Trousdale Reimagines “Amazing Grace” & “9 to 5” For Songs of U.S.
Following the 4th of July, Trousdale highlights the complex story behind “Amazing Grace” with their moving performance for Salt Lick Sessions‘ new Songs of U.S. series, along with an interview about the importance of hope, female empowerment, and joy in today’s age.
Songs of U.S. is a new performance and conversation series that brings together musicians from across genres to reinterpret songs that have shaped the country’s cultural identity while exploring what belongs in the American songbook today.
Today, Salt Lick Sessions premiered Trousdale’s performance of “Amazing Grace,” which the pop-folk trio selected as a song that belongs to the American songbook. In their interview, which also goes live today, they discuss the history behind the song. “Amazing Grace” was written in 1772 by John Newton, an English pastor and slave ship captain whose ship was caught in a violent storm off the coast of Ireland. He fearfully called out to God for mercy, and his crew miraculously survived, marking Newton’s spiritual awakening and his later embrace of abolitionism. In their interview, the band reflects on how “Amazing Grace” highlights the importance of admitting wrongdoing and the plight for redemption.
Tomorrow (July 7), the group’s cover of Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” will go live, which they chose as an anthem that deserves to be in the American songbook due to its reflection on wealth disparity and workplace sexism. On Wednesday (July 8), Trousdale’s performance of their original song “Save Me” will be shared, which was inspired by a long plane ride with a man giving unsolicited advice on how to run their band. Together, the three songs Trousdale selected illuminate wealth and gender inequality in America through embracing themes of transformation and hope.
