Behind the Music: For the Good Times
Picture it. Chicago, 2022, I'm sitting in a dark Newport Theater, sipping on a Gin Rickey and waiting for the enchanting style of Brooklyn Britches and The Whispers to take the stage. The lights are flickering a notion to take your seats, and a hush falls onto the room as a stunning figure wrapped in glittering garb takes to her mic.
I spent the rest of that evening in awe of what I had witnessed. When Brooklyn performs, you are transported. Her voice has a soft uniqueness that makes you take notice and leaves you waiting on bated breath for the next chord. Enamored by her talent, presence, and kindness, I knew that I needed to find a way to work with the incomparable Brooklyn Britches, so I texted my co-producer, Cole DeGenova, that very evening and laid plans to rope her in.
When I originally outlined my new album, J. Dean, I did not include room for a duet. I finished The Good Judy Tapes with Cait Coulomb in 2020 and wanted to focus on a project highlighting some of my original work. So, I was focused on writing songs from my own stories and searching catalogs for songs I felt would compliment my original tales; however, watching Brooklyn perform swayed my opinion quickly. I had already planned to include For the Good Times on the album, but when I heard Brooklyn perform at Newport Theater, I was reminded of a version of the Kris Kristofferson classic that the Little Willies released in 2012. So, without a formal introduction, I asked Brooklyn to participate on my project, and she swiftly said yes.
We met in person for the first time the day we laid vocals for the track. Brooklyn was recently off of vocal rest for an injury and was timorous about our perception of her voice that day. I remember her occasionally saying, "If you don't like this, you can take the lead for the whole song, and I'll just do background harmonies." Selfishly, I found her timidness reassuring because I am constantly flooded with self-doubt when performing. It was refreshing to know that the velvet vixen I had watched perform before recording was not some haughty diva who came to show out. Brooklyn wanted to be a part of my project and complement it in any way she could. Once we had laid our first round of vocals, it was evident there was an artful chemistry between us, and we were making something we would both be proud of.
Our version of For the Good Times has become an instant hit with our friends, family, and community. The track is streaming on all major platforms, and the music video recently dropped. It would mean the world to us for you, the readers, and our fans to continue to share this labor of love.
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