Rod Picott is the songs he sings. Since before Woody Guthrie songwriters have soaked their public image in sepia tones singing about the working life but Picott bears the scars of actually living the blue collar life.
Rod Picott has released twelve albums over the last twenty years and at the age of fifty-six shows no sign of slowing. Picott is a former construction worker who traded his hammer for a guitar and never looked into the rear-view mirror. Picott has written two poetry collections God In His Slippers and Murmuration (Mezcalita Press). His book of short stories titled Out Past The Wires is published by Working Title Farm. Rod Picott was born in New Hampshire, raised in Maine and has lived in Nashville Tennessee for twenty-five years. Picott has had songs placed in television and film projects including The FX series Justified and the Michael Douglas film Solitary Man. His song "Circus Girl" was featured in the PBS documentary Circus.
Picott types with two fingers as he failed typing class – though excelled in English and
Literature. Rod Picott has toured as the opening act for Alison Krauss & Union Station and won the song of the year award at The Austin Music Awards for his song “Broke Down” co-written with Slaid Cleaves. Picott’s latest release is a double cd titled Wood, Steal Dust & Dreams featuring the twenty three songs co-written with Slaid Cleaves over the last thirty years.
“Great writing is all about story, and Rod is a so damn good at story.” – Mary Gauthier
“Mesmerizing” – Rolling Stone.com
“Songs like Raymond Carver short stories” – Houston Chronicle
“A truly great songwriter” – 3rd Coast Music
“Seriously gifted” – No Depression
“Life-loving poems that tell you what you need to know.” – Nicholson Baker author of The
Anthologist
“A skilled and honed storyteller who’s slow-burning prose works like a series of brutal hits to the body that doesn’t let up.” – Brian Panowich author of Bull Mountain
The son of a welder from rural New England, Rod Picott is a masterful songwriter and soulful singer who carries with him as fine a suitcase of songs as you'll find anywhere. Slaid Cleaves, Ray Wylie Hubbard and Fred Eagelsmith have recorded Rod Picott songs. A former construction worker who hung up his tools when he released his debut CD in 2000, Picott has carved a career for himself with a run of 6 beautifully crafted self released CDs over the last 13 years and a well earned reputation as a engaging, emotion fueled performer.
Hang Your Hopes On Crooked Nail, produced by RS Field [Billy Joe Shaver, Justin Townes Earle, Hayes Carll] is a collection of carefully crafted songs of rugged truth and beauty. Recorded at Joe Pisapia's [KD Lang, Guster] Middletree Studios in East Nashville the CD highlights Picott's particular gift for exploring complex themes in common language. The eleven songs on Hang Your Hopes On a Crooked Nail offer an unblinking albeit wry gaze into our common heart and a clenched fist of defiance against the trials that tear at our humanity.