Black Stone Cherry: The Courage Contagion
Grief is often a private process. Partly due to its intensity but more often than not this is down to the notion our emotions should be felt behind closed doors. While this is a taboo subject many still shy away from, BLACK STONE CHERRY has long flown the flag for pulling the stopper from the bottle and letting emotions run free. What more emotional a time than the p-word everyone has long since grown tired of? When combined with the loss of a parent, the anger, frustration, and sadness has to go somewhere. This culminated in the band’s recently released Screamin’ At The Sky.
“I think this album may be our most transparent we’ve done in quite some time – or maybe ever,” guitarist Ben Wells tells us. “Musically, and especially lyrically, we just shed another layer and said ‘look, if we’re feeling a certain way, let’s just say it. Let’s not try to put it in so many metaphorical ways. Let’s just be blunt and say it’.” With lines such as “I feel worthless/Introverted” from ripping single Nervous, “Tears are brief but the grief lasts a lifetime” of the title track, and the ode to the “last ones waiting to be chosen” that is Here’s To The Hopeless, they certainly said it.
Many can say this is nothing new per the ethos of BLACK STONE CHERRY but by Ben’s own admission, the language they’ve used has never been more direct. Noting some discourse amongst the fans regarding the use of profanity, Ben tells us; “we don’t put those there just to try and be cool or whatever, sometimes the word just fits the context of the emotion we’re trying to get across.” It’s no secret BLACK STONE CHERRY is somewhat of a family band, a show you can take your children to and find nothing overly offensive. When we asked Ben whether the band felt they were going to alienate some fans, he took a moment before answering, “if parents don’t want their kids to listen to it, we totally respect and understand that, but I think in today’s musical climate it’s a lot more tame than other things that might be out there.”
It isn’t just the language which has changed for the Kentucky brood. The band welcomed bassist Steve Jewell Jr into the line-up back in 2021 after the departure of Jon Lawhon. While it may seem Steve came out of nowhere to the casual fan, Ben explains he’s actually been on the scene a lot longer. “Steve’s from the same town we are, grew up in the same music scene,” he starts. “It was a no-brainer and it was a really easy fit because we knew each other and our personalities. It really was a godsend that he was able to come join the band.” With a penchant for open shirts, hair flips, and a plethora of musical talent, Steve has been a welcome addition to the band with Ben commenting “He brings so much to the table and is super talented. If anything, we’ve gone up a level musically.”
With a new line-up and new approach, the band were able to tackle a new territory no one ever wants to delve into; the death of a parent. Things My Father Said from 2008’s Folklore & Superstition may have taken on a new meaning since vocalist Chris Robertson lost his father in 2021, but the new material allowed the band to examine the grieving process more closely. This culminates in R.O.A.R., a ballad written in collaboration with bass tech and studio engineer Jordan Westfall who had lost his father in 2020. “Chris showed it to us and asked what we thought, we were just blown away,” Ben says reflecting on the first time he’d heard the track. “Sadly it’s something everyone will experience at some point in time but I hope people can latch on to this song and have it be a healing thing for them.”
Essentially this is what BLACK STONE CHERRY is, an aid in the healing process. With tracks such as Big City Lights, In Love With The Pain, and Peace Is Free in their existing arsenal, the band has become a stalwart feature in their fans’ lives. As a result, the Cherry Heads are arguably one of the most passionate groups of music fans in the scene today. Not in terms of stan culture which can be incredibly toxic but instead garners a wonderful relationship between band and fans. “You can get awards and accolades which is great but when someone tells us our music has touched their lives, that is the ultimate pay off,” Ben muses. “We need that ourselves as music fans, we have those songs we can run to when we need them. So when something we create can help someone in the way we’ve been helped by others; that is the ultimate pay off.”
“Something that’s strange to me now is we’ve had companies approach us before asking if we wanted to do those VIP packages on tours,” the guitarist begins when we broach the subject of their upcoming UK run. “We’ll never do that. I just don’t understand charging fans more money just to take a photo or to have a conversation with us.” It’s this essence of groundedness which prompts the band to meet fans outside venues before or after their shows. At times, they’ll spend hours in the cold with their fans in an attempt to give back. One recent instance of the band wanting to give back is the inclusion of their fans in their video for Smile World. A compilation of fan made videos with the things which bring joy into the fold, the happiness is infectious and a much needed tonic in a time where it’s sorely needed.
In an album as emotionally heavy as Screamin’ At The Sky, Smile World gives three minutes of solace and reprieve. “We always want to remind people that sometimes it’s good to take a break and smile, you know what I mean? It’s all about perspective,” he adds. Which brings Ben to the closing tracks. Here’s To The Hopeless and You Can Have It All can be interpreted as a story about picking yourself back up after a fall and setting yourself on the road to recovery. “I think it was a subconscious thing to put those two together,” he says. “I know we wanted to put You Can Have It All at the end as we wanted people to leave the listening experience feeling empowered. We wanted that light at the end of the tunnel.”
Introducing many new elements to a band and birthing a record can be a massive learning experience, as Screamin’ At The Sky is, which is possibly why Ben takes pause to contemplate what he’s learned about the band and himself in that time. “I’ve learned that there’s a massive reward in pushing ourselves beyond the comfort zone,” he answers. “There’s a lot to be said for positive encouragement and that’s been an amazing pay off.” It’s this which captures BLACK STONE CHERRY so effortlessly, a band which strives to encourage fans to live their lives and feel their feelings to the truest extent.
Screamin’ At The Sky is out now via Mascot Records.
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