As the high desert sun set behind Utah’s Wasatch Mountains, My Morning Jacket began performing “I’m Amazed” at the Park City Song Summit.
“I’m amazed at what people are saying,” sang Jacket’s Jim James. “I’m amazed at the country divided.”
At a time when America is once again at a crossroads of existence, James’ lyrics encapsulate what many in PCSS have been thinking about the country and themselves: “Where do we go from here?”
Singer-songwriter Anders Osborne had his own answer: “I know I am OK with who I am, and I don’t have to search for anything. It’s all inside of me,” he says, walking along a dirt path high above the amphitheater at Park City Mountain Resort.
Osborne recently celebrated 15 years of being drug and alcohol free – a period that saw him find himself homeless in New Orleans – and he is committed to shining a light on and bringing attention to the darker side of humanity.
“It means so much that we can now talk openly about depression: ‘I’m bipolar.’ ‘I’m schizophrenic.’ ‘I’m scared.’ ‘I’m anxious,'” Osborne says. “It’s a shift in consciousness and I’m so lucky to be a part of that change.”
Osborne’s sentiments are a central tenet of the Park City Song Summit, which was founded in 2019 as a way to spark dialogue and action within the music industry by addressing mental and physical health awareness.
“We are contributing to a new way of looking at artists and audiences. [and] “Embracing the destigmatization of mental health,” says PCSS founder Ben Anderson, “and being clear about issues like addiction, social equity, opportunity and inclusion. These terms are all so important because they’re all interconnected at the heart of health.”
The annual gathering serves as a staunch beacon of hope and positive change in a professional world that often falls short in nurturing one another through trauma and addiction.
“Talking about ourselves as the music industry is very different than talking about ourselves as a music community,” Anderson says. “We are the latter. And if we can be part of that larger community and make some difference, then I think what we’re doing here will have some merit.”
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In addition to My Morning Jacket, the third edition of PCSS was headlined by Mavis Staples and Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, with performances by Larkin Poe, Eric Krasno & Friends, Ivan Neville, Nikki Glaspie, Shimafunk, Jennifer Hartswick, Jason Han, Steve Polz, Jobi Riccio and Duane Betts.
“In many cases, we [artists] “We sacrifice everything for the show, including our mental health and our sanity,” Poltz says, “and we rely on stimulants, depressants, booze and all sorts of other things. So it’s nice to come to a place where the focus is on people being healthy.”
Beyond the stellar lineup and focus on wellness activities at the venue, the essence of PCSS is the ongoing conversations taking place on both sides of the microphone, with numerous “labs” taking place throughout the weekend, with topics ranging from “Dignity in Dialogue: Embracing Artistic Freedom and Rethinking ‘Cancel Culture'” to “Beat & Bytes: Navigating Creativity in the Age of AI.”
Music photographer Danny Clinch hosted a live interview with James ahead of MMJ’s big Friday night event, and in the interview, titled “Area of Light,” he spoke candidly about life as an artist in a chaotic work environment, as well as the “burden of a packed tour.”
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“I saw Dave Matthews. [Band] “I was playing a show recently and I was taking photos backstage,” Clinch told Rolling Stone. “You know what I do before I go onstage? I take a green shot. [wellness] shot.”
But Clinch grew somber when asked about a photo he recently posted to social media: a picture of Shannon Hoon backstage at Woodstock ’94. The lead singer of popular ’90s alternative rock band Blind Melon tragically died of a cocaine overdose in 1995 at the age of 28.
“It’s painful, and I don’t want it to be any more painful than it is now,” Clinch said of his late friend. “My wife and I are friends with his daughter, Nico, and Nico’s mom, and they come over to visit. [with us] “We’re going to have a long weekend in Asbury Park. I’m sad because I think Shannon would have loved it.”
Larkin Poe performs at the Park City Song Summit. Photo by Erica Goldring*
The building next door to Clinch is the lobby of the Pendry Hotel: Seated next to the fireplace, sister duo Rebecca and Megan Lovell of rock band Larkin Poe lean forward when questioned about the bloated nature and embarrassing attitudes of “Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll.”
“Rock ‘n’ roll is making a comeback, but I also think it needs a little refresh,” Rebecca says. “It’s not ‘sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll’ anymore. You can be rock ‘n’ roll and still want to have healthy relationships with your family. Good communication and a genuine concern for each other’s well-being is what kept us from falling apart like a lot of bands of siblings do.”
Before heading to the Canyon Village Amphitheater for soundcheck, Rebecca had one more thought as the band made their way into the mainstream.
“Rock ‘n’ roll may be dangerous, but suffering is inevitable. It’s tempting to believe that all the swagger and boastfulness of rock was born out of suffering, but I firmly believe the lyric world allows for more creativity and imagination. Let’s dig deeper. Let’s find the truth beyond the swagger that is.”
A few hours later, on the amphitheater stage, Rebecca’s Fender Stratocaster and Megan’s lap steel squealed like muscle cars with a full tank of gas. “Truck Stop Highway USA, counting down the 50 states,” Rebecca croaks on “Blue Ridge Mountains,” an ode to her north Georgia hometown from her 2018 album Venom & Faith. “I can’t shake these inspirational blues, roll me to heaven’s gate.”
During his performance Saturday night, Nathaniel Rateliff not only said a musical farewell to PCSS, but also spoke a bit about his friend and collaborator Richard Swift, who passed away in 2018 at age 41 from complications from alcoholism.
After talking about their respective paths in life and missing their friend, Rateliff dedicated “Get Used to the Night” from her latest album, South of Here, to Swift, and the heaviness in the air gave way to gratitude as Night Sweats rose from the stage.
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“I used to know it all / Now I barely remember,” cries Rateliff in his soulful, Springsteen-esque voice. “I used to be an arrogant fool / You run first, I’ll catch up.”
“The pitfall for me is the common misconception: ‘Can I create art and be happy?'” Rateliff told Rolling Stone about his struggle with alcoholism and finding a healthy balance in his life and career. “Right now, I’m looking for a reason to stay sober, whether it’s for emotional stability or a responsibility to my audience, my crew, my band. At this point, I’m just trying to figure out the best way to make that happen.”