Swamp Dogg Joins Salt Lick's Songs Of U.S. Series With "You Are My Sunshine"

WATCH HERE

New Interview Out Today; Cover Of John Prine's "Sam Stone" Arrives Tomorrow

Swamp Dogg To Headline Songs Of U.S. Panel At Americanafest In September; Details To Be Announced

August 3, 2026 — Today, Swamp Dogg reflects on American history with a cover of the beloved Jimmie Davis standard “You Are My Sunshine” for Salt Lick Sessions' Songs of U.S. series. In his interview, also out today, he discusses his legacy as the first Black producer for Atlantic Records, and he promotes visibility for the struggles of American veterans. His cover of John Prine’s “Sam Stone” is out tomorrow, August 4.

Swamp Dogg is an American singer and producer known for his fearless social commentary, critiquing racism, war injustice, and political hypocrisy through his genre-blending and satirical music.

Songs of U.S. is a performance and conversation series that brings together musicians from across genres to reinterpret songs that have shaped the country's cultural identity while exploring what belongs in the American songbook today. Watch Salt Lick Incubator’s founder Roger Brown discuss the series on Boston Public Radio, and watch Salt Lick Incubator’s president Liza Levy discuss the series and America’s musical legacy in her interview on MS Now’s Morning Joe.

Today, Salt Lick Sessions premiered Swamp Dogg’s performance of Jimmie Davis’ “You Are My Sunshine” – later covered by Ray Charles – which he selected as belonging to the American songbook due to its versatility through different genres. Swamp Dogg has held a deep appreciation for the song since he was a child, but he finds an especially deep connection with the version performed by Ray Charles. “I tried to [perform] it like Ray Charles,” he said in his interview, “but I soon got over that because you can’t match Ray Charles, so I just went on and did Swamp Dogg!”

Tomorrow (August 4), Swamp Dogg’s cover of “Sam Stone” by John Prine will go live, which he chose as a song that deserves to be in the American songbook due to its serious confrontation of the hardships faced by American veterans and the devastation of war. Swamp Dogg reflects on America during and after the Vietnam War, noting the anti-war songs he put out at this time. “We actually don’t see how much [veterans] helped us,” he said in his interview. “That's a problem. I try to keep it in front of my audiences.”

Watch Swamp Dogg’s cover of Jimmie Davis’ “You Are My Sunshine” HERE.

Watch Swamp Dogg’s Songs of U.S. interview HERE.

On September 16 in Nashville, Swamp Dogg will headline an AMERICANAFEST panel hosted by Salt Lick Incubator’s Director of Programming and Media, Nicole Izzo Mlynczak. Swamp Dogg will sit down alongside fellow Songs of U.S. participants (to be announced) for a wide-ranging discussion about the evolving American songbook and how America’s musical identity continues to be written in real time.

Forthcoming Songs of U.S. sessions featuring Brandy Clark, Farayi, MARIS, Joy Oladokun, Raye Zaragoza, and more will roll out throughout the summer via Salt Lick Sessions' YouTube channel and social platforms. Last week, sessions with Old Crow Medicine Show and Maggie Rose went live, and Claire Ernst’s sessions will begin rolling out this week on August 5.

Across the series, artists reinterpret works by writers including Woody Guthrie, Nina Simone, Bob Dylan, Beyoncé, Bill Withers, Roberta Flack and John Denver. Featured performances include Amy Grant's take on "Carolina in My Mind," Mickey Guyton revisiting "Take Me Home, Country Roads," Tiny Habitsreimagining "Blowin' in the Wind," Joy Oladokun performing "Ain't No Sunshine,"Brittney Spencer interpreting "Killing Me Softly With His Song," Samara Joyperforming Duke Ellington’s “Le Sucrier-Velours, Paula Prieto renditioning “God Bless The Child,” Trousdale covering “Amazing Grace,” and Durand Bernarrreworking “Summertime, and Old Crow Medicine Show and Maggie Rose’s duet of “Beautiful Land.”

Variety noted that Songs of U.S. arrives amid renewed conversations about patriotism and American identity, describing the project as offering "a more thoughtful and perhaps meaningfully patriotic approach" to celebrating the nation's 250th anniversary. You can read more about the series in Variety HERE.

About Salt Lick Sessions

Salt Lick Incubator’s signature series, Salt Lick Sessions, is known for its artist-first approach to compensation, rights, and creative collaboration. The series takes viewers on a nationwide discovery tour, featuring more than 50 musicians each year through intimate video portraits that invite viewers directly into the artist’s realm. Past performers include Jon Batiste, Big Freedia, Sheryl Crow, Lalah Hathaway, Mickey Guyton, Madison Cunningham, Tank and the Bangas, Dawes, and many more.

About Salt Lick Incubator

Salt Lick Incubator is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting innovative musicians at critical stages of their careers. Founded by Roger Brown, former president of Berklee College of Music and Liza Levy, the organization provides grants, mentorship, creative development and media platforms for artists building sustainable careers. Its signature series, Salt Lick Sessions, is known for its artist-first approach.

For more information, please contact SaltLickPR@ShoreFire.com.