This is Perry from Fire Mountain. This page is where I put all my song ideas and demos and whatnot.

There’s a weathered beauty in Paul McDonald’s voice—equal parts grit and grace, hard-won from years spent chasing the muse through fame, flameouts, and quiet reinvention. With “So Long to the Dark Side”, the Alabama-born troubadour delivers his most honest and unfiltered work to date. Cut live in a single day with Grammy-nominated producer Bobby Holland, the album feels timeless—leaning into the raw soul of vintage rock & roll and the poetic ache of classic Americana.

McDonald first turned heads on national television back in 2011, but his story goes way beyond that: dive bars in the Deep South, van tours with “The Grand Magnolias”, and a long stretch off the grid, rebuilding his life one song at a time. Out of that silence came “The Mourning Doves”, a band with real chemistry, and “One Big Love”, a grassroots Nashville festival that’s become a local institution.

This record is McDonald’s testimony. It’s about loss, healing, and letting the light back in. The title track, “Dark Side,” serves as both confession and turning point—a raw, redemptive anthem written in the depths of addiction and personal reckoning. It lit the way forward, setting the emotional tone for the album that followed. From the existential haze of “What’s the Point?” to the road-worn hope of “Unwind,” these songs don’t just tell a story—they carry one.

“So Long to the Dark Side” isn’t just a return—it’s a reckoning. A reminder that some artists don’t fade. They just go deeper.

We’re a rock band from South Carolina. “Where You Call Home” is out now. The Barely Elegant Acoustic Tour on sale now.

https://drop.cobrand.com/d/NEEDTOBREATHE/Updates

K.S. Rhoads is a singer/songwriter, composer, producer & multi-instrumentalist from Nashville, TN. Ranging from complex and grandiose to simple and intimate, Rhoads’ music draws on influences from folk, classical, cinematic pop and rock. With a vast artistic language, his music has been called “an exhibition in style, grace, and limitless possibilities.” (American Songwriter Magazine).  His songs have been featured over one hundred times in television shows including Grey's Anatomy, The Good Doctor, Transparent, & Riverdale, as well as Movie Trailers (Netflix's The Little Prince, jOBS). He has written music for a number of commercials including Apple, Coke, Citibank, Zillow, Kettle Chips and more.  As a composer, K.S. has arranged orchestral music for Little Big Town, ABC's Nashville, Third Day, scored the animated series Paranormal Action Squad, and twice composed for, and performed with, The Nashville Symphony Orchestra.  Rhoads composed and co-wrote the ballet “Seven Deadly Sins” for The Nashville Ballet and The Nashville Symphony, which premiered at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center to critical acclaim.  K.S. Rhoads’ creates an eclectic, emotive, and powerful sonic language through his blend of classical, vintage and modern music. Along with releasing two solo albums and numerous singles, Rhoads’ has written with and produced for a broad array of popular artists including Miranda Lambert, Kris Allen, Lisa Loeb, Emily West, Drew Holcomb, Ashley Monroe, and many more. Rhoads serves as bandleader for the much heralded songwriter collective Ten Out Of Tenn, and he continues to be a pivotal influence in the bourgeoning independent music scene in Nashville.He is a recipient of ASCAP’s prestigious Sammy Cahn award for lyricism, and has written nearly 500 songs to date.

New album "Things Are Great" out now!
https://linktr.ee/bandofhorses

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