♪ Why can't we start again?

♪ Announcer: Coming up on "Studio 3 Live"... ♪ Why can't we start again?

♪ ♪ Honey, why can't we start again?

♪ ♪♪ Tutson: What you're looking for is connection, not approval.

You know what I mean?

And so I sort of, like, try to coach myself up and keep myself maybe grounded in the songs and the story in a way that lets me leave the show feeling like, "Phew!

I said what I wanted to say."

♪ It's a world with shades of gray ♪ ♪ Just the other day ♪ ♪ Colors started to bloom ♪ ♪ And I think it's time to move ♪ ♪ Whoa, honey ♪ ♪ Why can't we start again?

♪ Funding for this program was provided by Friends, the Iowa PBS Foundation, as well as generations of families and friends who feel passionate about the programs they watch on Iowa PBS.

Good evening, and welcome to "Studio 3 Live."

I'm your host, Mickey Davis.

Tonight's guests are James Tutson and the Rollback, an Iowa City-based group that has performed across the country at festivals and venues, opening for the likes of Lake Street Dive, The Dip, and more.

Lead singer James Tutson takes inspiration from his experience singing in a small Southern gospel church with his five siblings growing up.

Recently, James was a contestant on NBC's "The Voice" and was also named an Iowa Artist Fellow through the Iowa Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Please help me welcome to the stage James Tutson and the Rollback.

[ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪ I heard the news ♪ ♪ And sorrow left me speechless ♪ ♪ You heard the news ♪ ♪ And sadness got your tongue ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Well, I ♪ ♪ Was a rock to your silent stone ♪ ♪ I'm so glad that I'm not on my own ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I heard the news ♪ ♪ Set my lungs to screaming ♪ ♪ You heard the news ♪ ♪ And hollered out your heart ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Well, I ♪ ♪ Gave a wail for your every moan ♪ ♪ I'm so glad that I'm not on my own ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I heard the news ♪ ♪ And sung my lamentations ♪ ♪ You heard the news ♪ ♪ And gave your elegy ♪ ♪ Well, I ♪ ♪ Called a dirge ♪ ♪ For your woeful poem ♪ ♪ I'm so glad that I'm not ♪ ♪ On my own ♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Hey, thank you so much.

We are James Tutson and the Rollback.

We're glad to be with you guys in Des Moines.

I always love being back in Des Moines.

You guys treat us really well.

So, yeah, that song was called "I'm Not On My Own."

We're going to play some songs for you guys tonight and just sort of have a good time.

This next song's called "I Need You Here."

James, thanks so much for being here.

Tell us a little bit about your musical journey, kind of how you got started and how you ended up here.

Yeah, kind of a long story.

I'll keep it short, of course.

Me and my five siblings were, like, the church choir.

Like, we were forced to be the entire church choir.

It was, like, just us.

And so I've been kind of singing my whole life, and that's kind of all I knew.

When I went to college is the first time that I sort of picked up the guitar, and that was because I had nodes and I couldn't sing.

So I'm like, "I got to do something."

So I started sort of playing guitar and some -- you know, would play for friends in college, and they'd be like, "Oh, you should write, you should play a show, you should something."

I'm like, "Eh, not really for me."

But at the end of college, I, like, played one show before I left.

And that was sort of it.

You know, after that, I was sort of hooked, and kept sort of writing and trying to play over the years since then.

How has your -- Kind of since you wrote that first song, like, how has your songwriting and your musical style of your original music evolved over time?

I hope it's gotten better.

[ Both laugh ] The first one was, like, called "Gorgeous Girl," and it was -- it was something.

That was an adventure.

But, yeah, you know, James Baldwin talks about how we all have one story to tell and we try to tell it truer and truer and truer and wider and more specific, and on and on and on.

So, you know, that's really it, just getting more and more comfortable telling the story.

How do you be more vulnerable?

How do you get more accurate?

How do you learn how to say that feeling, communicate that feeling better?

