Singer-songwriter Ron Hamrick who grew up in Michigan, has multiple Top 10 Billboard hits to his credit. He studied classical music as a youngster and formed his first band at the age of 14, after seeing the Beatles perform on television. Ron penned his first hit in 1967, and was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame in 2011. Ron’s songs are inspired by everyday occurrences and life events, and have earned him fans across the world. He has appeared on stages across the USA and the UK, and has just released his latest 5 track project, “Nothing But Sunshine”.
A lush green landscape. A gentle winding pathway leading to a cool and fresh river stream, running through a forest of conifers and broadleaf trees. An endless blue sky filled with speckles optimism. The sense of possibility, that anything can happen. The heartbeat of hope and love, combined with an appreciative spirit and a determined soul.
These are the sights and feelings that this album evokes to me. The vocals are mellow and charmingly rustic, placed just in front of the organically driven instrumentation. There’s a hollow sound to the production that makes the songs feel simultaneously big and airy, yet somehow personal and intimate. “Nothing But Sunshine” seems to write its own story every time you play it.
The imagery Ron conjures with his music is beautifully captivating. His sound is perfectly nestled between ambient, country, folk, and other soft Americana flavors. It’s refreshing to hear an EP like this; for me, it’s a nice escape from day to day stress. Mellow yet uplifting. Not too fast, not too slow, neither too hard nor too soft.
There’s a very subtle undertone of nostalgic melancholy to all the honesty and happiness Ron delivers through these songs, which makes their authenticity so appealing. This likely, has to do with the smaller personal world Ron describes in these songs, and greater, problematic one we have to live in on a daily basis. And which Ron advises us to leave aside every now and then.
From the opening track, “Hey, It’s Okay”, Ron Hamrick evokes a theme of thoughtfulness and introspection that is hard to encounter with many other modern-day groups or artists. So many of the artists today that grab our attention are just hyped up, sexy or bankable clones.
And yet, there are an infinite number of genuine artists like Ron Hamrick, offering combinations of delectable notes, rhythms, melodies, instruments, and voices, just waiting to be expressed. Listen to the eloquent melody and narrative of “Tomorrow” for a vision of uplifting light. There is an amazing accumulation of mellifluous richness and harmony here. Very beautiful stuff, to say the very least.
“Life Is Good” has a more playful aura surrounding it. It leaves you feeling great, as it stirs your emotions and you swell with the gentle rhythm and the catchy keyboard motif. There are so many subtle sonic sounds that float through the entire EP by the end it all feels so familiar.
Ron’s dreamy soundscape and contemplative lyrics on “Thank You For The Sunshine” are his personal mediations on life and existence. It feels celebratory, optimistic, and never contrived. As does the closing title track, “Nothing But Sunshine”. This is the kind of song you don’t mind having swim around in your head: an uplifting and poetic gem that suggests a better life.
The music, the lyrics, the story as a whole on “Nothing But Sunshine”, just gets to you. Each song is a little gem in itself, on this EP, but taken all together, you have a great work of simply constructed music. I recommend this recording to anyone who is looking for a rest from the hyped up pop music of today.
More information is available on his website www.ronhamrick.com. You can also follow Ron Hamrick on Facebook @RonHamrickMusic, Instagram @ron.hamrick and Twitter @RonHamrick
