Andrew Duhon: The Parish Record Tour

Emerald blue. Thereʼs something soothing and sustaining about the words, the way they evoke the lushness of nature: the depths of calm water, a leafy and oxygen-rich forest, the expansive sky above, unpolluted air to breathe. Singer-songwriter Andrew Duhon chose them for the title of his fourth album, eleven songs he wrote and recorded during the turbulence, uncertainty, and confinement of 2020 and 2021 in part because of those poetic properties. Under COVID quarantine, amid political turmoil, they represented places heʼd found beauty, solace and possibilities in recent years: The blue-green land and waterscapes of the Pacific Northwest, and the eyes of the woman he followed there from his native New Orleans. “It was a revelation to a muddy Mississippi dweller,” he said. Duhon first picked up the guitar as a teenaged Catholic schoolkid, playing praise and worship music for the campus ministry. That was a secondary pursuit for a while – his priority was serving as his high school baseball teamʼs first string southpaw pitcher – until a torn rotator cuff took him off the field and opened up a lot more free time for him to hone his musical chops. He devoured old music that packed an emotional punch and told a story, like the warm melancholy of Delta bluesmen Lightninʼ Hopkins and Mississippi John Hurt, the vivid detail and narrative artistry of John Prine and Jim Croce, and of course, the skill of master New Orleanian songwriters and bandleaders like Allen Toussaint and Dave Bartholomew. Brass bands, trad jazz and funk all loom large in the image of New Orleans music, of course, but Duhonʼs city also has a storied history of producing or nourishing folkies, acoustic blues pickers and guitar-linging storytellers, too.

Gabe Parsons is a Folk Rock singer-songwriter from Hopewell Valley, New Jersey, whose music is steeped in the spirit of the road, home, and the places in between. Cutting his teeth in the vibrant New Orleans music scene, he honed his craft playing bars, clubs, and festivals while studying at Loyola University’s School of Music Industry. Since returning to New Jersey, he has played 60+ shows across the Northeast, from intimate coffeehouses to packed clubs. His live performances are raw, reflective, and deeply engaging, pulling listeners into the stories he weaves. Last year, he played French Quarter Festival, opened for Crowe Boys on their national tour, and built a loyal following through relentless touring. With his first major LP, Long Road Traveler, set to drop this year, Gabe continues to carve his path, one song and one stage at a time.