And the more you do that, I think, the more you connect.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Tell me I'm good ♪ ♪ Come hold my hand ♪ ♪ I don't feel weak when you're here with me ♪ ♪ As frail as I am ♪ ♪ Lend me some faith ♪ ♪ Help me believe ♪ ♪ That magic in you gets into me, too ♪ ♪ When you're next to me ♪ ♪ I need you here ♪ ♪ I need you here ♪ ♪ Damn being strong on my own ♪ ♪ I need you here ♪ ♪ Call on my line ♪ ♪ Knock on my door ♪ ♪ I know I'm prone to go in alone ♪ ♪ And I just can't anymore ♪ ♪ And I know I'm a fool ♪ ♪ But, honey, be kind ♪ ♪ Oh, if I fall down, would you come around ♪ ♪ And just give me time?

♪ ♪ I need you here ♪ ♪ I need you here ♪ ♪ Damn being strong on my own ♪ ♪ I need you here ♪ ♪ Need you here ♪ ♪ I need you here ♪ ♪ Damn being strong on my own ♪ ♪ I need you here ♪ ♪♪ ♪ And when it's dark outside ♪ ♪ And all of the world ♪ ♪ Feels gray ♪ ♪ Tell me I can lean on you ♪ ♪ Chase my every waking care ♪ ♪ Away ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Lord knows, Lord knows ♪ ♪ Lord knows ♪ ♪ I-I-I-I ♪ ♪ Need you here ♪ ♪ I need you here ♪ ♪ Damn being strong on my own ♪ ♪ I need you here ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank y'all so much.

So, in your career, you had an appearance on NBC's "The Voice."

I did.

I know, you know, some folks watching or people who follow your music, that might have been their first introduction to you.

Can you talk a little bit about kind of what that experience was like for you?

Yeah.

First of all, it felt a little bit like this.

[ Both laugh ] But this feels more comfortable, which I'm, like, excited about.

But, you know, like, that was sort of a big part of it, is, like, getting comfortable with, like, you know, "There's a camera here, but we're talking."

You know, that sort of thing.

But, really, you know, what I loved about that experience -- and I'm a person who, you know, has sort of seen those shows sparingly throughout the years and didn't necessarily picture myself as being a part of one -- it was a great opportunity during the pandemic.

And, like, I was just so grateful.

Like, "Oh, this is so cool.

I get to have this experience when there's no shows, there's really nothing for me to do but, you know, write music, and now I have this opportunity."

And I think what I loved most about it was, it's always the people.

You know, like, you just meet all these brilliant artists from around the country who are sort of trying to do the same thing that you are, and trying to, like, get their voice out in the world, but also, like, tell their story, and you get to hear those stories and you get to learn things from each other.

And it was, you know, quarantine, so we weren't able to really go anywhere.

So it was just us, you know, for, you know, the whole time I was there, just, like, every day, going out to the courtyard with our masks on and, like, singing music together.

So I really loved that.

I felt, like, a real camaraderie with a lot of people that were on the show, and I think I learned a lot about what it means to perform, what it means to express, and just, like, enjoyed a cool experience.

Like, it was so fun.

Yeah, yeah.

It was really cool to be out there and just be a part of an energetic and kind of vibrant, sort of fun experience.

This is, like, the coolest space.

[ Laughter ] We were sort of, like, telling everybody -- When we were setting up, I'm like, "This looks awesome."

We're so glad to, like, play in such a cool, like, set.

Like, your name's on a marquee?

That's cool.

So I'm very excited about that.

I had to take a picture with, like, the marquee beforehand.

So, that song was called "I Need You Here."

It's off of an album of ours called "Happy" that came out about a year ago, as is this next song, called "By and By."

It's sort of my reflections on happiness -- what it means to be happy, what it means to have happiness that is not in denial... [ Laughs ] ...but sort of accepts all the complexities of life and still finds a way to be grateful and to savor the life that we've been given.

