Americana husband-and-wife duo Swearingen & Kelli is back with a new single, “Cold-Hearted Truth (Alt. Version),” which is a new version of a song they released previously. Instead of AJ Swearingen singing the lead vocals on the song, Jayne Kelli takes the lead reins instead, to impactful and impressive results. It’s a twangy jaunt down a dusty road of jealousy and bitterness, emotions running high in response to seeing an ex with someone new. We love every note. We sat down recently with AJ and Jayne to talk about this fresh take on an old song.
Hi, Swearingen & Kelli! You have a terrific new single called “Cold-Hearted Truth (Alt Version).” What can you tell us about this song? What inspired you to write it and what is it about?
AJ Swearingen: The alt version was recorded with Jayne singing lead vocals, and attacking it emotionally her way. I sang lead on the original version. Since we both wrote the song together, it’s always fun to explore alternate versions in different keys and switching lead vocals.
Jayne Kelli: Performing live also gives you a chance to experiment and discover new angles to your songs. This song came together quickly back when we lived in a tiny place in Brentwood, TN. AJ was fleshing out the first verse and chorus, and I jumped right in. We never talk about song concepts when we are writing together. We think out loud in melody and lyrics.
What was it like recording this song? What was the vibe in the studio, and how did this song come together?
Jayne: I love recording with AJ. Maybe I’m biased. Our studio has collected some great vintage instruments and analog gear over the years. It’s all about creating a great ambience, which is so important for a recording.
AJ: I just love the studio. I could live there 24 hours a day if my body would allow it. This song is a waltz, so it was fitting to play some weeping lap steel behind her vocals. I love production that breathes and lets a song build. We always strive for that on our records.
What do you hope this song conveys to those who listen to it?
Jayne: I hope the emotion and lyrics grab people when they listen. I think almost everyone had this kind of thing happen to them before.
AJ: That the listener puts us on infinite repeat on Spotify… ha ha.
If you look back over your career, you probably feel like quite a different artist now than when you began for a number of reasons – life experience, industry experience, studio and performing experience all factoring into that. Do different things inspire you now? Where do you tend to get your biggest inspiration from these days?
AJ: Oddly enough, we both go through long periods of not listening to other artists. It’s kind of a recharge for me. I like reflecting on what we’ve done and letting everything simmer in the subconscious. There is always something I want to improve on the next record or single. It’s about building upon and evolving what we’ve done before.
Songwriting can be a really personal endeavor, yet when you release a song or an album or an EP, you share the music with so many people. How does this make you feel, and is it ever difficult to share songs widely like that? What kind of feedback do you get from fans who have connected with the music or had a song impact them in a deep and meaningful way?
Jayne: There are two equally important parts of song creation. The first, of course, is the cathartic experience of writing, creating, and recording the song. The second is playing it live for an audience and releasing it for people to incorporate into their own lives. That brings the song alive for me and completes the process. I don’t want to create in a vacuum. When we create music, it’s always the hope that it resonates with the listener in a meaningful way. Recently, a fan shared the story of how our song “The River ” brought comfort and connection to the memory of his granddaughter who lost her struggle to addiction. For us, knowing that our music can touch someone’s soul like this, especially when we had no idea it would be heard that way, gives purpose to everything we write and release.
What has been the most exciting thing to happen for you this year?
AJ: When I was in my late teens I recorded my first album at a professional recording studio when everything was still recorded to tape instead of digital. I love that sound. All of the artists that inspired me from the ’70s recorded to tape, and I really think there’s something to that.
A friend of mine here in Nashville gave me an old reel-to-reel tape machine. It needed a bit of restoration, but I got it running. I’ve had many studio gear upgrades over the years, but this is by far the most exciting. We used it for the single and will continue to use it on everything going forward.
Got any tour plans? Where can fans see you on the road?
Jayne: The rest of the year is winding down with a few fun shows in the Midwest, including opening for Riders in the Sky, and then AJ and I are hunkering down in the studio for the next full-length album.
We also have a track, unrelated to the future album, dropping in January that we are really excited for people to hear!
Website & Social Media Links:
Website: www.swearingenandkelli.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/38fHDOOEwcTASoekC29prR?si=BBGjtbn3RWmusYnkgqRwvw
Instagram: www.instagram.com/swearingen_kelli
Facebook: www.facebook.com/swearingenandkelli
Youtube: www.youtube.com/@swearingenkelli
