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Today, international singer-songwriter phenomenon Theo Lawrence and acclaimed roots music journeywoman Melissa Carper announce the release of their duets album, HAVIN’ A TALK. Inspired by vintage Americana, pop and undeniable creative chemistry, the charmingly smart and playful set arrives February 6 via Warner Records. Pre-order/save HERE.
To celebrate the announcement of the anticipated full-length album, the pair are sharing their latest single, “You’re Forgiven, My Love,” an affectionate back-and-forth written by Lawrence that evokes the lush dreaminess of the 1960s Nashville Sound. With scintillating piano keys, shimmering guitar, upright bass, brushed drums and that sweetly melancholic country fiddle, the tune is a winter warmer brimming with nostalgia. Carper and Lawrence lean into that feeling, depicting two lifelong lovers kindly letting go of past transgressions: “Things we said back when we were young / You and me have changed so much with time / You’re the one I adore, the one I’m living for / And from now on, you’re forgiven my love.” Listen HERE, and watch the lyric video HERE.
The new song follows Carper’s heartfelt “The Way I Remember You,” which introduced a wistful sincerity to the quick-witted and lighthearted brand of traditional songcraft from a bygone era.
Their partnership was officially launched with September’s “All Fifty States,” which found the two genially working through polemic desires — he wants to see the world, while she wants to save a little scratch and enjoy their adopted hometown of Austin, Texas. October brought “Dat Ain’t Right,” a tart slice of vintage western swing where Carper and Lawrence have the time of their lives trading bon mots about being done wrong in a he-sings, she-sings breakup song for the ages.
All of those songs and more wind up on HAVIN’ A TALK, recorded at Nashville’s Bomb Shelter with Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes, Langhorne Slim, Margo Price) alongside some of Lawrence and Carper’s own band members and a murderer’s row of seasoned session veterans including Chris Scruggs, Billy Contreras, and Matty Meyer. Strikingly warm and sometimes hilarious in their disagreement, Lawrence and Carper share an approach to tuneful and timeless music that has come to define their respective solo careers — and which now fuels a partnership that brings to mind Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton, George Jones and Tammy Wynette, and, especially, Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty at their cheekiest.
The culmination of a truly global partnership of single-minded artists united in their devotion to classic American styles, HAVIN’ A TALK plays off of the pair’s wildly divergent backstories, establishing two very different paths and voices now brought together by their love for and devotion to traditional roots music.
For his part, Lawrence’s music draws on an intoxicating mix of western swing, ’60s pop, classic soul, and rockabilly swagger. A rarity not just in his native France but everywhere, his sound delivers the stuff of AM radio in the middle of the 20th century. Lawrence brings a palpable warmth to his work, from his self-released 2023 LP Chérie — recorded just outside of Austin with producer Billy Horton (Charley Crockett) and steel guitarist Dave Biller — to his 2024 indie release, Pickin’ & Singin’, an acoustic offering that further demonstrates his writing prowess and vocal charm. More recently, Lawrence’s hipster/Bakersfield dust-up “California Poppy” has been generating a groundswell of love driven by word of mouth as people discover, share, and create around the song. Click HERE to view the music video.
Despite having just wrapped a tour with Seattle singer-songwriter Dean Johnson, and continuing his residency at Sagebrush in Austin, Lawrence is already at work on his debut solo music for Warner Records, coming soon. In the meantime, cozy up with him and Carper for “You’re Forgiven, My Love.”
Theo Lawrence & Melissa Carper, Havin’ a Talk
1. “Good Luck to Ya”
2. “The Last to Know”
3. “All Fifty States”
4. “Dat Ain’t Right”
5. “Supermarket Flowers”
6. “The Way I Remember You”
7. “Thank You, But No Thank You”
8. “You’re Forgiven My Love”
9. “Second Look”
10. “Jealous Eyes”
11. “Joyous Time”
12. “What Are You Doing After This?”
Theo Lawrence Live Dates
Tour and ticket info HERE
Dec 17 Austin, TX @ Sagebrush #
Dec 31 Austin, TX @ Sagebrush #
Jan 07 Austin, TX @ Sagebrush #
Jan 14 Austin, TX @ Sagebrush #
Jan 21 Austin, TX @ Sagebrush #
Jan 28 Austin, TX @ Sagebrush #
Melissa Carper Live Dates
Tour and ticket info HERE
All dates below supporting JD McPherson
Dec 12 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
Dec 13 Rochester, NY @ Temple Theatre
Dec 14 Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
Dec 16 Pittsburgh, PA @ Thunderbird Music Hall
Dec 17 Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
Dec 18 Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
Dec 19 Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre
Dec 20 Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
