Toronto-based Americana-leaning singer-songwriter John Lewitt has been a busy artist in recent years. And the talented tunesmith keeps riding that momentum wave with “Grab Yourself A Cold One.” It’s the latest single out now from his new self-produced full-length studio effort One More Time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWZuGaCoaXQ
Lewitt says “Grab Yourself A Cold One” was inspired in part by his daughter who makes her own preferential music stamp during car rides. “My daughter is a huge country fan,” he says. “When we go anywhere she takes over the car radio, so modern country music seeps into my mind with little effort. ‘Grab Yourself A Cold One’ is a product of my daughter’s listening habits!”
“Grab Yourself A Cold One,” the follow up to Lewitt’s last single “Building My Own Dreamland,” is free of the brash, overtly slick, almost formulaic Nashville production. Instead Lewitt offers up a tender, roots-based mid-tempo ballad that would fall in line with top-tier quality material by Josh Ritter, Jackson Browne and the late Warren Zevon. “Grab Yourself A Cold One” fondly reflects on past parties without trying to relive them while cherishing the friendships that came from those days and nights. Simply put, it harkens back to anecdotes of happy times and memories without revisiting the hangover the next morning.
Remember when we couldn’t remember that night
Three sheets to the wind, but man what a good time
And how I know well I was there with you
That’s good enough for me I don’t need
Any hard proof
Lewitt is a jack of all trades on “Grab Yourself A Cold One,” writing and producing the song while playing everything on it including piano, acoustic guitar and adding his own backing harmonies. It’s a gentle gem the singer sounds ridiculously comfortable executing.
The performer says the single is one from a batch of songs contained within his upcoming One More Time album. Lewitt says it’s the first time the songs originated from simply the purity of plying his craft, not trying to create material that could be used for possible television or film use. “The songs on this album were written for the pure joy of writing music, with no intentions attached to them,” Lewitt says.
Lewitt is often very busy writing and recording material, some of which has found its way on television and on the big screen. In fact, a song from One More Time has already been used for a forthcoming film set for release this year. Previous material has been heard on television shows such as The Young and the Restless alongside other tunes, including one heard on ESPN “dozens of times.” Although his proficient studio work makes an abundance of touring arduous, Lewitt has performed at the French Quarter Festival in New Orleans, Chicago’s Park West and a host of Toronto locations including the esteemed Roy Thomson Hall and the legendary Horseshoe Tavern.
With a new promising and soothing single in “Grab Yourself A Cold One,” John Lewitt has guaranteed fans old and new alike will have to keep listening to this song one more time.