Hear Michael Lee & The Wartime Limousine's New Song 'I Am Yours'
(MPG) Michael Lee & The Wartime Limousine shares their new single "I Am Yours," the next preview of the Fort Worth band's upcoming self-titled debut album, out October 30 via Skylark Soul Co. The slow-burning closing track from the new LP, "I Am Yours" unfolds as a soulful testament to the enduring power of love, dedicated to Michael's wife.
Michael on the new single: "This is just a quiet, simple love song. When I sing this, the picture in my head is a couple sitting on the floor by a fireplace, completely shut off from the chaos of the outside world. It's about just being completely present with the one you love."
"I Am Yours" follows the infectious "Drowning" and tender "You and I." Known for his dazzling musicianship and a fiery blues growl that once earned him a stint fronting the late B.B. King's touring ensemble, Michael and his band put a bold 21st-century spin on the horn-fueled sounds of vintage soul music for a timeless body of work about the many ups and downs of love. These songs were cut live in the studio with Michael, keyboardists Chad Stockslager (Joshua Ray Walker) and Jordache Grant (Abraham Alexander), pedal steel player and frequent Khruangbin collaborator Will Van Horn, as well as bassist Daniel Balis and drummer Matt Trimble (Bastards of Soul), together at Niles City Sound - an esteemed Fort Worth studio best known for launching Leon Bridges' career over a decade ago. The end result blends everything from Motown to psychedelic soul as the bandleader showcases his versatility with a keen sense of restraint and vulnerability.
After cutting his teeth in the local Texas blues music scene, Michael's showmanship caught the attention of NBC's The Voice where he earned a three-chair turn and a spot on Blake Shelton's team, thanks to his viral take on B.B. King's "The Thrill Is Gone." Instead of stepping into the country star's Nashville wheelhouse, he stuck to his Texas blues roots during that experience, which led to the crooner recording the song with The B.B. King Blues Band for a tribute album with the likes of Taj Mahal and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Following that studio session, the King band invited Michael on the road with them in 2019 - it was a dream gig that was halted early by the pandemic, but the experience was invaluable.
That time on the road gave him the momentum to jumpstart The Wartime Limousine, whose name comes from a WWII reference, once again tying into Michael's intense love of an era from before the time he was born. An old soul at heart, his affinity for this music serves as a natural foundation for writing about one of the most relatable human experiences. "The core of this album is love, lost and won," says Michael. "I want people to experience that resilience through the music, and hopefully even find themselves in these stories of old love lost and new love found."
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