So, this song is called "By and By," and it is sort of my note to myself to have a little grace for myself in getting to that place.

♪♪ ♪♪ [ Band vocalizing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Looking out over another morning ♪ ♪ And everything out there looks just the same ♪ ♪ So I felt angry without any warning ♪ ♪ Mad the world don't seem to wanna change ♪ ♪ There's a bitter kind of feeling ♪ ♪ I've been feeling in my bones ♪ ♪ And it's hard to keep the faith and ♪ ♪ Have the patience to press on ♪ ♪ But I'll get there by and by ♪ ♪ I'll get there by and by ♪ ♪ I know there's 10,000 problems around ♪ ♪ That I want all the answers to now ♪ ♪ Get there by and by ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Something hit me hard the other morning ♪ ♪ That I'm the only one that I can change ♪ ♪ Change, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ So I felt guilty without any warning ♪ ♪ For holding ill will toward anyone ♪ ♪ I feel has caused me pain ♪ ♪ I'm trying to lose that bitter feeling ♪ ♪ I've been feeling in my bones ♪ ♪ And I'm trying to keep the faith and ♪ ♪ Have the patience to press on ♪ ♪ Get there by and by, yeah ♪ ♪ Get there by and by ♪ ♪ I know there's 10,000 problems around ♪ ♪ That I want all the answer to now ♪ ♪ Get there by and by ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Yeah, in our times ♪ ♪ Hope feels small ♪ ♪ Hard come the answers ♪ ♪ Or never at all ♪ ♪ But we know that love will win ♪ ♪ One sweet day, long may it rule ♪ ♪ Long may it reign ♪ ♪ We'll get there by and by ♪ ♪ Get there by and by ♪ ♪ I know there's 10,000 problems around ♪ ♪ That I want all the answers to now ♪ ♪ Get there by and by ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Get there by and by ♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you so much.

So, how is the James Tutson now different than the James Tutson that wrote your last album, and how does that come through in your music?

Yeah, that's a really good question.

Wow.

I think a lot of things are different.

You know, I wrote that last album in a period of transition and sort of questioning, like, what is next?

You know, the album is called "Happy," and it's about being happy.

You know, we all want to be happy.

I think our world is in a place where, like, a lot of people would have said that they were happy, but also maybe that happiness was rooted in not caring about other people and the struggle that they were going through.

You know, like, there were a lot of protests and all those sort of things that were happening.

And the world is still tumultuous.

But just questioning, like, what does it mean to, like, have true happiness that's rooted in connection and rooted in empathy and rooted in all these things that might be hard.

You know, it might be hard to hear some of these stories, and then you still try to maintain happiness.

And I think I've just sort of made strides.

I feel like I'm happier.

I feel like maybe one of my gifts is holding all the tensions of the world and still seeing it as a beautiful place or a place that I want to be.

And so, this current project, I think -- It's actually specifically about my relationship with my wife, but it's -- My friend and I were sort of talking about, all the love albums are so happy, right?

And I think, after writing "Happy," I learned, like, well, happy means a lot of things.

It means, like, this whole story of all the ups and downs, like, the hard things, the little quirks about each other, the, like, distant times, the close times, all that sort of stuff.

I wanted to tell a story that was all of it, not just the part that's like, oh, that feels good.

And even some of the parts that feel good, you look back on and you're like, "Oh, I viewed that situation in a totally inaccurate way," or, "I was young and dumb, and should have, you know, thought differently about that."

And so I have enjoyed sort of writing through that process, but I just sort of feel like a lot of integrated gratitude for all those ups and downs and the tensions that come with that relationship, but also existing in our world.

And maybe happiness, you know, despite the downs, right?

Yeah.

Or finding happiness within them, right?

Yeah, for sure.

Almost, happiness is a state of existing, no matter what is around you.

Absolutely.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

We're gonna play you a couple new songs that have really never been performed before.

