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On this episode of The Recovering Catholic, Katie welcomes singer-songwriter Ruston Kelly.

Ruston Kelly is an American singer-songwriter based in Nashville, TN. Kelly writes and performs the kinds of songs that inspire novels and movies. You could call him a bastard disciple of Kurt Cobain and Townes Van Zandt, and he’d be totally cool with that. He’s just as comfortable wearing a cowboy hat as he is in a Slayer t-shirt. His story so far twists and turns through heartbreak and triumph, an overdose and rehab, empty dive bars and packed venues, living everywhere from South Carolina to Brussels. It’s this unbelievable experience that informs his singular style—a gravelly patchwork of folk lyricism, grunge attitude, country heart, Americana spirit, and rock energy. Not only has he penned songs for Tim McGraw (“Nashville Without You”), Josh Abbott Band (“Front Row Seat”), and more, but his independent solo debut EP Halloween earned acclaim from KCRW, Consequence of Sound, RELIX, Apple Music, and more. “Poison” racked up over 516K Spotify streams, while “Black Magic” soundtracked the Season Finale of the CBS series Scorpion. He logged countless miles on the road sharing the stage with the likes of The Lumineers and Robert Earl Keen in addition to performing at Bonnaroo and Wakarusa.

His latest release, Shape & Destroy, is available here.

The Recovering Catholic is Produced & Hosted by Katie Pruitt; Artwork by: Sami Wideberg (Stolen Trailers Studio); Mixed by: Guy Fell; Edited by: Justin Thomas (Revoice Media); Music by: Katie Pruitt; Additional Music by: Ruston Kelly. Revisit past episodes of The Recovering Catholic on Osiris Media. Subscribe to The Recovering Catholic wherever you get your podcasts and ask for it on Alexa. If you like what you hear, please rate and review!

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