SGA multi-platinum hit songwriter and board member, Adam Mitchell
Multi-platinum songwriter Adam Mitchell has written lots of big hits for some very big names. But his latest album, Yucatan Café, represents the storyteller at his best.
Adam has written hits in most every genre of popular music for some of the biggest names around including KISS, Chicago, Art Garfunkel, Nicolette Larson, Olivia Newton-John, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Bonnie Tyler, John Waite, and the biggest of them all – Johnny Cash. In fact, Johnny Cash’s last album—released after his death—was titled after Adam’s hit song which is featured on the album, Out Among the Stars.
Born in Scotland, Adam was raised in Canada from the age of 12. After
university, he became lead singer for the legendary Canadian band, the
Paupers. The group achieved great critical acclaim and went on to
perform at the legendary Monterey Pop Festival during the Summer of Love. After moving to California, Adam worked as
Musical Director for - and played on - Linda Ronstadt’s first solo album
(a little while later he would play with her live at President Jimmy
Carter’s Inaugural bash).
Known as a bit of a traveling minstrel, Adam’s been around much of the
world and made some long-time, fascinating friends along the way. In
fact, he’s friends with many of the artists who have recorded his songs
including Paul Stanley, Linda Ronstadt, Michael James Jackson and Graham Nash/
Adam has also worked diverse projects such as
Graham Nash’s Song Stories – a co-project with Nash and Jackson - which the
Songwriters Guild of America will soon re-release.
Adam’s latest album, Yucatan Café, carries all the musical influences
Adam is known for and more. The opening title song features a beautiful
Spanish-influenced intro by guitar great, Brent Mason.
Mixed with
Adam’s world music sensibility and evocative, story-telling lyrics, a
listener is transported to a little café in the Yucatan and the Mexican
beauty who works there. Like so many songs on the album, it feels like
you’re watching a movie as you listen. And there are a lot of little movies on this album – each with a style of their own.
We All Get Lost features a traditional-country, jukebox, beer-drinking vibe but,
surprisingly, tells the story of a brief moment in time when a homeless
man pours some wisdom down on us.
Wishful Thinkin’ might be one of the most fun songs on the album. Upbeat and driving,
the song takes the listener on a wild road trip to Vegas with a gambler
and lover who is always “wishful thinking.”
The album’s eclectic nature serves up a mix of musical styles—from the smoky-jazz, film-noir stylings on My Heart’s Not In It; and acoustic guitar solos with an artistic bent on Cowboy From Rue Ste. Germain; to the politically-aware Shaken Awake. The album closes out with a couple more light-hearted songs with Cruisin’ on PCH and Rewrite – a song that pokes some caustic fun at the brutal side of the music business.
Yucatan Cafe was recorded at
Sound Emporium Studios in Nashville and features studio legends
Brent Mason on guitar,
Greg Morrow on drums,
John Willis on acoustic guitar,
Mike Brignadello on bass and
Jason Webb on keyboards.
If you’re looking for an album that can act as an evocative, visual,
rocking soundtrack to your day, this is it. Listen to Yucatan Café on
Spotify, Pandora,
Apple Music,
Amazon Music, SoundCloud and all other streaming services.