I wrote this sort of as a project about my relationship with my wife and all of what that means, to be in a relationship.

All of the, like, great, happy highs and the joys and the easy, you know, kind of way that you have around each other.

And then, like, all the difficulties and all the hard things, and then what it means to just, like, get to know someone on that deep level where you, like, inevitably will hit, you know, things that are struggles, you know, things that you have to work out, things that take years to sort of navigate.

And I try to -- I wanted to capture all of that.

I did it, it was great.

I captured it all.

No, but I really wanted to do a project that tried to give the full scope, not just all the happy things.

So this song is called -- the next two songs are from that album, and this song is called "What You Chose."

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I'm a fool, I don't know how to do this ♪ ♪ I'm a fool, I don't know how to say what I need ♪ ♪ But, lately, I've been wanting reassurance ♪ ♪ And I'm afraid that you won't understand what I mean ♪ ♪ But, honey, sometimes I need to know you want me ♪ ♪ Not need me ♪ ♪ And sometimes I need to hold your hand ♪ ♪ Not your hopes ♪ ♪ Sometimes I need to know you like me ♪ ♪ Not love me ♪ ♪ And sometimes I need to know you'd choose what you chose ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Our commitment list is growing longer ♪ ♪ Our responsibilities are more and more real ♪ ♪ And I know you're with me as a partner ♪ ♪ But sometimes I miss the way that this ♪ ♪ Used to feel ♪ ♪ Sometimes I need to know you want me ♪ ♪ Not need me ♪ ♪ And sometimes I need to hold your hand ♪ ♪ Not your hopes ♪ ♪ Sometimes I need to know you like me ♪ ♪ Not love me ♪ ♪ And sometimes I need to know you'd choose what you chose ♪ ♪ Honey, sometimes I need to know ♪ ♪ You want me, not just need me, dear ♪ ♪ Sometimes ♪ ♪ I need to hold your hand ♪ ♪ Not your hopes ♪ ♪ Sometimes I need to know you like me ♪ ♪ Not love me ♪ ♪ And sometimes ♪ ♪ I need to know you'd ♪ ♪ You'd choose what you chose ♪ ♪ Sometimes I need to know you want me ♪ ♪ Not need me ♪ ♪ And sometimes I need to hold your hand ♪ ♪ Not your hopes ♪ ♪ Sometimes I need to know you like me ♪ ♪ Not love me ♪ ♪ And sometimes I need to know you'd choose what you chose ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you so much.

When you're performing, is there something specific that you hope people take away from your performances?

Honestly, you know, I maybe should think about that more.

I've been really trying to engage with, like, what I'm taking away.

You know, I sort of deal with my own things about, like, you know, you want the performance to be really good.

You want to, like, feel like it was, like, well performed and people were sort of wowed by your skill.

And my path is always, like, trying to focus on, like, "Yeah, but how am I feeling with this?

Like, what am I communicating, and how am I connecting with my story?"

And, like, I sort of turn a little internal during a performance because I want to teach myself the lesson of freedom, of freedom from the performative aspect, and freedom from the expectation, or even, like, the audience approval of that message.

What you're looking for is connection, not approval.

You know what I mean?

And so I sort of, like, try to coach myself up and keep myself maybe grounded in the songs and the story in a way that lets me leave the show feeling like, "Phew!

I said what I wanted to say."

Who are you currently listening to?

What are you kind of drawing inspiration from as you record this new project?

Yeah.

We talk a lot about Faye Webster.

We talk a lot about -- I'm always talking about Lake Street Dive.

I think they're amazing.

I've been collaborating with the fellows from a band called The Dip that are incredible.

I'm always listening to Bill Withers.

I'm always listening to -- I've mentioned Stevie Wonder and Sam Cooke and Otis Redding and all those old people, you know.

And one of the -- a couple of new people I really love right now -- Abraham Alexander was just here in Des Moines some months back.

