Here is a brilliant, upbeat, foot-tapping song from Danny Burns. It’s taken from his 2021 EP ‘Hurricane’ which featured a host of outstanding artists, including Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas and Sarah Jarosz. For ‘Mercenary Song’, Burns was joined by the legendary GRAMMY-winner Steve Earle, who plays bouzouki as well as guitar on the song. ‘Mercenary Song’ is a tuneful number and both Burns and Earle are in fine voice, complementing one another well as their vocals dance above Byron House’s rhythmic bass and delightful accordion from Mike Guerra (Mavericks). It’s a brilliant blend of Americana and Danny Burns’ Irish folk roots.
The video was directed by Jim Wright, who has worked with the likes of Dierks Bentley and Darius Rucker. For ‘Mercenary Song’, Wright filmed the pair singing and playing in The Dead Rabbit, once voted the best bar in the world. He captures the duo’s camaraderie and the intimate atmosphere of the bar; we can imagine seeing these fabulous players at a folk-night in the back-room of a pub.
The EP debuted in the Top Ten of the Billboard Bluegrass Chart and topped Amazon’s Contemporary Folk New Releases Chart on its release. Burns is a rising star and ‘Hurricane’ is definitely worth checking out if you missed it. Start here with ‘Mercenary Song’ – timeless music of the highest quality.
