Brighton-based project Jukebx are bringing the golden era of funk and soul into the modern age with their latest single, ‘You’re the

The post Emerging Artists to Watch: Jukebx Bring Funk & Soul to Brighton appeared first on The Skinny 24.

For American songwriter Thom Bishop, visits to Ireland have become more than opportunities to spend time with family. Currently based in Colorado, Bishop has been travelling there with his wife, Michele, while their daughter, Simone, studies at the University of Galway. Those trips have helped inspire a new creative chapter, reflected in his forthcoming album, Train Leaving Dallas, due on July 31, 2026.

The twelve-track record brings together six original songs and six reinterpreted classics. Bishop developed the project alongside longtime collaborator Billy Panda, with whom he has written, recorded and performed for many years. Their aim was to bridge the gap between new compositions and familiar material. “We wanted the originals to sound like classics and the covers to feel fresh and new,” Bishop explains. “Plus, we just wanted to share some rock ‘n’ roll.”

Lead single “Here Comes the Night” provides a direct connection to Bishop’s experiences in Ireland. Sitting with his guitar in Galway as evening approached, he began thinking about a song that would suit the moment. His thoughts returned to hearing Van Morrison on American radio for the first time. Bishop, Panda and executive producer Grace McKay subsequently chose his interpretation as the album’s lead release.

Ireland’s musical culture has also encouraged Bishop to consider a broader audience for his work. He cites everything from street performers and traditional pub songs to Garth Brooks’ five consecutive sold-out nights at Croke Park as sources of inspiration. “It feels like a place where songs still matter,” he says. With Train Leaving Dallas, that connection becomes part of a project rooted in decades of writing and collaboration.

• Link

The post Thom Bishop’s Irish Connection Shapes New Album Train Leaving Dallas appeared first on CultureWasp.

A devastating flood destroyed Thom Bishop’s home in 2013, and a later near-fatal accident prompted him to reconsider his priorities. Those experiences deepened his commitment to creativity, spirituality and purpose. Now influenced by meditation and Kriya Yoga, the American songwriter continues to write and record, with his next album, Train Leaving Dallas, scheduled for July 31, 2026.

The release reunites Bishop with longtime collaborator Billy Panda for twelve tracks: six originals and six covers. Their shared goal was not simply to place new and familiar songs side by side, but to approach each group differently. “We wanted the originals to sound like classics and the covers to feel fresh and new,” Bishop says. The original songs were co-written during their years in Nashville, while the covers came from their longstanding live repertoire.

A growing connection with Ireland has brought another source of encouragement. Visiting with his wife while their daughter studies at the University of Galway, Bishop has found inspiration in the country’s street performers, pub traditions and reception of American music. His own Irish heritage adds to that connection. The album’s lead single, “Here Comes the Night,” emerged from an evening in Galway when he reached for a song associated with his earliest memories of hearing Van Morrison.

Alongside the album, Bishop is preparing Branches & Blades, a forthcoming collection of lyrics and reflections on his songwriting career. The two projects extend a body of work that also includes novels published under the name Junior Burke and years of teaching at Naropa University. Rather than leaving those earlier chapters behind, Train Leaving Dallas brings Bishop’s accumulated experience into a new period of recording, reflection and creative discovery.

• Link

The post Resilience and Renewed Purpose Inform Thom Bishop’s Next Chapter appeared first on All Day London.