Featuring long-awaited studio recordings of fan favorites, including “Who I Am”
Country star and Red Dirt hero Wade Bowen just pulled off a huge surprise, releasing a brand new (and previously unannounced) EP featuring studio recordings of some of his biggest live-only favorites. THE WAITING features six tracks, including several that have become Bowen staples at live shows, like his runaway hit “Who I Am.”
One of the first songs he ever wrote, “Who I Am” has become an iconic moment in every Wade Bowen show. A 2003 live recording from Lubbock’s famed venue The Blue Light Live has organically garnered more than 12 million streams and is one of Bowen’s most popular songs on streaming platforms. It’s also one of the most-used “first dance” songs at weddings across the Lone Star State.
The appropriately titled THE WAITING in part references the nearly two-decade wait to hear studio versions of some of these songs, but fans don’t have to wait another second to listen to them. “I figured folks have been waiting long enough to hear these songs,” Wade Bowen says. “We’ve all been playing “the waiting game” and I couldn’t think of a better way to thank my fans than to put this EP out as soon as I had it in my hands.”
After earning such an enduring place in every Bowen fan’s heart, “Who I Am” finally gets the studio treatment on THE WAITING, along with three other fan favorites, a Phil Collins cover, and a new song “Fairest Lady” (written with Brent Cobb), all of which Bowen has only ever performed live. Never one to twiddle his thumbs, Bowen took the pandemic-enforced lull in live performing as an opportunity to still bring a bit of that “live performance” experience to fans, albeit in a reimagined way.
“Recording this project during the pandemic was both a fun and frustrating experience” says Bowen. He and his band recorded the main tracks together in the same room at Gruene Records recording studio in New Braunfels, TX. Then, musicians in Austin and Nashville recorded the steel guitar, background vocals, and keyboards, sending parts and overdubs back and forth to Bowen and company via email.
“I usually am in the room while every part of my record is being played but due to circumstances beyond my control that wasn’t possible,” Bowen concedes. “So giving up that control was a little nerve-racking.” Even in unfamiliar territory, the hard-working troubadour still finds a way to bring his unmistakable style to THE WAITING.
Surprise albums are rare, and Bowen becomes one of the first artists from the vaunted Texas scene to release a new record without an official announcement. Bowen playfully teased the title on social media a few days ago, captioning a post with, “We’ve all been playing The Waiting game for a while now. Tryin’ to make the best of it. Stay tuned.”
Bowen hit the ground running in the early 2000s and never stopped to look back. He has released a steady stream of records, averaging nearly an album a year over the past 6 years including his famed collaboration with fellow Texas country star and longtime friend Randy Rogers. THE WAITING marks Bowen’s first collection of original solo tunes since 2018’s critically acclaimed album SOLID GROUND.
THE WAITING EP Track List
1.“Getaway”
2.“Who I Am”
3.“Red Headed Woman”
4.“Mystery Of A Woman”
5.“Fairest Lady” (written with Brent Cobb)
6.“I Wish It Would Rain Down” (Phil Collins cover)
