Color Outside The Lines

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Published 2020-09-18 06:00

Singer songwriter Jim Stanard will release his sophomore album, "Color Outside The Lines", on October 16th, 2020. Teaming up again with Grammy-nominated hitmaker and producer Kip Winger and Afghan Whigs guitarist Jon Skibic, this effort also features the legendary Peter Yarrow, of Peter, Paul & Mary, and his daughter Bethany Yarrow on 2 songs. The album will be released on CD, digital, and vinyl LP and will be accompanied by 4 music videos, led by the 1st single, “Home”.

"Color Outside The Lines" once again showcases the Colorado and Florida based troubadour's distinctive songcraft, vivid storytelling and unmistakably authentic voice, the same qualities that made listeners and critics take notice of his acclaimed 2018 debut "Bucket List". Country Jukebox in Germany called him "an intelligent, profound, sometimes thoughtful and humorous observer" and that vein has only deepened.

"I think that the main thing that any artist has to offer is his own perspective", states singer songwriter Jim Stanard. "My songs are about how I see people and how I see the world. I think that's the most important thing that an artist can communicate”.

From social justice to history to humor, the common thread among Stanard’s songs is their resonance, emotional, musical, and melodic. Throughout the 11 song album, such indelible Stanard originals as "Same River", "Witness Protection", "One Time In A Row" and "The Opium Wars" convey wisdom and curiosity, showcasing the artist's uncanny ability to pinpoint fundamental emotional truths.

Drawn together by their common interest in reducing political polarization and a shared vision about the importance of civil debate, Stanard met Peter Yarrow through their involvement with organizations that work toward those goals. Jim introduced Peter to No Labels and Peter introduced Jim to Braver Angels. Their friendship then spread into the musical realm and became a highlight of the new album.

“I was startled by how much the sound of Jim’s voice combined with mine and Bethany’s reminded me of Peter Paul and Mary”, Peter Yarrow commented. “It made me proud to feel the legacy of that spirit live on, especially so, because Jim’s songs carry a similar message”.

The album’s title track is a metaphor for Stanard’s new life philosophy, he launched his 2nd career as a recording artist at age 69 after retiring from a successful career in the business world. He sings “but now my life is full of neat and tidy art, in a paint-by-numbers world I’ve learned to play my part”, and concludes with “now it’s time I learned again how to color outside the lines”. One can imagine the freedom he feels as he unfastens that top button and picks up his guitar.

"I played a lot of music in the 60's and early 70's, playing solo in college coffeehouses for about 15 years", Stanard recalls. "Then I got busy with other stuff and stopped playing, but I always carried the music with me. Even after I'd quit playing, I was always listening and absorbing, and accumulating a lot of musical knowledge, so when it comes to writing songs I’m endlessly inspired".

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