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Based in Los Angeles, singer-songwriter R.W. Roldan recently premiered his new single. It’s called “Falling Star,” and it features what Roldan describes as an “Americana roots rock/alt country” sound.
Roldan explains his music, saying, “I feel like people these days need this kind of authenticity in their music. I really believe that the true spirituality of this world flows through art, whether music, painting or sculpture, and there are a lot of things that need to be said. So many people in life are closed off to so much and don’t even realize it. For me, music is the most powerful way to pull back those curtains that sometimes make us feel we are alone in the universe.”
Growing up in a blue-collar family, Roldan’s musical influences included Elvis, Hank Williams, Rick Nelson, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, and George Jones. Later, to provide for his own family, Roldan put aside his musical ambitions and worked as an auto mechanic and tool and die designer in the aerospace industry. After that, he started his own construction business.
Over the years, music kept beckoning to him. When he finally decided to heed the call, things happened fast. He recorded with big name musicians such as Doug Pettibone, John J.T. Thomas, Rick Shea, Bruce Watson, Chuck Kavoorus, Brad Cobb, and David Chamberlain. Prior to going solo, Roldan led and played with Swing Samurai and Broke Fence.
“Falling Star” opens with a simple acoustic guitar and Roldan’s smoke-filled tenor. The delicate sawing of a fiddle fills the backdrop as a measured pulsing bass sets the rhythm. Essentially, the tune emanates bluesy country flavors, as well as a scrumptious traditional twang. The chorus features tasty harmonies, as Roldan’s nasal drawl is joined by a charming female voice. A compact electric guitar solo infuses the tune with lush bluesy hues.
The lyrics of “Falling Star” tell the tale of a young woman who tried to make it big in music but fell flat.
“I saw a falling star/Out behind a honky tonk bar/She was sleeping in a broke down car/Aneath them parking lot lights/She said she had no song/She wondered how it went so wrong/The road to fame was too damn long/And nothin’ felt right.”
The roots country feel of “Falling Star” reminds me just a bit of Buddy Miller. It’s authentic country twang with guts, the kind that makes no excuses for its genuine character. “Falling Star” is one of those songs everyone needs to listen to at least once, just so they know they’re alive.
Follow R.W. Roldan on rwroldan.com, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Listen to “Falling Star” on iTunes.