And I've been paying attention to his kind of burgeoning career.

And Leon Bridges is in that same sort of vein.

Some of those guys that are doing soul music and really engaging in just, I don't know, creative and meaningful ways.

I try to emulate that and learn from those guys, too.

This next song is called "Lucille."

I'll let it speak for itself.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ You're still a willow ♪ ♪ Leaves on your pillow ♪ ♪ All of these emotions ♪ ♪ On the wind ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Roots of your sadness ♪ ♪ Down through your mattress ♪ ♪ Ain't no need in asking where you been ♪ ♪ Darling Lucille ♪ ♪ How do you feel?

♪ ♪ Just say you're needing more love ♪ ♪ And I'll find enough to give ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I'm still a sparrow ♪ ♪ Feeling the wind blow ♪ ♪ Use to flying south for warmer skies ♪ ♪♪ ♪ But if you would let me, if you'd let me ♪ ♪ I could be steady ♪ ♪ Keep on coming south down 35 ♪ ♪ Darling Lucille ♪ ♪ How do you feel?

♪ ♪ Just say you're needing more love ♪ ♪ And I'll find enough to give ♪ ♪ Darling Lucille ♪ ♪ How do you feel?

♪ ♪ Honey, just say you're needing more love ♪ ♪ And I'll find enough to give ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Darling Lucille ♪ ♪ How do you feel?

♪ ♪ Honey, just say you're needing more love ♪ ♪ And I'll find enough to give ♪ ♪ Oh, darling Lucille ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Oh, darling Lucille ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Just say you're needing more love ♪ ♪ I'm gon' find some more ♪ ♪ I'm gon' find some more to give ♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you so much.

So, your song "Holy" is kind of one of your more well-known songs.

There's a lot of metaphors in that song that are kind of related to the church, really, about love.

Yeah.

What was that kind of choice for you, and what kind of -- where did you draw inspiration in that songwriting process?

Yeah, I feel like I'm always sort of, like, drawing inspiration from that sort of, like, gospel history, especially in, like, songs like that, that even, you know, the last time I played for PBS, I had a choir behind me singing that.

You know what I mean?

Like, it just feels right and natural for me.

But, you know, I think that's a space that has meant a lot to my family and has grown and changed and shifted, and can also be a system that does ignore when people are not well, you know?

Or excludes or pushes aside or says -- Like, a lot of people have experiences with faith and with sort of that part of life, of like, "I felt less than in that space."

And that song was sort of my encouragement to my friends, of sort of like, "Yeah, I still think you're holy, you know, and I still think you're worth dignity.

I still think you are worth love.

I still think you are a holy being," you know, like, to be, you know, like, experienced and -- like, to me, you know, like, when I think about faith, like, that's what it is.

Like -- We're back to relationships, but it's being with people.

The people are special.

Yeah, yeah.

The people are the unique thing to be cherished and to be appreciated.

And I just, in that moment, felt -- I felt a lot of that coming back from "The Voice," because I had just experienced so many different types of people and really felt like, "Man," like, that was a, you know, for lack of a better word, holy space, you know?

To, like, be around all these great people who are so different than me, so many different backgrounds.

But, like, that's life.

You know, that's what it's about.

Yeah.

So, yeah.

I think there's a lot of sort of gospel metaphor in there intentionally.

And I just really enjoyed writing it.

And I often reflect on that as sort of like a song that taught me about songwriting, you know?

Like, as I was writing that, I thought, like, "I'm learning a lot about how to do this in a way that feels more accurate to myself and feels good."

