Life is a complicated thing — there’s much to revel in, and much to lament. On his new single “Cry,” Afton Wolfe unites these contradictions. In the face of a friend’s unimaginable grief, Wolfe brings a song that offers all of himself in consolation.
Wolfe’s gravelly voice — one that has earned him the honor of hosting Nashville’s Annual Tom Waits Tribute 15 out of 17 years running — creates an interesting contrast with the luscious soul instrumentation. Melanie Dewery and Regina McCrary of The McCrary Sisters round out the sound with a choral sound that is more than angelic: it embraces the powers that be themselves, with all of the potential of creation and destruction.
“’Cry’ is a song that came about while I was trying to find the words to console a friend who had just suffered an unimaginable tragedy, losing his wife and the mother of his three daughters,” Wolfe explains. “After trying for days to compose a sentence or two to text him, this song was completely written in a matter of minutes. It’s the most emotional song I’ve ever written.”
“Cry” can be heard on Wolfe’s upcoming EP, Twenty-Three, which you can pre-save here. It’s out this Friday, February 3rd.
Afton Wolfe – vocals, guitar
Regina McCrary – vocals
Melanie Dewey – vocals
Madison George – percussions
Zachery Gregory – trumpet
Mike Miz – guitar
Chad Stuible – keys
Daniel Seymour – bass
Seth Fox – saxophone
Produced by Seth Fox and Brett Ryan Stewart