has raised over $2 million dollars to aid kids in their community through their Bro-Am Foundation.

Switchfoot consists of Jon Foreman (vocals, guitar), Tim Foreman (bass), Jerome Fontamillas (keys, guitar), and Chad Butler (drums).

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Collective Soul ‘Vibrating’ With Excitement About New Music Set For Release August 12; “All Our Pieces” Single And Video Out Today

Listen to the fantastic new advance track from Collective Soul. More details on the band's forthcoming full-length return 'Vibrating' are below too...Robert Kinsler 

COLLECTIVE SOUL

‘VIBRATING’ WITH EXCITEMENT ABOUT NEW MUSIC

SET FOR RELEASE AUGUST 12;

 

“ALL OUR PIECES” SINGLE AND VIDEO OUT TODAY;

 

MASSIVE SUMMER TOUR WITH SWITCHFOOT

STARTS JULY 15

July 8, 2022 -- COLLECTIVE SOUL--Ed Roland (vocals/guitar), Dean Roland (rhythm guitar), Will Turpin (bass/background vocals), Jesse Triplett (lead guitar/background vocals), Johnny Rabb (drums/background vocals)—is so excited about their 11^th new studio album that they’re literally VIBRATING with excitement.

 

It’s due out August 12 on their label, Fuzze-Flex Records via AMPED Distribution, and pre-orders are available now on CD, vinyl and digital formats everywhere music is sold which include an instant download of the first single out today, “All Our Pieces.”

 

A lyric video for “All Our Pieces” premiered on SPIN.com yesterday and can now be seen on the band’s official YouTube page. SPIN.com describes the new album as a “…masterful pop-rock effort…” and as Ed Roland explained to them about the song, “you got to go to that point where you say we’re not clicking on all cylinders but we’ll get there, you know it’s there because you had it before.” 

 

VIBRATING sends the band’s artistic spirit into the next stratosphere. All ten songs positively pulsate with the boundless energy that has been COLLECTIVE SOUL’s aural calling card for over three decades. From the propulsively gnarly kiss-off of “Cut the Cord” to the reflective midtempo jangle of “Take” to the heart-wrenching reality check of “Rule No. 1” — replete with a soaring string section, no less! — to the choir-backed emotional crossroads of “Where Do I Go,” VIBRATING contains 42 minutes of irrefutable sonic evidence of a band wholly uninterested in sitting still.

 

“I think we’re on a roll,” observes Ed Roland, the band’s frontman and chief songwriter. “We’re not afraid to stretch the boundaries, but we do know how to stay in our lane when we need to. Sometimes, though, we just have to go faster.” As he continues, “Our fans have been waiting for VIBRATING for almost three years now, and I can’t wait for them to hear it. They’re excited because both SEE WHAT YOU STARTED and BLOOD set such a high standard for where we’re going as a band, and it’s only going to continue getting better with VIBRATING. I really do believe that.”

 

VIBRATING is the follow-up to their critically acclaimed tenth studio album, BLOOD, which was released June 21, 2019 on Fuzze-Flex Records/ADA. It garnered impressive debuts on various Billboard’s charts, including #3 on the “Alternative Albums” chart. Elsewhere, it debuted at #4 on the “Independent Albums” chart, #5 on the “Rock Albums” chart, #12 on the “Digital Albums” chart, #15 on the “Top Current Albums” chart, and #19 on the “Internet Albums” chart.

 

Seeing eye to eye, and ear to ear, is part of the secret sauce of why COLLECTIVE SOUL continues to both record and play together at an uncompromised level of high quality. “That’s the end goal for everybody in this band,” agrees Roland. “Just because I write the songs doesn’t mean I’m the only one who wants it all to come out right. We all want it to be right, and that’s because this is a band that acts like a band.”

 

Meanwhile in touring news, in addition to various headlining shows, the band will join forces with Switchfoot--for the very first time—for a massive summer tour that will launch Friday, July 15 in Gary, IN at the Hard Rock Casino. Ed Roland can’t wait to get the tour started. “It’s always a thrill to go on tour, but this year is going to be so special because we get to be with not only our friends but a great band, Switchfoot! Southern boys meet Southern California boys, which will be a fun time for all!”

