“This song is a celebration of love, New Orleans-style,” says singer-songwriter Sarah Quintana about her brand new single, “be my love.” Complete with a meandering clarinet solo from Rex Gregory, syncopated vocal harmonies with Rose Cangelosi, and a ripping trumpet tailgate by Emily Mikesell, “be my love” is undoubtedly New Orleans, but Quintana’s goal for this new batch of new music was always to incorporate every corner of the Louisiana music that has shaped her musical path. With “be my love,” she takes what might ordinarily be a ragtime piano feel and transfers the featured instrument to her own six-string style, leading the non-traditional rhythm section through an ear-worm of a song that transcends any regional music stereotypes and lands on a catchy tune all her own.
“I wrote this song for my friend Dalton Ridenhour, an amazing pianist,” says Quintana. “His version of Scott Joplin’s ‘Gladiolus’ with The Lovestruck Balladeers inspired me to compose this ragtime tune for guitar. At the time, I was listening to a lot of Bobby Charles, whose sentiment and harmonic influence can be heard in the pre-chorus.” Mix engineer Eric Heigle honed in the spirit of each horn and each voice creating a beautiful representation of the love-struck words Quintana wrote. “He created musical moments where the ear is in constant motion from one sound to the next,” she says, “like a sonic parade.” In that case, there may be no better fit for Valentine’s Day in the Crescent City than “be my love.”
Americana Highways premiered the track yesterday, writing, “It’s a ragtime jubilee with each instrument taking a turn in the spotlight.” Today, fans can stream or purchase “be my love” at this link hear Quintana’s previously-released single, “baby, don’t,” here, and pre-order or pre-save BABY DON’T ahead of its March 28th release right here. For more information, please visit sarahquintana.com.
BABY DON’T Tracklist:
laisse le bon temps rouler
baby, don’t
rolling and tumbling
be my love
miami
tout mon coeur
how long
just because
bump in the road
More About BABY DON’T: Due out on March 28, 2025, BABY DON’T was recorded by Justin Tocket at the iconic Dockside Studios in Lafayette, Marigny Studios in New Orleans, and shotgun-house living rooms across town. It features an all-star lineup that includes some of Quintana’s longtime friends and collaborators—Rex Gregory on saxophone, Louis Michot of the Grammy-winning Lost Bayou Ramblers, multi-instrumentalist Leyla McCalla (Carolina Chocolate Drops), and Grammy-nominated Corey Ledet.
Forging her own sound while paying homage to classic Louisiana artists like Fats Domino, Irma Thomas, Shirley & Lee, Beausoleil avec Michael Doucet, Bobby Charles and anything recorded at Cosimo Matassa’s studio in the 50’s, the result is soulful and timeless -–- a swamp-pop version of Shirley and Lee’s “Let the Good Times Roll,” old-timey tunes like “Be My Love,” complete with a traditional jazz tailgate, a cajun two-step (“Bump in the Road”), French blues (“Tout Mon Coeur and Rolling and Tumbling”) and several, highly-addictive, upbeat originals (“Just Because” and “Baby, Don’t”).
More About Sarah Quintana: Throughout a notable career as a New Orleans singer, songwriter, and performer, Sarah Quintana has been firmly rooted in her hometown’s rich music tradition—but eager to playfully explore its boundaries and possibilities. Her two self-released full-length studio albums, live concert release, and EPs brim with a blend of jazz, folk, and rhythm & blues, and her new LP BABY DON’T brings together an all-star lineup for an album inspired by Louisiana’s music and culture of the 50s and 60s. Sarah has partnered along the way with acclaimed Louisiana-based musicians, including Grammy winners Michael Doucet, Kevin Clark (The Nightcrawlers), and Leyla McCalla. She has received recognition from the Grammy Foundation Recording Academy, The Voice Foundation, The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival Foundation, and Big Easy Awards among others. When she’s not writing, performing, or touring internationally, Sarah works as a music educator and a vocal coach specializing in gender-affirming care, to help others find power in their own voice. Quintana is also a fellowship-trained voice pathologist and a faculty member and singing-voice specialist at LSU Health Sciences Center, where her research highlights the importance of creating vocal-health care pathways for Louisiana’s culture bearers and oral traditions.
