Ron Pope is Working It Out

Count on an Atlanta-via-Nashville artist to further my argument about modern Americana. In my view, the best music exemplifying that broad term usually comes from 20 and 30-somethings who actually remember decent rock music on commercial radio. Those same impressionable kids grew up to better appreciate their parents’ country and folk tastes, blending that proven form of storytelling with their reverence for guitar heroes.

Marietta-born artist Ron Pope fits this mold as well as anyone. After all, the 34-year old singer and songwriter is known as much for his love for Bruce Springsteen as he is for a really smooth singing voice that, with different intentions, might have made for a lucrative pop music career. Lucky for us, Pope has a heart full of rock ‘n’ roll, peppered with a case of the working man’s blues.

“Figure It Out,” the lead digital single from Pope’s forthcoming Worktapes EP (out January 26), captures the workman-like musical and lyrical approach of his fellow Springsteen acolytes. It shares his memories of scraping by to survive off minimum wage and cheap beer in the first few years after college. Sadly, a lot of young people face a similar situation after following that lifelong admonition to pursue a degree.

Photo by Nicole Mago.