MIKO MARKS ANNOUNCES DELUXE EP AND NEW SONG OUT NOW
LISTEN // WATCH: “LAY YOUR BURDENS DOWN (ft. BUDDY MILLER)”
Miko Marks has announced a deluxe version of her acclaimed 2022 LP Feel Like Going Home with a reimagined version of “Lay Your Burdens Down,” featuring GRAMMY-winning artist Buddy Miller. The Feel Like Going Home Deluxe LP will be released on April 19th via Red Tone Records. In addition to Miller, the album features guest appearances from Snarky Puppy’s Mark Lettieri, Oh Boy Records artist Tré Burt, Melissa Carper, and the GRAMMY-winning Fisk Jubilee Singers, and Marks’ take on traditional roots tune “Nine Pound Hammer.”
“It has always been a tender and emotional song for me to perform and record," Miko explains of “Lay Your Burdens Down.” "It’s very personal as I battle worry, stress and anxiety and not to mention carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. I met the seasoned and well-known singer/songwriter/producer Buddy Miller in 2022 when I was a guest on the Buddy & Jim Show. I was in awe of his musical journey/career and he was generous in his appreciation for the album. Never did I think when asked to collaborate, he would agree," she adds. "His voice connected with mine in a caring way that mirrored my plea for relief."
LISTEN // WATCH: “ONE MORE NIGHT (ft. TRÉ BURT)
LISTEN // WATCH: “WATER TO WINE (ft. MELISSA CARPER)”
LISTEN // WATCH: “JUBILEE (ft. FISK JUBILEE SINGERS)”
After living what seems to be multiple lives over, Marks has finally come into the life she was born to live. Her life as a Black woman in country and roots music is only a small part of the story. She grew up traveling around in the family van to sing at various church conventions, but even with a show-stopping voice, it seemed singing was mostly just a hobby-not a career to pursue.
After graduating from Grambling State University, she’d planned on becoming a criminal defense attorney, but her law degree was put on hold after she married young and gave birth to a son. After some encouragement from her husband, she began to sing again and released two country albums–Freeway Bound in 2005 and It Feels Good in 2007. She received great critical praise and was a regular participant at CMA Fest in Nashville, but the growth was stymied by industry gatekeepers.
After over a decade-long hiatus, with no grand vision of success, Marks recorded a few songs with bandmates Justin Phipps and Steve Wyreman, a collection of songs that became Our Country, released on Phipps’ small non-profit record label, Redtone Records. An EP of covers called Race Records soon followed, which shined a light on the arbitrary divisions forced upon artists and audiences in the early days of music marketing in the 1940s.
Her unique sound deftly blends Americana, blues, southern rock, and even gospel to create a sound and experience that has literally brought every audience to its feet. This new sound, along with her warm and soulful spirit, catapulted her into a community of change. Her latest LP, 2022’s Feel Like Going Home, is an amalgamation of where Marks has been and where she is going, what she has learned, and what she wants to teach. It’s an innermost look at the ebb and flow of her past, present, and future - the stories she wants to tell but hasn’t been able to speak into existence ever before. The messages are profound: healing, restoration, and distinctly individual.
Marks is currently on the 43-date Trailblazing Women Of Country Tour, and is set to perform at the Stagecoach Festival in April 2024. Click HERE to pre-save and pre-order the deluxe LP, and be sure to follow Miko Marks at the links below for all the latest news and updates.
