Billy Livesay, best known for his work with E Street Band legend Clarence Clemons as his guitarist & vocalist, is releasing a new album with his group The Livesays. \u201cNot What I Bargained For\u201d, a memorable hybrid of melody, rhythm and message, is the band\u2019s fifth album and is slated for release on September 1st, 2021.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2018, due to the sudden death of their drummer and beloved bandmate Eddie Zyne (formerly with Hall and Oates), The Livesays were forced to take a break from finishing their fourth CD. The search for a new drummer began in 2019 and ended with the addition of Howard Goldberg, and reconnecting with piano man, Timothy Murphy, who had taken a hiatus back in 2014. With a solid lineup in place, another unexpected turn of events occurred at the onset of 2020 \u2026 the Covid-19 pandemic, putting The Livesays and the masses out of work. Sequestered at his Ft. Lauderdale-area home, acclaimed singer-songwriter Billy Livesay, like most songwriters in the past year and 1\/2, decided to write. And write. And write. Music became a lifeline. A whole new set of songs were created comprising two entirely new albums – 2020\u2019s \u201cThe Rhythm Of Love and Dysfunction\u201d (which they dedicated to Eddie), and now 2021\u2019s very aptly titled \u201cNot What I Bargained For.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The subject matter of the new songs reflect the struggles and conquests of everyday life. The topics range from alcoholism, infidelity, overcoming poverty and bullying, to chasing dreams, growing older and dealing with the loss of a loved one. A few of the songs were inspired by political circumstance, conspiracy theorists, and how social media has been set afire with false information. And as the chaos of the last year begins to diminish, hope is on the horizon; there\u2019s a new found optimism among the better angels of our nature. As with all of The Livesays\u2019 previous albums, there\u2019s always a song or two with which listeners feel a personal connection.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Livesays have been dubbed \u201cHeartland-Rock revivalists\u201d offering up a blend of Americana and roots rock infused with pop, blues, funk and soul. They are long respected members of the South Florida music community, well known for their dynamic live performances. They have opened for dozens of international artists and have been featured at countless rock, blues and indie festivals. All five band members are excited to be back on stage performing live concerts again after a grueling 15 month hiatus due to Covid restrictions.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Billy Livesay has forged an impressive national publishing and licensing career. Over thirty of Billy\u2019s original songs have been featured in network and cable television shows, made for TV movies, as well as in major motion pictures. Billy is an award winning songwriter and has been highly acclaimed for decades for his gift for melody and incredible knack for lyrical storytelling, often likened to Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. This latest batch of songs may be his best work yet.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Takeaway:<\/strong>Billy Livesay explains: \u201cAfter Eddie\u2019s death in 2018, the Covid-19 global pandemic reaffirmed that life can change in unpredicted ways in an instant. In March of 2020, we found ourselves unemployed, in exile and in turmoil… definitely \u2018not what we bargained for\u2019! It became abundantly clear that time is short and too valuable to waste. Amidst the chaos, despair, and in collective solitude, we turned to what we know best – music … to heal our souls, conquer our fears, resurrect our dreams, and create something meaningful. I believe what we have produced is our most succinct and cohesive album to date. I hope our music brings joy to all who listen.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are 12 tracks on the new album – ten new original songs and two surprise classic covers. Everything was recorded in Billy Livesay\u2019s home studio, produced by Billy, mixed by Grammy nominated engineer Steve Gordon, and mastered by Grammy winning engineer Mike Fuller at Fullersound in Ft Lauderdale.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Listen\/Purchase the new CD (Pre-Sale 7\/21\/21; Official release date 9\/01\/21):<\/strong>https:\/\/thelivesaysmusic.com\/not-what-i-bargained-for<\/a>(The music will be available on all music platforms; additional links below)<\/p>\n\n\n\n