Pokey LaFarge with The Tailspins

After crisscrossing the nation for the last half-decade looking for a home, Pokey LaFarge found himself in Mid-Coast Maine.  Upon arriving, the Illinois-born singer/songwriter/actor pursued a major life change, working 12-hour days on a local farm—a turn of events that catalyzed an extraordinary burst of creativity and redefined his sense of purpose as an artist.  On his new album Rhumba Country, LaFarge reveals his newly heightened devotion to making music that channels pure joy.  “There was a time when I glorified sadness because I lost sight of who I was, but now I understand that creating and expressing joy is my gift, and gifts are meant to be shared,” he says.  Reclaiming his voice, LaFarge has recorded his boldest album yet.  Rhumba Country was initially shaped from material that emerged while LaFarge was deep in work on the farm.  “I’d be pushing a plow or scattering seeds, and the songs would just come to me,” he recalls.  “It was tremendously inspirational and made me realize that apart from singing, farming is perhaps the oldest human art form.”  But as he moved forward with his songwriting, something felt undeniably amiss.  LaFarge then spoke with fellow Midwestern transplant Elliot Bergman (Wild Belle), who suggested he return to city life in Los Angeles for a season so that the two musicians could work together—a collaboration that soon brought the rhumba to LaFarge’s country.  As he immersed himself in the album’s creation, LaFarge began dreaming up a kaleidoscopic sound informed by his love of music from far-ranging eras and corners of the globe, including mambo, tropicália, rocksteady, and mid-century American rock-and-roll.  Co-produced along with Chris Seefried and Bergman and recorded in L.A., the resulting Rhumba Country is an invitation to come together to celebrate life and love.  “The songs that naturally come to me are upbeat and make you wanna dance or at least bop your head—they’re all very colorful,” says LaFarge. “I used to think of my music in dark blue, but now I see it in technicolor.”

The Tailspins hit the ground running as a hand-selected act to support Jack White’s “Supply Chain Issues” tour in 2022. The husband & wife duo go electric for their latest single “Inmate Number 99” – recorded LIVE in studio the old-fashioned way, engineered & mixed by Josh Jové from Social Distortion, and backed by an all-star band ft. Nicholas Baker from LA LOM on drums, Lakshmi Ramirez from The Groove Empire Orchestra on bass, and Alex Hernandez on baritone sax.

The duo dazzled fans coast to coast supporting The Surfrajettes in early 2024, including Aaron Frazer – who described their hometown Los Angeles set as “incredible” on social media.

The Tailspins’ self-titled EP is in stores now from Nu-Tone, and a brand new 45 is at the press for late spring 2024 release.

Another Longworth-Anderson Series evening of great music, food, and drink!  Complimentary pre-concert reception features live local music, light bites from Ollie’s Trolley and N.Y.P.D. Pizza, and craft beer tastings from HighGrain Brewing Co.