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ You're my type of pew ♪ ♪ I just rest in you ♪ ♪ And get ready for the spirit ♪ ♪ You're my hymnal book ♪ ♪ I just need to look ♪ ♪ And it's almost like I hear it ♪ ♪ You're my old stained glass ♪ ♪ All the lights are cast ♪ ♪ Spilling colors on my face ♪ ♪ You're my homily ♪ ♪ How you call to me ♪ ♪ Gave me hope with all your grace ♪ ♪ I still think you're holy ♪ ♪ I still think you're holy ♪ ♪ I still think you're holy ♪ ♪ You're still holy to me ♪ ♪♪ ♪ You're my gospel choir ♪ ♪ Catching heaven's fire ♪ ♪ Made me want to grab a tambourine ♪ ♪ You're my testimony ♪ ♪ When you stand before me ♪ ♪ I can't help it, I believe ♪ ♪ You're the mother's hand ♪ ♪ Laying on my head ♪ ♪ Don't you make me feel so blessed ♪ ♪ And when the world gets scary ♪ ♪ You're my sanctuary ♪ ♪ When I can feel the good Lord's wrath ♪ ♪ Oh, you're holy ♪ ♪ I still think you're holy ♪ ♪ I still think you're holy ♪ ♪ You're still holy to me ♪ ♪ I still think you're ♪ ♪ Holy ♪ ♪ You're an answer to prayer ♪ ♪ Holy ♪ ♪ Oh, whenever you're near ♪ ♪ Yes, you are ♪ ♪ I believe you're still holy ♪ ♪ Holy ♪ ♪ Holy ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, yeah ♪ ♪ Holy to me ♪ ♪ I still need you here ♪ ♪ You make the good Lord clear ♪ ♪ I still think you're ♪ ♪ Holy ♪ ♪ So let the church save me ♪ ♪ I still think you're ♪ ♪ Holy ♪ ♪ I don't care where you've been ♪ ♪ You're still holy ♪ ♪ Holy ♪ ♪ Holy to me ♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you so much.

So, the album is called "Happy."

One of the songs, the title track, is called "Happy."

But it's not necessarily the happiest song.

[ Laughs ] It's not.

Can you explain that?

Yeah, that was my reflection on, you know, existing in some systems that were thriving at a time when I felt like, "Many of us are not thriving, and you are doing very little to address these issues."

You know, at that time, there were a lot of Black Lives Matter protests.

There was a lot of conversations about just the sort of tensions in our country at the time.

Yeah, it just was a part of some -- a few different systems that I felt like, "You're doing great.

But why?"

You know what I mean?

Like, why are we not addressing these -- what I find to be really meaningful issues.

Why are we not talking about them?

Why are we not sort of in lament with the people that are in lament?

And so, yeah, I wrote that song "Happy" as the title track to sort of be like -- the chorus just says, like, "And you're happy."

Like, all this is sort of going on, and you're happy.

Which, you know, you don't want to root for someone to be unhappy.

But it was sort of maybe a question mark.

I think the song even ends with, "Are you happy?"

You know, like, that's the question.

Is that actual happiness or is that ignorance, which, you know, ignorance is bliss, but it's not the same thing.

So, yeah.

I'm going to play you a sad song now called "Happy."

[ Chuckles ] So, yeah, I sort of introduced this album a little bit.

But in 2022, I released an album called "Happy" about all of the sort of tensions with being happy.

I think we experience a lot of turmoil in our world, and there's just part of some communities and systems that seem to be doing fine, even though many people were suffering.

And I found that to be an interesting tension.

And it just made me want to ask the question, like, "How do I be happy?

How do I have happiness, accept reality?"

My friend always says the degree to which you can be healthy is the degree to which you can accept reality.

So how do we accept reality when it's difficult and maintain happiness?

So this is the title track of the album, and it's sad, but sort of in a happy way.

