New CD Examines ‘The Carnival of Life’

Seymour, IN —

“I don’t usually walk into an empty room and try to think of something to write about. I have done that, but rarely. Usually, an idea comes to me while I’m doing something completely different — just driving down the road or mowing the lawn. But once that thought is there, I can’t sit still until I get to work on it.”

Veteran singer-songwriter Joseph F. Persinger said that process has worked well for him, especially in the past year,

which has been his most productive ever.

“Release of my new album, ‘The Carnival of Life,” has been the highlight not just of the year but of my entire career,” Persinger said. “I’m so excited about this collection of songs, nine of which are original.”

He refers to the title song as a “talking song” in the style of an early Bob Dylan, accompanied only by guitar and harmonica. It draws on Persinger’s experiences as a young boy observing “freak show” attractions at carnivals and county fairs.

“In my small southern Indiana town, those annual events were exciting, but they were also a little scary,” he explained. “And many of those ‘attractions’ would be considered totally inappropriate today.”

He cites “Rest a While” as the lead song of the album. “I’m very proud of it; I think it’s one of the best I’ve written.”

That song came about during the initial Covid pandemic shutdown. Being cooped up in the house, Persinger said, he was struck by the quantity and variety of bad news being disseminated constantly.

A reviewer for Radio Airplay described the song “Rest a While” as “understanding and comforting. [It] acknowledges the chaos we experience from the outside world and encourages taking a breath to give yourself some grace. As with his other work, Persinger brings a warm sincerity to ‘Rest a While’ that is evident in his singing and approach.”

Other highlights on Persinger’s fifth studio CD include originals “The Ballad of Skyline Drive,” “An Outlaw Tale,” “Sunshine,” “The Rain Comes Down,” “Leavin’ Soon, “The Devil’s in the Details,” “’Til You Were Gone,” and a Rodney Crowell composition, “It Ain’t Over Yet.”

The CD is available to download from all the popular streaming services, including Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, Amazon, iTunes, Deezer, and many others. For those who don’t subscribe to a music channel, it’s also available at josephfpersinger.bandcamp.com, and you can view the official video for the single “Rest a While” on YouTube.

Download or listen to the new tracks or order a physical copy of the CD at josephfpersinger.bandcamp.com

About

Joseph F. Persinger is a veteran singer-songwriter who recently released his fifth studio album, “The Carnival of Life.” It includes nine original songs plus one cover written by Nashville’s Rodney Crowell. Persinger’s live shows typically feature a mix of original tunes and covers encompassing folk, country, classic rock, and blues. Follow him at facebook.com/allthosesongs

Contact

Joseph F. Persinger
Name: Joseph F. Persinger
Address: 1523 New Ford Rd., Seymour, IN
Email: jfppublications@gmail.com
Phone: 812-322-2371
Press Kit: https://www.facebook.com/allthosesongs