Quinn Sullivan with JB Strauss
When it came time to write and record his fifth album, Salvation, the singer-songwriter-guitarist was processing the sudden passing of his mother. The resulting 11-track album is his most personal. Salvation honors Quinn’s musical roots while forging his path forward as an emotive and engaging singer-songwriter.
“My mom was my guiding light on this record,” the New Bedford, Massachusetts-based artist says. “I’m not a religious person, but salvation, to me, means saving yourself from a traumatic experience. That’s what this album did for me.”
Quinn has performed at prestigious venues like MSG and the Hollywood Bowl, and appeared on national TV programs like CBS Sunday Morning, Late Night, Ellen, Oprah, and more. He has gone toe to toe with guitar greats such as Buddy Guy, Carlos Santana, and BB King, who entrusted him with playing his beloved “Lucille” guitar.
What has given Quinn staying power is his evolution as a songwriting artist. Over the years, he’s integrated his exceptional guitar talent into hooky song craft, in the spirit of artists such as Marcus King, Gary Clark Jr., the Tedeschi Trucks Band, and John Mayer. Quinn’s recent association with Trouble No More—the new ensemble sanctioned by the Allman Brothers to carry on their live-performance legacy—has also contributed to the depth and maturity evident in his latest work.
That's certainly evident on WIDE AWAKE, the new album recorded in Los Angeles with producer/collaborator Oliver Leiber. WIDE AWAKE revels in range and assurance while keeping Sullivan’s guitar playing front and center on every track. The album is a musical spectrum, from the joyous reverie of the debut single “All Around The World,” to the vulnerable, airy, sweet melodicism of "Jessica" and the gentle pop of "Real Thing."