 

Here's the complete track listing for VIBRATING:

 

1. Cut The Cord

2. Reason  

3. All Our Pieces  

4. Take  

5. Undone  

6. Rule No. 1  

7. A Conversation With  

8. Just Looking Around 

9. Back Again  

10. Where Do I Go 

 

Check out COLLECTIVE SOUL and Switchfoot at any of the following stops:

 

DATE               CITY                             VENUE

 

Fri 7/15             Gary, IN                        Hard Rock Casino

Sat 7/16            Council Bluffs, IA          Harrah’s Council Bluffs – Stir Cove

Sun 7/17           Maryland Heights, MO   Saint Louis Music Park

Tue 7/19           Cleveland, OH               Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica

Wed 7/20          Columbus, OH               KEMBA Live! – Indoor Music Hall

Sat 7/23            Fond du Lac, WI            Fond du Lac Fair

Sun 7/24           Wabash, IN                   Honeywell Center

Tue 7/26           Newport, KY                 PromoWest Pavilion at OVATION

Wed 7/27          Midlothian, VA               AfterHours Southside

Sat 7/30            Grantville, PA                Penn National Racecourse – Hollywood Casino

Sun 7/31           Hampton, NH                Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom

Tue 8/2             Silver Spring, MD          The Fillmore Silver Spring

Wed 8/3            Huntington, NY              The Paramount

Thu 8/4             New York, NY               Palladium Times Square

Sat 8/6              Webster, MA                 Indian Ranch

Sun 8/7             Pittsburgh, PA               Stage AE

Mon 8/8            Jackson, MI                  Jackson County Fairgrounds

Sat 8/13            Billings, MT                   MetraPark – First Interstate Arena

Sun 8/14           Denver, CO                   The Mission Ballroom

Mon 8/15          Sandy, UT                     Sandy City Amphitheater

Wed 8/17          Jacksonville, OR           Britt Pavilion

Sat 8/20            Paso Robles, CA           Vina Robles Amphitheatre

Sun 8/21           Saratoga, CA                The Mountain Winery

Tue 8/23           Inglewood, CA               YouTube Theater

Wed 8/24          San Diego, CA              Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre

Fri 8/26             Henderson, NV             Sunset Station Outdoor Amphitheater

Sat 8/27            Flagstaff, AZ                 Fort Tuthill Park – Pepsi Amphitheater

Mon 9/5            New Haven, KY             The Amphitheater at Dant Crossing

Wed 9/7            Cary, NC                       Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park

Fri 9/9               Charleston, SC              The Riviera Theater – Sottile Ballroom

Sat 9/10            Atlanta, GA                   Cadence Park Amphitheatre at Chastain Park

Sun 9/11           Nashville, TN                 Grand Ole Opry House

Tue 9/13           Jacksonville, FL            Florida Theatre

Wed 9/14          Clearwater, FL              Ruth Eckerd Hall

Fri 9/16             Orlando, FL                   Hard Rock Live

Sat 9/17            Pompano Beach, FL      Pompano Beach Amphitheatre

Sun 9/18           Tallahassee, FL             Donald L. Tucker Civic Center

Tue 9/20           New Orleans, LA           Mahalia Jackson Theater

Wed 9/21          Sugar Land, TX             Smart Financial Centre

Fri 9/23             Austin, TX                     Austin City Limits Live

Sat 9/24            San Antonio, TX            Majestic Theatre

Sun 9/25           Dallas, TX                     The Factory in Deep Ellum

 

www.collectivesoul.com

www.facebook.com/collectivesoul

www.twitter.com/collectivesoul

www.instagram.com/collectivesoul

www.youtube.com/user/collectivesoultv

 

###

 

 

 

“All Our Pieces” lyric video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgDOeU5VtsM

 

VIBRATING buy link:

https://found.ee/CollectiveSoulVibrating

Lifehouse and Switchfoot Release Song Benefiting Hurricane Harvey Relief Efforts

I will continue to post Hurricane Harvey relief-related music news as it comes into my inbox...

Lifehouse (pictured here) and Switchfoot have
joined forces to assist with Hurricane Harvey
relief efforts in Texas.

Switchfoot in 2016.
Photo Credit: Chris Hershman

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - After the devastating storm that struck Texas, Lifehouse and Switchfoot wanted to do something together to give back and wrote a brand new song titled, “Shine Like Gold,” which exclusively premiered on People.com. The track was recorded in Nashville and is now available for pay-what-you-want download, here. All proceeds from “Shine Like Gold” will be donated to aid Houston’s recovery in partnership with Food for the Hungry.


Lifehouse and Switchfoot are currently touring with each other for the first time ever on the “Looking For Summer” Tour. The bands will collectively be performing the song together at the September 5, 2017 House of Blues show in Houston, Texas.

On “Shine Like Gold” and the Houston show, Lifehouse’s Jason Wade said, "We can't imagine what everyone is going through right now in Houston, but they've all been in our thoughts and prayers. We look forward to playing this show, standing alongside this amazing city and doing everything in our power to help. Jon and I started writing 'Shine Like Gold' at the beginning of this tour, but it wasn't until we recorded it in Nashville that we really knew what it was about. Seeing all of these amazing individuals who've sacrifice for their neighbors, and stepped up in the face of extreme hardship has been so inspiring. This song is for them. All of the proceeds from this song are going to Houston for the unsung heroes that do the right thing when no one is watching. All the love."

