Jobi Riccio Brings Roger Miller-Inspired Humor to New Single “Instead”

July 17, 2024: Today, Colorado-bred, Tennessee-based singer-songwriter Jobi Ricco has released a vibrant new single “Instead.” The track highlights her witty humor and acute self-awareness, complete with lap steel swells and a singalong-able refrain that’s painfully relatable: “I drank too much and I was crazy.”

“‘Instead’ lovingly stems from a deeply unserious place,” says Riccio. “When I wrote the song I was inspired by the way Roger Miller and John Prine imbued their sense of humor and goofiness into songs while also penning heartbreakingly poignant lyrics in other parts of their catalog. I wanted to put this song on ‘Whiplash’ but just couldn’t get it right. I’m glad it gets a spaghetti western-y second lease on life in this new recording that features the talents of my friends Paul Defiglia, Dom Billet, Rich Hinman, Jesse Timm and Isaiah Beard.”

Listen to “Instead” here: https://ffm.to/insteadsingle 

“Instead” arrives on the heels of Riccio’s “incisive debut” (NYT) Whiplash, released via Yep Roc Records, and an Americana Honors & Awards Nomination for Emerging Artist of the Year. She made her Bonnaroo debut last month, and later this month, she’ll return to the Newport Folk Festival, where she was honored with The John Prine Songwriters Fellowship Award last year. You can catch her official showcase on the Harbour Stage at 12:05pm on Sunday, July 28th. Riccio will also be making her Grand Ole Opry debut on August 10, opening for Lucinda Williams at San Francisco's Stern Grove Festival on August 18, has just announced a Denver, CO support slot with Yola for August 30, an official AmericanaFest showcase, and a string of dates with The Wood Brothers to cap off the year.