Kiefer Sutherland is quite the busy guy these days. On Sunday (4/30) the raspy-voiced country singer performed at Stageoach to high praise and tonight (5/2) he and his band embark on the 40+ date Not Enough Whiskey Tour that starts in his home state of California, travels across the US and follows with several stops in Europe and the U.K. before heading back to Canada and the US again. But kicking off the eventful weekend was the release of his newest music video “Shirley Jean,” which premiered on Rolling Stone on Friday (4/28).
While the songs on Down In A Hole are known to be personal, “Shirley Jean” was Sutherland’s stab at storytelling, like the greats of Cash, Jennings and Haggard. Written about a death-row inmate who pens a letter to the one woman he ever knew during his final moments (he was sent to prison at age 18), Sutherland wonderfully succeeds in taking the listener through the thoughts of this dead man walking. He explains to her how he went from one boys home to the next and then prison, but was able to get through all the years “with the wallet size picture of you on my wall / And the way that you kissed me without regret / It’s something my heart will never forget.”
A story-line like that provides material perfect for a short-film music video and, for fans of the revived FOX drama Prison Break, there could be only one go-to actor to portray the ill-fated prisoner. Robert Knepper, who plays slimy Theodore “T-Bag” Bagwell and is a long-time friend of Sutherland, humanizes the convict as he sits in his cell and writes the words Sutherland sings, telling this woman “It’s the last night that I see your face.” The viewer then sees Knepper enjoying his last meal (a burger, fries and Coke) and being lead down the long walk to the electric chair. In scenes reminiscent of Stephen King’s The Green Mile, the guards set up Knepper with wrist and ankle braces and a pillowcase over his head as reporters and witness look on, some wiping ears from their eyes.
“Shirley Jean” is yet another confirmation that Sutherland is the real deal. His lyrics make you feel and think, and can actually haunt you at times. Signs of a true artist.
And in case if you were wondering if Down In A Hole was a one-and-done album? Have no fear as Sutherland has confirmed to us in a press conference that he is “quite well into the second record” with hopes of releasing it next spring.
For more info visit kiefersutherlandmusic.com and follow Kiefer on Twitter and Facebook.
NOT ENOUGH WHISKEY TOUR 2017:
May 02 Belly Up – Solana Beach, Calif. (SOLD OUT)
May 03 Roxy Theatre – Los Angeles, Calif.
May 04 Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, Calif.
May 06 Mississippi Studios – Portland, Ore. (SOLD OUT)
May 07 Tractor Tavern – Seattle, Wash. (SOLD OUT)
May 09 Urban Lounge – Salt Lake City, Utah
May 10 Fox Theatre – Boulder, Colo.
May 12 Choctaw Event Center – Grant, Okla.
May 13 3Ten – Austin, Texas
May 14 Gruene Hall – Houston, Texas (SOLD OUT)
May 17 Terminal West – Atlanta, Ga.
May 18 Singin’ River Live – Florence, Ala.
May 19 Exit / In – Nashville, Tenn.
May 20 Fubar – St. Louis, Mo.
May 21 Thalia Hall – Chicago, Ill.
May 23 The Birchmere – Alexandria, Va. (SOLD OUT)
May 25 Bowery Ballroom – New York, N.Y.
May 26 Stephen Talkhouse – Amagansett, N.Y. (SOLD OUT)
May 27 The Stone Pony – Asbury Park, N.J.
June 01 Skraen – Aalborg, Denmark
June 03 Rockefeller – Oslo, Norway
June 04 Debaser Strand – Stockholm, Sweden
June 06 Mojo – Hamburg, Germany
June 07 Heimathafen – Berlin, Germany
June 08 Technikum – Munich, Germany
June 10 WUK – Vienna, Austria
June 12 Gloria – Cologne, Germany
June 13 Gibson – Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
June 14 La Cigale – Paris, France
June 16 013 – Tilburg, Netherlands
June 17 Melkweg – Amsterdam, Netherlands
June 18 Rockhal – Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
June 20 Bierkeller – Bristol, UK
June 21 Worthy Farm – Pilton-Somerset, UK
June 21 O2 Academy – Birmingham, UK
June 22 Islington Assembly Hall – London, UK
June 23 Trucker & Country – Interlaken, Switzerland
June 25 Glastonbury Festival – Pilton-Somerset, UK
June 26 Manchester Gorilla – Manchester, UK (SOLD OUT)
June 27 SWG3 – Glasgow, United Kingdom
Aug. 11 Boots & Hearts Festival – Oro-Medonte, Canada
Sept. 23 Bourbon & Beyond Festival – Louisville, Ky.