With Lady of the Tennessee, the seventh single from their sophomore album Flying Machine, Bonneville delivers a moody, soul-drenched Southern rock anthem that pays tribute to the hallowed grounds of Muscle Shoals while marking an evolutionary leap for the retro-soul duo. Release on March 12, 2025, the track is a spiritual pilgrimage—equal parts swampy grit and redemptive grace, channeling the ghosts of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Comin’ Home and The Allman Brothers’ Blue Sky through a modern lens.
Rooted in the legend of the Tennessee River siren—a spectral voice said to guide and protect travelers—the track is a love letter to Muscle Shoals, where Bonneville recorded at the iconic FAME Studios. “This song encompasses our pilgrimage,” says guitarist and co-producer Jeff Hayashi, who penned the track’s rotating A-major riff years ago before lyrics emerged during a 2022 visit from Michael Franti’s guitarist J Bowman. Lead vocalist Wes McGee describes the vibe as “Southern summer rain on my face,” and it shows: his smoky, soulful delivery floats atop swaying harmonies and sweltering slide guitar, evoking the humid ache of classic Southern rock.
GRAMMY®-recognized producer Starita (who also helmed the album) deliberately leans into Muscle Shoals’ legacy, assembling a fresh lineup of session players from The Shoal Nuff Band to inject live-wire energy. The result is a textural masterclass—Hayashi’s Les Paul snarls, McGee’s vocals ache, and the rhythm section locks into a groove that feels both spontaneous and timeless. The decision to trim the song’s original jam-band sprawl into a tighter, anthemic climax was inspired: what remains is a 4-minute distillation of yearning and release, with every note steeped in reverence.
Lady of the Tennessee isn’t just a song—it’s a testament to place and legacy. Bonneville doesn’t just borrow from Muscle Shoals’ history; they add to its canon, blending vintage tones with contemporary urgency. For fans of raw, analog soul or Southern rock’s golden era, this is a must-listen—a track that feels like coming home, even if you’ve never been.
