Good morning,
Today I finally get to say this: my album Hell on the Potomac is out in the world.
This record has been a long time coming. Some of these songs have already found their way into your lives over the past couple of years, and today they’re joined by four new ones that feel like the final pieces of the story. Together, they make the album I’ve been trying to complete for a long time.
Hell on the Potomac is a deeply regional record. It’s rooted in the place I grew up — the greater Cumberland area, the edges of West Virginia — and the values, contradictions, and stories that come with it. These songs are about work and wear, pride and frustration, humor and heartbreak. They’re about people who don’t always get written about, and places that don’t always make the map, but mean everything to the folks who call them home.
This album wouldn’t exist without some incredible people.
Ben Townsend produced the record and played more instruments than I can count. His patience, taste, and belief in these songs shaped them at every turn.
Parker Schrecengost brought the heartbeat on drums.
William Bower laid down the electric guitar parts that gave these songs their edge and lift.
I’m grateful to all of them — and to everyone who listened to early versions, came to shows, or shared a song.
You can download the entire album for free on my website. Here is a link: https://ccnicholsmusic.com/album/3813296/hell-on-the-potomac
It is available on ALL the streaming services. Here's a Spotify link: Hell On The Potomac
One small bit of timing: one of the songs on the record is called “Naked on New Year’s Eve,” and today happens to be New Year’s Eve. It’s a fun duet I recorded with my wife about too much alcohol, bad influences, and lifelong love. It’s tongue-in-cheek, and we had a blast making it. Julie’s vocals on that song are, without question, the cutest thing I can think of.
This past summer on the road was a real joy, and playing these songs live reminded me why I do this in the first place. But at the end of the day, I love making records — sitting with the songs, chasing the feeling, trying to tell the truth as clearly as I can. Releasing this album feels like closing one chapter and opening the door to the next.
Thank you for being here, and for giving these songs a place to land. I hope Hell on the Potomac feels familiar in the best way.
Now comes the hard part — getting people to hear it. If you know someone who might connect with this music, I’d be grateful if you shared it with them. Word of mouth still means everything.
Thanks,
CC
P.S. If you’re interested in some other things I have going on, I also have a book coming out January 13 called I Can’t Believe They Let Me In: Confronting Imposter Syndrome and Letting Yourself In. You can find more about that here: https://ccnicholsauthor.com/.