It was December of 2021 when the email came: “Check This Out For Boulder.” It was from then-Elektra VP/Promotion Jason Martin and the link went to an unreleased album by a kid from Michigan who spent most of his time as a welder, going by the name Myron Elkins. The playing was extraordinarily inspiring, the music was dynamic and reflected not only the singular creativity of Elkins, but also the influence of most of the Roots and Pop of the last five or six decades, as well as the work ethic you would expect of someone who was spending 10-hours a day binding metal to other pieces of metal. The offer to play the Fox was immediately extended and Myron and his band used the opportunity to impress and the Triple A community with all the qualities mentioned, as well as their passion and intuitive interactions. Now, six months after making his mark at SummitFest, Elkins is poised to release that album, Factories, Farms & Amphetamines.
“I wrote a lot of these songs on the album in my head while I was welding,” says Elkins, who only began writing after discovering a different career path when a relative entered the then-18-year-old in a Battle Of The Bands. Having only been outside of Michigan once, those songs reflect Elkins’ experiences growing up in his hometown. “I’m interested in stories,” he continues. “I’m writing about where I come from. Things I’ve seen and heard.”
Elkins earliest influences include Elvis and Johnny Cash as his grandfather taught him how to play a guitar. He continued to absorb influences across the musical spectrum that included Bob Seger, The Allman Brothers, Jason Isbell and Chris Stapleton, giving him the tools to create, along with producer Dave Cobb, an album of soulful Roots, Country and Rock & Roll that reflects the impact of Sturgill Simpson as much as Tom Petty, with every strong driven by intense guitars and Elkins’ powerful voice.
“I love how this album turned out, but I’m real curious to know what people think of it” muses Elkins. “But I’m more curious as to where this whole thing could go – where it might take me.”
After touring with musically simpatico artists like Marcus King, Blackberry Smoke, Lucero, and Kaleo, while the first single, “Hands To Myself” – which just made it out to radio at the end of the year – garnering support from stations including Colorado Sound, WDST, WMOT, WNRN, and KPND, this “whole thing” will take Elkins to some interesting places.