[ Chuckles ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I won't ever leave you lonely ♪ ♪ I remember what you told me ♪ ♪ And I remember how it felt ♪ ♪ Every time you helped me out ♪ ♪ Every part of you belongs here ♪ ♪ Every part of you is loved here ♪ ♪ Everything you said was gold ♪ ♪ I admit, you had me sold ♪ ♪ I was working such a long time ♪ ♪ Building this house for us both ♪ ♪ Never thought that I'd be outside ♪ ♪ Watching you live in a home ♪ ♪ Yet you're happy ♪ ♪ You're still happy now ♪ ♪ Oh, you're happy ♪ ♪ Oh, you're happy now ♪ ♪ Oh, you're happy ♪ ♪ Oh, you're happy now ♪ ♪ Oh, you're happy now ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Give me everything you can give ♪ ♪ I remember you demanded ♪ ♪ Fealty in the guise of faith ♪ ♪ Just for me to have a place ♪ ♪ And I'm not saying that you tricked me ♪ ♪ But I ain't seen no finer printing ♪ ♪ And I know I'm a damn cliché ♪ ♪ Hoping that one day you change ♪ ♪ But I was working such a long time ♪ ♪ Building this house for us both ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Never thought that I'd be outside ♪ ♪ Watching you live in a home ♪ ♪ And you're happy ♪ ♪ Yes, you're happy now ♪ ♪ Oh, you're happy ♪ ♪ Oh, you're happy now ♪ ♪ Oh, you're happy ♪ ♪ Oh, you're happy now ♪ ♪ Oh, you're happy now ♪ ♪ Oh, you're happy ♪ ♪ Oh, you're happy now ♪ ♪ Oh, you're happy ♪ ♪ Oh, you're happy now ♪ ♪ Oh, you're happy ♪ ♪ Oh, you're happy now ♪ ♪ Oh, you're happy now ♪ ♪ Are you happy?

♪ ♪ Are you happy now?

♪ ♪ Are you happy?

♪ ♪ Are you happy now?

♪ ♪ Are you happy?

♪ ♪ Are you happy now?

♪ ♪ Are you happy now?

♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Can you talk a little bit about your song "Start Again" and the story behind that?

Yeah.

That too -- You know, that was sort of written around the same time as "Happy."

And I entertained maybe trying to put it on that album.

But that was our opportunity during the pandemic, right?

Like, why can't we start again?

You know what I mean?

Like, instead of existing in some of those systems that I was describing, that maybe I find to be, you know, lacking in sort of the empathy or the structure to sort of handle our changing world, what if we scrapped it?

[ Laughs ] What if we started from scratch?

Like, let's take these feelings and this energy that we're feeling and make it new.

I had a friend, I had a phone call with him, and we were sort of talking about some of this, and I was saying, like, "Oh, man, like, I'm trying to, like, you know, fix this workspace that I'm in.

I'm trying to, like, have these conversations."

And he's like, "You know, some systems are just rooted in bad things, and you might just need to have some new roots."

And I was like, yeah.

Like, you can't always tinker, you know?

Yeah, yeah.

Tinker a system into, like, being equitable or being, you know, a caring or compassionate space.

Some things weren't designed that way intentionally.

Yeah, right.

You know, to begin with.

So you may have to start again and just build something new.

You don't have to continue in the path of, "Well, I guess I just have to, like, grin and bear it or sort of swallow this the way that it is."

So, yeah, that's sort of why I wrote that song, and it's still developing.

We still -- You know, we rewrote it for today, just sort of, like, reconfigured it, because it's a song that we like, and it's a fun one to play.

Well, James, thanks so much for joining us.

Yeah.

Thanks for coming back to PBS.

Appreciate you being here.

Glad to be here.

Yeah.

Thanks again.

Yeah.

Okay, we're gonna play two more songs, and I'm not going to talk about them.

This song is called "Start Again."

It's about, um, starting again.

[ Chuckles ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Yeah, the days are long, and the nights feel longer ♪ ♪ I keep looking for a place to rest my head ♪ ♪ 'Cause the world is black and white ♪ ♪ Just the other night ♪ ♪ Colors started to bloom ♪ ♪ And I think it's time to move ♪ ♪ Whoa, honey ♪ ♪ Why can't we start again?

♪ ♪ Why can't we start again?

♪ ♪ Why can't we start again?

