Swamp Pop Legend Tommy McLain Shares A Gripping Snapshot Of The Decades Between His Album Releases With "The Greatest Show On Hurt," Co-Written By Nick Lowe

McLain Kicks Off A Dozen Us Tour Dates With Nick Lowe On June 8

Louisiana music hero Tommy McLain has shared "The Greatest Show On Hurt" today, a poignant and unflinching original that finds the swamp pop architect reflecting on some of life's more difficult moments, preceding his triumphant return to recorded music at age 82. Co-written with Nick Lowe, who cites McLain as a formative musical hero, "The Greatest Show On Hurt" features Louisiana luminaries like Ivan Neville, The Mamou Playboys' Steve Riley, C.C. Adcock (who also serves as the album's producer) and the late Warren Storm in his final recording session before passing in 2021. It's the second offering from McLain's I Ran Down Every Dream (August 26 / Yep Roc Records) following the release of the album's title track, a co-write and duet with Elvis Costello (another longtime McLain fan). 

Listen to "The Greatest Show On Hurt" here: https://youtu.be/xnrpFVrjopw

Pre-order I Ran Down Every Dream here: https://yeproc.11spot.com/tommy-mclain-i-ran-down-every-dream.html

In a one-of-a-kind career that’s included induction into the Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame (twice!), a Top 20 hit on the national Billboard charts (which helped put swamp pop on the map in the 60s), and tours with Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, The Yardbirds and ZZ Top; McLain uses “The Greatest Show On Hurt” to paint a vivid picture of what came after he reached those unfathomable highs. He probes decades of Gulf Coast oilfield heartache through his own unique reflections on the human condition and the drama that has unfolded nightly in the Louisiana lounges and dance halls that he has called home. He sings expressively of lonesome 3AM nights after five-hour sets, of those tip jar dollar bills he’d count on to get by, and of the whiskey river he swam along the way. A song that McLain has been working on since the 1990s, C.C. Adcock remembers hearing it for the first time back then, and assuming McLain’s days were numbered because of how unvarnished and confessional the lyrics were. Rather, it is a survivor’s story, and as such serves as a cornerstone of McLain’s first new album in over 40 years.

McLain will also return to the road next month for a string of US tour dates alongside Nick Lowe, after a breakout Jazz Fest weekend that included performing new material at Elvis Costello's headlining set and Lucinda Williams' After Dark shows in the French Quarter. A full list of upcoming Tommy McLain tour dates is below. 

Tommy McLain - Tour Dates (supporting Nick Lowe)

June 8 - Memorial Hall OTR - Cincinnati, OH

June 9 - Beachland Ballroom - Cleveland, OH

June 11 - Buffalo Iron Works - Buffalo, NY

June 14 - Center for the Arts - Homer, NY

June 15 - Colony - Woodstock, NY

June 17 - Musikfest Café - Bethlehem, PA

June 18 - Tarrytown Music Hall - Tarrytown, NY

June 19 - SOPAC - South Orange, NY

June 22 - Landmark on Main Street - Washington, NY

June 23 - The Ardmore Music Hall - Ardmore, PA

June 25 - Narrow Center for the Arts - Fall River, MA

Tommy McLain -  I Ran Down Every Dream tracklist

No Tomorrows Now

I Ran Down Every Dream (feat. Elvis Costello)

I Hope

Livin’ On The Losin’ End

The Greatest Show On Hurt

California (arranged by Van Dyke Parks)

That’s What Mama Used To Do

Somebody (feat. Augie Meyers and C.C. Adcock)

My Hidden Heart

Stand For Something

If You Don’t Love Me

Before I Grow Too Old

London Too