Friday, July 28th • 8:30pm • Main Stage
Their name alone conjures images of struggle. Of epic conflict, sacrifice and the eventual birth of a lasting peace. For UMG Nashville’s The War And Treaty, that struggle is found within love itself, and it forms the heart of a milestone album.
Marking the first major-label release from the acclaimed husband-and-wife duo of Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter, LOVER’S GAME lands like a romantic bomb, helping a critically acclaimed duo with a force-of-nature sound explode into the mainstream.
A powerhouse vocal duo, internationally renowned and long appreciated for live shows built on revival-like intensity, The War And Treaty now reach the next creative level. Truly honest, LOVER’S GAME finds a trailblazing act exploring their own maturing relationship. Revealing and bold, it offers unique perspective on shifting cultural tides, and the impact of a global pandemic. Taken as a whole, it’s the beginning of a new campaign to expand their borders and win the hearts and minds of country music.
“I think when people hear this album, they are going to feel the conviction of our voices and lyrical content behind these songs,” Michael explains. “For me that’s what matters most.”
Founded in Michigan in 2014, hints of that truth have always been present. But until now, their floor-shaking vocal prowess has stolen the show. Wielding a sound which cuts through the whole of Southern music tradition – from blues, soul and R&B, to gospel, country, folk and rock – the duo hasdominated stages across the globe, headlining their own shows and opening for a diverse group of living legends; Al Green, Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, John Legend, Lauren Daigle, and Van Morrison among them.
Earning respect, they’ve gone on to appear as top-flight collaborators, and they’ve also been recognized by the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Grand Ole Opry and the Americana Music Association (who named The War And Treaty its 2022 Duo/Group of the Year). But LOVER’S GAME is like a declaration of independence.
Over 10 tracks produced by multi-Grammy award-winner Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell), Michael and Tanya dig deep into the lessons their love has laid bare, especially as COVID-19 turned life upside down. More than 100 songs were written during that turbulent time, as both members searched for meaning, wisdom and joy – and although much of what they sought was found, it did not come easy.
Tracks like “Blank Page” use a rootsy R&B sway to tribute the kind of love that gives weary hearts a second wind. “Up Yonder” bounds with folky freedom in the promise of eternal companionship. And the spirit-lifting “Angel” soars on wings of gratitude (plus a sweeping steel guitar).
But meanwhile, “Have You a Heart” aches for real partnership, and “Ain’t No Harmin’ Me” roams the darkest corners of an ugly world – its fire-and-brimstone harmony used to ward off demons all around. “Dumb Luck” offers a pleading prayer for humility with spirit-swelling Gospel grit. And in the pure country “Yesterday’s Burn,” a devoted partner pledges to soothe all scars, no matter how deep they go. Each highlights another aspect of a true LOVER’S GAME, pulled from the duo by a life chapter both exciting (professionally), and gravely concerning (personally).
“I had a lot to say,” Michael explains. “It all started for me with the death of John Prine [in April 2020] – and it didn’t stop after that. You can believe whatever it is you believe, but for me, my source is God, and this was the first time in my life I’ve ever questioned him or her. I wrote maybe 30 songs standing outside our bedroom door when Tanya had COVID-19, just really confused and hoping that this wasn’t it for her. My comfort was songwriting.”
“When you look at a married couple like Michael and I, people see the happiness and they see us on stage. They see the love,” Tanya adds. “But they don’t understand that we’re just like any other couple. We have our ups and downs.”
Spurred on by the anxiety of a pandemic, a surging career and all the couple stood to lose after years of hard work, their story plays out amid a transcendent sonic landscape, with both members crediting Cobb for their most elemental, stripped-down album to date. It places The War And Treaty in a new, perhaps-broader context – yet loses none of their lionhearted sonic bravery in the process.
“Everything Dave touches is just a beautiful representation of what music should be,” Michael exclaims, citing the rootsy immediacy of Cobb’s in-the-moment recording style. “But I’ve never done music to be accepted. I’ve done music because it’s a part of who I am – a part of my DNA. Still, I think when you come from an authentic place … then people can look and say, ‘that’s country music’.”
The first song released from the forthcoming record, “That’s How Love Is Made,” is a prime example. Fighting off the resentment and apathy any long-haul love is in danger of developing, the bluesy, soul-soaked track embraces that genre-less vocal dynamism the duo has long employed. But here, they capture not just love’s enigmatic essence, but also something raw, and true to their real life – a long-established country touchstone.
Meanwhile, the project’s euphoric title track celebrates the opposite side of that coin – love’s ability to rejuvenate. Presented as a playful rock-n-roller full of starry-eyed flirtation, two weary soldiers compare romantic battle scars, and decide they still believe in the cause. Ultimately, that may be the victory The War And Treaty find, with their long LOVER’S GAME ending in something so small, yet so vital. … Hope.
“We are so amped up to release this body of work to the world,” Michael says. “We’ve worked so hard on both the music and ourselves, and we are so pleased with the outcome.”
“It takes a lot of work,” Tanya adds. “I don’t think people realize the work it takes to become the person you want to become. … We’ve had our fiery moments and we have our joy, but we always keep it focused. Love is the center of it all, and you’re going to have all these different elements in your relationship. That’s just how you grow and become stronger.”
Website: www.thewarandtreaty.com