Song is included on Guelph, Ontario roots rocker’s first solo EP Uncle’s Lament out June 21
Canadian singer/songwriter Harry Lee Follon shares “Grief,” the second single from his new EP Uncle’s Lament out June 21. “Grief” is available on Spotify and Apple Music.
The new offering comes on the heels of the previous single “Won’t Say Goodbye,” which Ear To The Ground Music described as, “sounds a lot like a Tyler Childers song… and that’s pretty dang high praise.”
Follon says of “Grief,”
“One thing I’ve learned over time is, never let anyone tell you how to grieve. Grief is personal. Grief doesn’t wait until you’re ready. Vulnerability is accepting grief. It’s okay to let go. Hopefully this song helps someone feel less alone.”
That theme is at the heart of Uncle’s Lament, on which Follon bares his soul on five songs, accompanied only by pedal steel guitarist Chris Hierlihy and fiddler Ally Corbett, a marked change from his prior work with his band Uncle Harry & the Kickstands. Follon wrote most of the songs during the pandemic, and the isolation he was feeling suggested they would be better suited for a solo project. After getting the green light from his label, Down By The Point Records (Matt Paxton & The Pintos, Ben Somer), Follon laid down the tracks with his trusted producer Michael Keire at Threshold Recording in Hamilton, Ontario.
“In 2021, I lost my Mom, and there’s no denying she is all over these tunes,” Follon says. “My Mother loved music, and she will always be a major influence on me—and my music. These songs are all about love and loss.”
On the other hand, Follon still wanted to include some light-hearted moments on Uncle’s Lament, one being “Sunshine Cup,” which he describes as a glimpse of how his wife put up with him during the pandemic. The song is also a showcase for the instrumental interplay between Hierlihy’s pedal steel and Corbett’s fiddle.
It’s another standout example of Follon’s commitment to following in the footsteps of John Prine and Townes Van Zandt, although he says that he’s also inspired by younger artists working in that tradition, such as Jeffery Martin and Joe Pug, as well as fellow Canadians Spencer Burton and Zachary Lucky. With Uncle’s Lament, Follon’s name could soon join that roll call.