Jon Foreman of Switchfoot shared shared these sentiments: “Jason and I had always talked about writing a song together. When it finally happened, ‘Shine Like Gold’ became a song about everyday heroes fighting their way through the darkness toward the light. On the day we recorded the song, Hurricane Harvey began wreaking havoc in Texas. Sometimes you don't know what a song is for until after its written. In this case it became crystal clear. As we watched our friends and family in Texas struggle through the aftermath of the hurricane, we knew exactly what we had to do. We LOVE Houston. Houston is resilient and will rebuild. We can’t wait to be in Houston next Tuesday to celebrate HOPE in the midst of tragedy.”

Multi-platinum award-winning rock band Lifehouse recently released their first hits compilation, Lifehouse: Greatest Hits, on CD and all digital retailers. The 18-track selection will include a multitude of their chart-topping hits, including “You and Me,” “First Time”, “Halfway Gone,” “Hurricane” and "Hanging by a Moment," which was the most played radio track of 2001. To mark the release, Lifehouse, which includes Jason Wade (lead vocals, guitar), Bryce Soderberg (bass, vocals) and Ricky Woolstenhulme Jr. (drums, percussion), are co-headlining a U.S. tour with Switchfoot, which will wrap September 10 at the Masonic Auditorium in San Francisco after a show on September 9 at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles (tour dates below). Lifehouse includes singer/songwriter/guitarist Jason Wade, bassist Bryce Soderberg and drummer Rick Woolstenhulme Jr. Lifehouse’s music has always been radio-friendly, but the band’s success is as much for lead singer/guitarist Jason Wade’s “sonorous” vocals and spiritual songwriting as it is for the band’s well-honed cohesion as performers. Since 2000, Lifehouse has released seven albums that have cumulatively sold 15 million around the world.

Formed in San Diego in 1996, Switchfoot includes Jon Foreman (vocals, guitar), Tim Foreman (bass), Jerome Fontamillas (keyboard, guitar), Drew Shirley (guitar), and Chad Butler (drums). Since their start, the band has sold over 5.7 million copies worldwide of their first nine studio albums (including their 2003 double-platinum breakthroughThe Beautiful Letdown and 2009's Grammy Award-winning Hello Hurricane), racked up a string of Alternative radio hit singles, and performed sold-out world tours with over 4 million concert tickets worldwide.  

Switchfoot released their latest album, Where The Light Shines Through, on July 8, 2016 via Vanguard Records. Where The Light Shines Through is the band's tenth album and the first since 2014’s highly acclaimed Fading West. The album was self-produced in collaboration with John Fields, who helmed the multi-platinum breakthrough The Beautiful Letdown. 

For more information on Lifehouse, follow them on Facebook,Instagram and Twitter or visit LifehouseMusic.com.

For more information on Switchfoot, visit Switchfoot.com.

‘LOOKING FOR SUMMER’ TOUR:
Sept. 03 - Gillioz Theater - Springfield, Mo.
Sept. 04 - The Pavilion at Irving Music Factory - Irving, Texas
Sept. 05 - House of Blues - Houston, Texas
Sept. 08 - Mandalay Bay Beach - Las Vegas, Nev.
Sept. 09 - Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, Calif.
Sept.10 - The Masonic - San Francisco, Calif.

Sights and Sounds: Switchfoot, '90s soundtracks, Weezer, Dex Romweber

Hope everybody had a great weekend! Here is a roundup of what's happening!

Switchfoot

The 10th Annual Switchfoot Bro-Am is coming in early July. Get the details on the Music Minded site here.

Another day, another list! Isn't it time you checked out the best '90s soundtrack albums?

Seeing is believing! The drummer for Weezer caught a Frisbee during a recent show — and didn't miss a beat as he kept playing.

Finally, USA Today has just posted the video premiere of the Dex Romweber Duo's "Roll On." Check it out here.

Switchfoot and Paper Route deliver rousing sets in Anaheim



Switchfoot’s Tim (leaping) and Jon Foreman kick off their sold-out show at City National Grove of Anaheim.

 Last night (Oct. 28) was a great night to be at the City National Grove of Anaheim. The Sunday night musical affair marked the end of Switchfoot's tour and the band had selected the stop to document as part of an upcoming documentary (titled Fading West) about the band's love of the stage and surfing. Needless to say, the San Diego-spawned outfit was firing on all sonic cylinders from start to finish in front of a sold-out house that was in a mood to sing along when asked and cheer at the top of their collective lungs. Across 80 minutes, the quintet performed high-octane songs that showcased the band's memorable songs and energetic approach. Lead singer Jon Foreman spent much of the night singing while out in the crowd, making a mostly-winning effort to connect deeply and directly with the band's audience.

Additionally, I was introduced to the power of Paper Route, an electronica rock band out of Nashville that impressed throughout its 45-minute opening set. Featuring material from the band's latest album The Peace of Wild Things (released on Tree of Hearts on Sept. 11, 2012), standouts included the emotive ballad "You and I" and uplifting "Two Hearts."

Here is a link to read music writer George A. Paul's full-length review of the show that ran on The Orange County Register's site earlier today.

Photo credit: Joshua Blanchard