Wayne Merdinger

Childhood experiences reverberate back through our lives, sending ripples that continue to drive us decades later. A high five from an athlete leaving the field or a kind word from a talented performer can inspire a kid for the rest of their lives. Even more ingrained are the personal relationships with peers that are up the ladder a few rungs which give you the motivation and know-how to climb higher. Their effect haunts us until we exorcize that inspiration into our own works.

Singer-songwriter Wayne Merdinger was bitten by that bug in 1970 when he stumbled upon a band behind an abandoned motel one day while skipping school. The band was Nebraska Bay and Merdinger would befriend them and ended up sitting in on jam sessions over the next year. Along with a few guitar lessons, the leader Carl Wilkenfeld would give Merdinger the inspiration to pursue a future in rock n roll. Nebraska Bay never cracked the mainstream but Merdinger always held the group in the highest esteem. 50 years later, Merdinger has resurrected 'The Train Song (I Saw You)', a Nebraska Bay track that stuck with him through the decades. He could only remember half the song and lyrics so he completed the track with his own music and lyrics as an homage. This is one of several songs on the record that serves as a tribute to the storytelling tradition of songwriting and the hereditary DNA that gets passed on through the ages.

The title track opens the album with a road-worn western energy. Merdinger sings the legend of the Troubadour, the travelling mystic with sly wisdom beyond the commoner. His infatuation with the magic of the poet is a riddle that we are perpetually trying to solve but will never fully reveal. The track has a hint of the Travelling Wilburys in it, a tip of the cap to troubadours like Bob Dylan. Being 1/4 Ukrainian, Merdinger is particularly invested in the invasion of Ukraine and 'Waiting For the Love' is a melancholic reflection on the current quagmire. A population that longs for help beyond platitudes and empty gestures.

'Poison' is an indictment of the misinformation age under dark minor chords. 'Nebraska Bay' is pure '70s acoustic rock storytelling. Merdinger waxes poetic about the transient band of longhairs that took him under his wing and spurned on a lifelong obsession. James Taylor, Jackson Brown, Cat Stevens, and America rolled into one. The wistful, lazy summer vibe bleeds into Merdinger's reworking of 'The Train Song (I Saw You)'. Southern-tinged guitar rock and supporting organ bring you right back to the decade that gave Merdinger his big thrust into that world. 'It's Gonna Be Okay' wraps the album with more spaghetti western vibes, a drive off into the Arizona sunset cruise.

Troubadour swims in nostalgia, recounting the various inspirations that got Merdinger to where he is today. He displays a particular reverence for the mysterious hold of the musician and how profoundly it can affect a young mind. A soundtrack for getting lost and the unexpected things you'll find along the way.