Mo Pitney Offers Insight Into Thoughtful New Songs

Mo Pitney’s hands have not been idle since the release of his debut album Behind This Guitar in 2016. Pitney tells Sounds Like Nashville that he’s currently in the process of working on new music, having penned roughly 20 songs and selected a handful of outside pitches in anticipation of an upcoming project.

Even in the early stages of the process, Pitney is already drawn to a selection of songs, including one titled “A Music Man” that he co-penned with revered writer Bobby Tomberlin, chronicling his journey through the music industry as he tries to keep himself grounded climbing through the ranks.

“He observed my psychology of how I handle being in the spotlight and the battle between wanting to stay humble and wanting to do it for the right reasons,” Pitney explains of how he and Tomberlin approached the song. “To not want to do it for fame and money and awards, but to do it for the same reason I did when I first started, which was I loved the gift of music.”

Feeling a strong connection to its lyrics, Pitney says “A Music Man” has the potential to serve as the title track of his next album, as the lyrics tell the story of how it’s his love of music drives him to create, not the attention that comes with being in the limelight. “I didn’t come here for money or fame, but as long as I can remember, I’ve had a guitar in my hand. It just so happened to put me on stages in front of people,” Pitney describes of the lyrics. “That’s really what the message behind it is.”

Another standout track is that of “Right Now With You,” a love song he wrote with his wife in mind, telling her that no matter what obstacles they face, he’ll always care for her. “I really wrote it for Emily,” he says of the song that he’s considering for his next single release. “It’s kind of a love song that says ‘We’ve been doing this thing for a while and we’ve hit some rough road, and I’m glad that we’re still coming out on the other side of it, able to have these special ‘Look you in the eyes and tell you I love you’ moments.’ It ends lighthearted and special between a guy and a girl.”

Perhaps the most heartwarming song he’s written recently is “Evelyne Nadine,” named after his one-year-old daughter. Fans who follow Pitney on social media may already be familiar with the sweet track, inspired by the boundless love he has for his first child. Though his experience as a father has been an awe-inspiring one, Pitney admits his first year of fatherhood presented demanding challenges that were difficult to overcome.

“I got scared part of the way through. There was times when I was fearful that I could provide, or worried that I could be the leader of a house and have little kids that look up to me, to be loved by me,” he admits. But the singer was able to push through that mindset, reveling in the special moments with Evelyne like appreciating her joyful laughs and hugs. “All that stuff that she’s giving us has just outweighed any negative thought, and it’s just been really special. I’ve done a lot of growing up, and it’s all been good,” he acknowledges.

Pitney turned this experience into song just for her, not penning it with any commercial intentions, but simply intending to create a composition that he hopes she’ll treasure when she grows up. “It was just a lullaby for her and it’s something special to me,” he says. “I hope it’s special to her one day.”

Though there are currently no specific details regarding an album completion date, Pitney is optimistic a new album is on the horizon. “Somewhere between all of those songs, we’re hoping to find a good record to record in the next tour,” he says. The “Country” singer recently released a double side-A single featuring “Clean Up on Aisle Five” and “Boy & a Girl Thing,” both featured on his debut album. He continues to tour the country through the summer.