Welcome to a feature where we sit down and talk to bands and artists about their latest albums to find out all about it. Today we speak to Joe Buchanan to find out about the new album Heaven & Earth

Hey Joe, nice to meet you, tell us about yourself! 

Great to meet y’all! I’m a Jewish country music artist from Houston, TX. Been married for 26  years, raised a youngin’ who got married, and just trying to put as much good out there as I  can.  

Tell us about the new album, ‘Heaven & Earth’ 

This is a big one for sure. 15 tracks of original music, all inspired by faith and growing up in  Texas. These are songs for the bimah or the barroom and we put together one heck of a  team to get it done. It’s a great ride, all the way through.  

Favourite track on the new album and why? 

That’s like picking your favourite kid but if I had to pick one, I’d say My Beloved is a close  contender. I love a good love song and this one was inspired by my marriage.  

Tell us a bit about the recording process, was it fun to do? 

It was a hoot! This is my 3^rd studio album and first time fully stepping into the producer role. We captured everything right here in beautiful Houston, TX at Wire Road Studios with a great  band. A lot of these guys I met for the first time and we hit it off like old pals. We’ve been  doing some touring together now and it just feels like family.  

What inspired the album name? 

I believe that we’re made in the image of God, b’tzelem Elohim as we say, and that this life is  a sacred gift. We carry around a little bit of the Divine with us everywhere we go. We’re that  connection, that thread that connects Heaven & Earth. The album really represents that. It  has songs that lean into the spiritual and tunes that are about loving the land and being in  this life.  

Tell us the idea behind the album cover? 

We wanted to go simple and classic. Just a look off into the distance and an expression that  could mean a few different things. When I converted to Judaism 11 years ago, my first album,  Unbroken, just featured this beautiful painting of a tree on the cover. The second album,  Back from Babylon, was a faraway picture of me walking down a road. This one is a full-on  close up, scars and all. I’ve worked hard to become the person I am today and God knows  I’ve stumbled but kept getting up. I wanted to express that and I think we did. Plus, my wife  loves that picture.  

What one of your songs on the new album do you think will be the most difficult to rehearse  for a live audience? 

That is a GREAT question! I am a fan of live music and actually talked about this during the  recording process. I didn’t want to record anything that couldn’t be done live with a 6 piece  band. We don’t use backing tracks or stems in our live shows, it’s just us playing everything  so it has to be done right. The most difficult is “Who is Like You” just due to the layering  guitar work but we can do it for sure. 

Why should people listen to ‘Heaven & Earth’? 

It’s a blend of classic Texas country and timeless Jewish spirit, bringing two traditions  together in an authentic, joyful way. It celebrates love, identity, belonging, and the struggles  we face together. It’s proudly country and proudly inspired by my Jewish faith, celebrating  both at the same time and never straying into parody or satire. This is music that reminds us  of the holiness woven into everyday. I’m proud to say that this is a damn good album and I  wrote every one of these songs for you.  

Thank you again for all your support in reading and engaging with the website.

If you want to help support the website then you can! You can buy Holly a cup of tea (and a biscuit!)