Bear Rinehart unveiled Wilder Woods in 2019, releasing a neo-soul record that focused on new beginnings: the advent of father hood, the launch of his solo career, and the updated branding of a longtime bandleader who’d decided to expand his reach. With FEVER SKY he widens Wilder Woods’ cinematic sound while celebrating the parts of himself that made him most proud. It’s a personal, poignant record whose songs focus not upon the horizon ahead, but upon the road itself, stacked high with heartland hooks, western wooziness, southern soul, and festival worthy anthems.
“I’ve been in a band for 20 years, and a band is a demo cracy where you make decisions together,” explains Rinehart, who also fronts the Grammy nominated, chart topping band NEEDTOBREATHE. “Wilder Woods is a different outlet. I’m giving myself the freedom to do what I want to do and say what I want to say. This isn’t the kind of journey where I’m worried about the places I’m headed or the places I’ve left; it’s a journey where I’m just happy to be in the car, driving forward.”
Created alongside producer Cason Cooley, guitarist Tyler Burkum, and a small group of collaborators, FEVER SKY brims with the insights of a family man and road warrior who’s spent two decades on tour, balancing his art with his commitments at home.