Episode 29: Arlo McKinley
Cincinnati native Arlo McKinley released his debut solo album Die Midwestern in 2020 on John Prine’s Oh Boy Records, an album that ended up on a number of “best of 2020” lists. These are songs of deep personal truth, snapshots from a difficult time in Arlo’s life. His soulful voice, songwriting talents, and the services of an all-star Memphis studio band combine to produce beautiful and wonderfully compelling music. We discuss Arlo’s hip-hop influenced vocal style, the absolute mystery of the songwriting process, and musical debts owed to the formal wear industry.
McKinley’s Oh Boy Records solo debut, Die Midwestern, is deeply rooted in street soul, country, punk, and gospel and draws on personal stories, set against the backdrop of his hometown of Cincinnati Ohio. It was crafted downriver, in Memphis’ legendary Sam Phillips Recording Service, produced by GRAMMY award-winning Matt Ross-Spang, with an all-star Memphis band of Ken Coomer, David Smith, Will Sexton, Rick Steff, Jessie Munson and Reba Russell. There, McKinley recorded ten remarkable songs - some dating back fifteen years - all penned with a weight, honesty and gritty-hope that comes from living in the rustbelt city where his songs were born. Matt Ross-Spang, stated, “I am in awe of Arlo’s songs and his dedication and embodiment of each one when he performs them . His willingness to bare it all on this record was more electric than the equipment used to capture it.”
Arlo McKinley is the last artist John and his son Jody signed together to their label Oh Boy records. Jody Whelan shared, “John was reserved in his praise for songwriters. I played him a couple of Arlo’s songs and he heard Bag Of Pills and said, “that’s a good song” which for him, was very high praise. He loved Arlo’s voice, this big guy with a sweet, soulful, gospel voice. He loved the dichotomy of the hard life lived, presented through such beautiful songs and John was very excited about the promise of the album’s release.”
