Mo Pitney announces his sophomore album, Ain’t Lookin’ Back, which will release on August 14th, 2020. Pre-order/Pre-save for the 13-song project begins this Friday, May 15th 2020. Also today, Pitney unveils the cover art and official track listing (see below) for Ain’t Lookin’ Back. In advance of the album release, a fourth instant grat track, “Mattress On The Floor,” will release on Friday, 15/5, with its official music video exclusively premiering on Taste of Country on Thursday (14/5).
Produced by Jim “Moose” Brown, the highly-anticipated follow-up to Pitney’s debut speaks to the idea of rebirth—shedding your past and moving forward into a future filled with grace and forgiveness. Combining his love of traditional country music in the vein of Ray Price, Buck Owens and Roger Miller with his affinity for singer/songwriters like Randy Newman and James Taylor, Pitney puts his spin on 13 original tracks that seamlessly merge acoustic-driven country, bluegrass and soulful blues with tender, heartfelt lyrics.
“I wanted to be completely open-minded while recording this album. It was important for me to meld all my influences of the past that represent who I am as an artist today, hopefully to make one complete thought and to make something new. The end goal was to shut out all other voices, close our eyes, and create something that came from the heart,” shares Pitney of the making of the new album. “I’m looking forward to taking this body of work that is completely me and sharing it with the world. I’m excited to see people’s reactions.”
A powerhouse list of more than two dozen songwriters worked to bring Ain’t Lookin’ Back to life, including Bobby Tomberlin, Paul Overstreet, Tim Nichols, Matt Jenkins, Trevor Rosen, Matt Ramsey, Matt Alderman, Billy Montana, Randy Montana, Jimmy Yeary, Mark Nesler and Tom Douglas, among others. Pitney holds co-writing credit on seven tracks.
Pitney’s new song, “Mattress On The Floor”—a slow-burning ballad about love being all you really need to get by—joins three previously released tracks which preview Ain’t Lookin’ Back, including the album’s title track (listen here) as well as “Ain’t Bad For A Good Ol’ Boy” and “Right Now With You,” which Sounds Like Nashville says captures Pitney’s “strong-but-tender vocal” and “a timeless sound.” Taste of Country also compliments the rising talent, saying “…He has a penchant for reaching for emotionally resonant themes that are often more profound than much of contemporary country music, which helps his music stand out that much more.”
Proving that his music is indeed resonating on a profound level, the Cherry Valley, Illinois-native appears in a new documentary called Illinois Country. Currently airing on PBS stations across the Midwest, the documentary explores his home state’s role in the history of country music.
Leading up to Ain’t Lookin’ Back’s official release date in August, the dedicated family man continues to give fans behind-the-scenes access every Monday at 10pm BST / 4pm CST on Facebook (@MoPitneyOfficial) and Instagram (@MoPitney) with “Mo Monday.” Each week, a different documentary-style episode chronicles his journey from Cherry Valley, Illinois to Nashville, Tennessee. In addition, the series explores the making of his new album and his home life with his wife and young daughter as they prepare to welcome their second child, due this summer.