♪ ♪ Honey, why can't we start again?

♪ ♪♪ ♪ Honey, the time is short, and it's getting shorter ♪ ♪ I keep looking for a place to rest my head ♪ ♪ 'Cause the world is black and white ♪ ♪ Just the other night ♪ ♪ Colors started to bloom ♪ ♪ And I think it's time to move ♪ ♪ Whoa, honey ♪ ♪ Why can't we start again?

♪ ♪ Why can't we start again?

♪ ♪ Why can't we start again?

♪ ♪ Honey, why can't we start again?

♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ It's a world with shades of gray ♪ ♪ Just the other day ♪ ♪ Colors started to bloom ♪ ♪ And I think it's time to move ♪ ♪ Whoa, honey ♪ ♪ Why can't we start again?

♪ ♪ Why can't we start again?

♪ ♪ Why can't we start again?

♪ ♪ Honey, why can't we start again?

♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you so much.

We're going to play one more song for you guys off of the new record.

This song's called "Pick Up Your Crown," and we hope you enjoy it.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Honey, you best puff your chest ♪ ♪ Show your pride ♪ ♪ Strut like the cool peacocks do, feathers high ♪ ♪ Ain't no shame to your game ♪ ♪ You be free ♪ ♪ And there ain't a thing on the screen that you can't be ♪ ♪ But, honey, I know you've been low ♪ ♪ But I won't let 'em keep you down ♪ ♪ And I won't let you leave ♪ ♪ What you need there on the ground ♪ ♪ So could you pick up your crown?

♪ ♪ Darling, pick up your crown ♪ ♪ Oh, honey, pick up your crown ♪ ♪ Go on, pick up your crown ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Feel what you feel if it's real ♪ ♪ And that's all right ♪ ♪ Do what you're made to, not what they make you ♪ ♪ Don't think twice ♪ ♪ And, oh, honey, ain't no shame ♪ ♪ To your game ♪ ♪ You be free ♪ ♪ There ain't a thing on this green that you can't be ♪ ♪ Honey, I know you've been low ♪ ♪ But I won't let 'em keep you down ♪ ♪ And I won't let you leave ♪ ♪ What you need here on the ground ♪ ♪ So could you pick up your crown?

♪ ♪ Darling, pick up your crown ♪ ♪ Oh, honey, pick up your crown ♪ ♪ Darling, pick up your crown ♪ ♪ Honey, don't be scared to lift your head ♪ ♪ Lay those burdens down ♪ ♪ Pick up your crown ♪ ♪ Pick up your crown ♪ Real quick, I want to introduce you to the band.

Back here on the bass, we got Heath Hospodarsky.

[ Audience cheers ] Over here to my left, in the beautiful black shirt, Erik Lehmann.

[ Audience cheers ] Behind me on the drums here, Professor Doctor Tyler Carrington.

[ Audience cheers ] My name is James Tutson.

We got just a little more of this song.

This part goes like this.

♪ Higher, higher ♪ ♪ Higher, higher ♪ ♪ Higher, higher ♪ ♪ Higher, higher ♪ ♪ Higher, higher ♪ ♪ Higher, higher ♪ ♪ Higher, higher ♪ ♪ Higher, higher ♪ ♪ Oh, pick up your crown ♪ ♪ Pick up your crown ♪ ♪ Darling, pick up your crown ♪ ♪ Oh, pick up your crown ♪ ♪ Honey, don't be scared to lift your head ♪ ♪ Lay those burdens down ♪ ♪ Pick up your crown ♪ ♪ Darling, pick up your crown ♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you guys so much.

Thank you for being here.

Thank you to PBS for having us.

Thank you guys for being here.

And you guys have a wonderful night.

Thank you so much.

[ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you so much.

Have a good night, y'all.

Funding for this program was provided by Friends, the Iowa PBS Foundation, as well as generations of families and friends who feel passionate about the programs they watch on Iowa PBS.