Crack The Sky's 'Blessed' Coming To CD
(Glass Onyon) Crack The Sky's 20th studio album, Blessed, carries their unmistakable sound: intelligent lyrics, inventive arrangements, dueling lead guitars, stop-start rhythms, melodies that linger long after the album ends, and a sense of humor that never undercuts emotional impact. Blessed has thus far only been available on streaming services and as a limited-edition CD-R. Blessed is now receiving a full worldwide retail release on CD from Iconoclassic Records on August 21, 2026.
The band celebrates its 50th anniversary with four of its five original members intact: songwriter and frontman John Palumbo - whose unmistakable creative vision has made Crack The Sky one of rock's most enduring treasures - guitarist Rick Witkowski, and the locked rhythm section of Joe Macre (bass) and Joey D'Amico (drums). Guitarist Bobby Hird's Crack The Sky tenure spans 40+ years, and debuting keyboardist Bill Hubauer (of the Neal Morse Band) adds another dimension with his virtuosic solos. "I don't think that this record could be titled any better than simply Blessed," asserts Hird. "We really got to dig in and being in the same room, recording live, and bouncing ideas off each other was just wonderful. Just a great experience and we feel that the end product speaks for itself." Blessed plays as the work of artists who continue to challenge themselves creatively while never losing sight of their history. "To be able to release a new and relevant album 50 years from our original debut is nothing less than 'Blessed,'" believes Witkowski, who also produced the album.
2026 is a particularly busy year for Crack The Sky. Headline dates are bookended with an acclaimed performance on Cruise To The Edge in March and upcoming appearance at ProgStock 2026 in October. John Palumbo's socially conscious solo album (and Iconoclassic Records debut), R U SCIENCE? was released this May; Crack The Sky's Bobby Hird and Joe Macre perform throughout the record. Simultaneously, Palumbo published his book, Swimming the Cleveland Ocean, a work of absurdist fiction. CRACK THE SKY: 50th Anniversary Documentary (A Film by Duane Tudahl) was successfully funded through Kickstarter and is in production.
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