Long Live the Songwriter

Eight albums in, Rob Baird sounds exactly like himself — and that's saying something. Smoke On The Breeze is the kind of record that only gets made after years of hard-won experience, and every song on it feels like proof of that. Baird brings together an incredible group of collaborators for this one. He co-wrote "Roll Out" with Grammy Award-winning songwriter Aaron Raitiere, and teamed up with Grammy Award- winning engineer Steve Christensen to get the sound just right. There's a beautiful duet with rising artist Julianna Rankin on the redemptive "Someday," and standout tracks like the painfully real "Backfire" and the slow-burning "Woman, Your Love Is Right" show just how wide his range really is. Baird says, “The whole record was cut live off the floor at Christensen's warehouse studio in Houston, TX — no overthinking, no second-guessing." Producer and longtime collaborator Scott Davis held it all together, with an all-star band featuring Danny Golden (guitar), Richie Millsap (drums), Sean Giddings (keys), and Noah Jefferies (fiddle) bringing the songs to life. Nearly two decades into his career, Rob Baird has found his footing in a way that feels both hard-earned and completely natural. Smoke On The Breeze is the record that proves it.