FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 21, 2017
MATT HIRES AND KYLE COX TO HIT THE ROAD TOGETHER
Labelmates Matt Hires and Kyle Cox are set to head out on tour together again in late March – it is the singer-songwriters’ fifth time touring together. Dubbed the “Acoustic Wilderness” tour (a nod to the title of Hires’ most recent album, American Wilderness), the pair will visit East Coast and Midwest markets (see full list of tour dates below).
Says Hires of the forthcoming tour run: “I’m pumped to get out on the road again with my friend Kyle Cox! He’s a great dude with who makes great music. After touring with the band in the fall, it will be good to be able to play a bunch of stuff from American Wilderness with just a guitar and really dig into the songs and the stories behind them. Can’t wait to hang out with everyone!”
Says Cox of the road pairing: “I’ve been looking forward to this tour for quite some time. Matt is one of my best friends, and we’ve done a lot of touring together in the past, but oddly enough didn’t tour at all together in 2016. It’ll be really nice to hit the road again, play some of my favorite rooms in the country, and share stories and songs for fans, new and old alike.”
About Matt Hires:
Hires released his most recent album, American Wilderness, in October 2016. The striking Rock Ridge Music album by the Nashville-based singer-songwriter was produced by Randall Kent in Music City; the 10-song collection is a unified and probing work in which Hires – previously known for his work on F Stop Music/Atlantic Records (Take Us to the Start [2009] and This World Won’t Last Forever, But Tonight We Can Pretend [2013], which landed in the Top 10 on iTunes’ overall Top Albums chart) – has created an intensely personal and self-revealing song-suite where he contemplates his life and his beliefs amid the oft-cacophonous backdrop of modern America, and which captures the artist questioning his place in the world at 30 years old.
Written after Hires made a move from Tampa, Florida to Nashville in 2014, the material on American Wilderness drew its stylistic inspiration from old and new strains of Americana and contemporaries whose work reflects Hires’ own engaging pop sensibility, including folks like Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Jason Isbell, and Brandon Flowers. American Songwriter called American Wilderness “his most honest collection of songs yet,” while Associated Press said the album “proves that Hires has much to say — and a rocking way of saying it. He’s grappling with demons against a passionate, adrenaline-fueled backdrop.” PopMatters praised the album, saying it “pulls you right in with its slate of deeply personal, searching, musically accomplished alt-pop songs. Hires has a voice to light arenas and thrill small songwriter night crowds. He’s the real deal and will make you a believer.”
Hires’ songs have been heard in TV series such as “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Private Practice,” “Cougar Town,” and more.
About Kyle Cox:
Nashville-based singer-songwriter Kyle Cox released his latest record, an EP entitled Trio & Friends, in the summer of 2016. Independent Clauses called one of the tracks on the EP, “Trusty Ol’ Pair of Boots,” “basically everything good about country music.” Originally from Orlando, FL, Cox has been further praised by press, particularly for his 2014 album The Plan, The Mess; Absolute Punk called it “an absolute pleasure… astounding…. Confident, polished and endlessly melodic… an engaging delight.”
Trio & Friends was recorded in East Nashville with producer Mike Marsh (drummer of The Avett Brothers). It was Cox’s fourth time working with Marsh and his third time as a producer. “This EP for me has been paying respects to a lot of artists I love who have been way before me; folks like Willie Nelson & John Prine,” says Cox. “The whole thing is a trio, with drums, bass, acoustic, and lead vocals tracked live.”
The EP (his fourth) followed on the heels of his album, The Plan, The Mess, which demonstrated his dedication to the art of songwriting—the song was always the focal point and never buried in the production process. Cox draws inspiration from peers and legends alike while never letting his unique voice get lost. Under The Gun Review called the album “a collection of soulful, heartfelt songs,” while Infectious Magazine said it was “entrancing and versatile… a stunning display of artistry. This album is perfection.” Glide Magazine proclaimed, “he sure can craft a catchy song.”
Having toured extensively, Cox is very familiar with hard work. Possessing a “put your head down and pound the pavement” mentality, he has done everything from opening for more established acts in packed venues to playing for smaller, more intimate living room crowds. Whatever the size of the venue, Cox has an innate ability to connect with the listener through his songs in a deep and personal level.
Matt Hires & Kyle Cox “Acoustic Wilderness” Tour Dates:
3/21 – Knoxville, TN / Awaken Coffee
3/22 – Asheville, NC / Isis Music Hall
3/25 – Winchester, VA / Bright Box Theater
3/26 – Basking Ridge, NJ / Ross Farm Music Series
3/27 – Southbury, CT / house concert
3/28 – New York, NY / Rockwood Music Hall, Stage 3
3/30 – Pittsburgh, PA / Hard Rock Café
4/5 – Chicago, IL / Beat Kitchen
4/6 – Madison, WI / Crescendo
4/7 – Mequon, WI / Concordia University Wisconsin
4/8 – Minneapolis, MN / Turf Club
4/12 – Kansas City, MO / Tank Room
4/13 – Ankeny, IA / Whiskey House