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A brand new single is on the way from Stettler-based band Renegade Station

Free Free Free hits all streaming platforms on April 9th
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Stettler’s own Renegade Station is kicking off the spring season with a brand new single - to be released April 9th. (Photo submitted)

Stettler-based band Renegade Station is enthusiastically gearing up for the release of their latest single Free Free Free on April 9th.

The superbly-crafted tune will be available on all streaming platforms.

The song was co-written by Tony Lane (Tim McGraw, George Strait, Rascal Flatts), Tom Douglas (Lady A, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride) and Busbee (Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts, Maren Morris) and recorded at MCC Recording in Calgary with producer and engineer Johnny Gasparic (Gord Bamford, George Canyon, Snoop Dogg).

“We are fortunate enough to be pitched songs from publishing companies, and this song was actually sent to us from some Nashville writers about 18 months ago,” explained singer/bassist Luanne Carl.

Rounding out the band are Russell Carl (guitarist), Kent Nixon (guitarist, vocalist) and Scott McKnight (drummer).

“We really liked the feel of it, and we kept listening to it and listening to it,” she added. The song was initially aimed at being performed from a male vocalist’s perspective, but Luanne proposed it be interpreted from both viewpoints.

“It reaches out to more people that way. So we decided it was a song that we wanted to record for sure, and we re-worked it as Renegade Station and how we would perform it.”

They were about to hit the studio with it last April but COVID-19 suddenly put a halt to those plans.

Eventually, however, an opportunity to be able to record came along.

“We listened to that song again, and thought, ‘You know, this song is probably even more poignant now - a year into the pandemic’. Really, if this last year has taught us anything, it’s taught us that the best things in life really are free - all of those things that we took for granted.”

Luanne said working with Gasparic is always a joy as well.

“He just knows us so well and the sound that we want to have,” she explained. “He is a phenomenal producer and musician - he’s the most encouraging, uplifting and fun guy and producer to work with, so we really do have a great relationship with him and the MCC Recording Studio.

“We are also blessed to have these songwriters and that they trusted us with their words,” she added. “We know how personal a journey that is. So for them to say, ‘We’d totally be okay with you guys recording the song’ is a huge compliment and honour to us. We hope they feel that we’ve done it justice.”

Little doubt about it.

Renegade has poured their all into this particular rendition of the tune - it’s powerful, sunny, fun, catchy and just shines brightly with a striking authenticity all the way through.

“It’s so exciting,” she added of the single’s approaching release. “It has also kind of given us a new lease on life after this past year. This is really great, and we are truly excited about it.”

Looking ahead, they do have more material that is ready and waiting to be recorded.

“If and when we can, that is the plan to record more. We would love to get a full EP out again, too. So we will see how the year goes.”

Also, hitting the stage for some ‘live’ shows this year is also the dream, but time will tell how that plays out with health restrictions.

But Facebook live performances and virtual shows - and hopefully some drive-in concerts - will certainly be in the cards, too.

Meanwhile, Luanne explained how the past year has really been a reminder of how we tend to take the simple things for granted, including spending more time with her friends and family.

“Those things that are so important. We were so in the thick of things with the band - you are always booking the next big thing. But what 2020 taught us is that we’ve had so many big things!

“It gave us time to reflect, and we would think back to where we started - sitting in the backyard around a campfire, singing our harmonies and going, ‘Wow - what is this’.

“So it has really made us appreciate all of the things that we have had and have already accomplished.”

It was back in 2018 that the band released their hit single Who’s Gonna Love Me Tonight from the Along for the Ride record which garnered an armload of nominations including being in the Top 50 on the charts and the ACMA (now Country Music Alberta) Single of the Year.

The group also won back-to-back Association of Country Music in Alberta awards as Group of the Year (2015, 2016) as well as the ACMA Fan’s Choice of the Year in 2015 and they also landed a CCMA nomination for Songwriter of the Year for their tune 2:15.

Luanne was also nominated for CCMA Bass Player of the Year in 2016.

Looking back, it was an unmistakable creative connection that drew them together in the first place.

“We just gelled as musicians and our voices harmonized so well together that we all just felt we needed to do more,” said Luanne.

“So, we acquired ourselves a professional manager and began recording some originals and some songs that were pitched by incredible writers to us.”

For more about Renegade Station, check out their page on Facebook.



Mark Weber

About the Author: Mark Weber

I've been a part of the Black Press Media family for about a dozen years now, with stints at the Red Deer Express, the Stettler Independent, and now the Lacombe Express.
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