Latest Song Shares a Compelling Story
Radio SoBro’s NuMu Friday Feature On Sept. 20
Now Available On All Digital & Streaming Platforms
“’Absalom’ is a fantastic storytelling masterpiece full of history about the origins of Music City. Dave does an incredible job paying homage to our city’s namesakes. We are proud to have this streaming in our rotations on Nashville’s own.” – Radio SoBro
“Dave Lenahan’s new song is not only awesome, but the storytelling in his music is even more impressive. When listening to ‘Absalom,’ sitting back with a good drink in hand, you realize that in this song, the story it coveys, and its production are a true labor of love!” – Jonathan Steele, Crazy Train Radio
“The new song, ‘Absalom,’ by Dave Lenahan has a powerful message. It reminds us to preserve what is important in life. Never forget our history and our ancestors.” – Brandon Morrell, The Backstage Pass (Powered by The Sports Guys Podcast)
(Nashville, TN – Sept. 17, 2024) – Singer/songwriter Dave Lenahan is excited to release his compelling new grassroots country/Americana single, “Absalom.” “Absalom” is a true labor of love. It is very personal, crafted from real-life experience, raw emotion, and every word counts. It will be featured twice on Radio SoBro’s NuMu Friday on September 20th. Listen HERE.
The captivating and inspiring song takes listeners back in time on a historical musical journey. It is a true “story-teller” song. The idea came to fruition when Lenahan stumbled upon an old grown-over abandoned cemetery, practically in his own backyard, and was immediately moved. He instantly knew he wanted to do something about it; to honor his newfound acquaintance, Absalom, who was buried there in 1834 alongside his wife. “Absalom” was co-written by Lenahan and Norm McDonald. It was produced by Cedric Israel and the track, simple yet powerful, showcases the incomparable guitars and mandocello by Landon Fishburn, and the the nostalgic sound of the fiddle by Grammy-award-winning musician, Joe Spivey (The Time Jumpers), which is the perfect complement to this traditional song. “Absalom” is now available on all digital and streaming platforms.
“I discovered the Absalom Gleaves Cemetery while walking in my neighborhood in Hermitage, Tennessee,” reflects Lenahan. “It was lost to history and grown over. Absalom was buried there in 1834. I got permission from the family to begin clearing and cleaning it up. This is the story of my adventure and trip down the Absalom rabbit hole. Absalom was a remarkable man. He was a Davidson County Magistrate with connections to Andrew Jackson and James Robertson who named the city of Nashville. To my surprise, we found more than 30 other graves on this site. The song and the project have been a labor of love and my goal is to preserve and protect his final resting place among all the urban sprawl.”
“I came upon ole Absalom when the Tennessee sun was high
His name was on an old forgotten cemetery sign
With the woods grown up behind it and tall honeysuckle brush
I only walked on by it
but I wondered who he was
One day in late October when the leaves began to fall
I saw a lone stone obelisk rising up above it all
I had to go on back later with a saw and pruning shears
And cut my way to where he lay for a hundred ninety years
Absalom, O Absalom, what ya doing in that ground
Absalom, O Absalom, who was this man I found
Wonder what took you down
His stone said he departed life in 1834
His wife laid there beside him, she lived 32 years more
Katherine and Absalom, your stories’ still untold
The more I cleared, the more I fell on down that rabbit hole
I found Mary Wolford beneath the old oak tree
Her connection to the family is still a mystery
Saw Aunt Nancy’s epitaph – loving wife and mother dear
And thirty-four more unmarked graves of others buried there
Chorus
His family had this property from Wilson County to the stones
What you see that wasn’t his – his brother Thomas owned
He joined Creel’s militia learned how to give ’em hell
Rode with Colonel Jackson in the War of 1812
I can’t help to ponder ‘bout the person that you were
Family man and farmer at least that’s what I heard
Found some of your letters to your family and friends
Wonder if I’ll ever know just how your story ends
Chorus
Today as I make my way down busy Central Pike
I see a peaceful park up the hill and on the right
It’s crowded and surrounded by so much urban sprawl
But a lone stone obelisk rises up above it all….”
Cedric Israel adds, “Dave Lenahan has done something rare these days in the world of music. Dave has captured the story and and spirit of an era in history that has been forgotten, but still shapes the world we live in today. ‘Absolom’ is an intriguing and energetic song about a prominent member of Nashville society, and it makes one wonder about this man’s life and death and how he affected what we now know as Nashville and Hermitage. It was an honor to have produced this special song!”
Lenahan will be releasing the corresponding music video in the coming weeks which includes 84-year- old Owen Gleaves, a descendant of of Absalom. Gleaves and Lenahan have become friends and when Gleaves is able, he has been helping Lenahan to restore the cemetery to its original glory.
Lenahan’s award-winning Songwriters Connection Podcast will be celebrating one million streams during a special event at Nashville’s Commodore Grille on Saturday, September 28th beginning at 7 PM. You won’t want to miss this show! The lineup features some of Nashville’s finest songwriters, a mix of established hit songwriters and rising talent, all sharing the stage for an unforgettable night of music!
UPCOMING TOUR DATES:
Sept. 28 – Songwriters Connection Celebration, Commodore Grille, Nashville, TN, 7 PM
Oct. 2 – Commodore Grille, Nashville, TN, 7:30 PM
Oct. 6 – Commodore Grille, Nashville, TN, 7 PM
Oct. 8 – The Pub of Donelson, Nashville, TN, 9 PM
Oct. 17 – The Lost Paddy Irish Pub & Restaurant, Nashville, TN, 8 PM
Oct. 18 – Puckett’s Grocery & Restaurant, Franklin, TN, 7 PM
Oct. 21 – Commodore Grille, Nashville, TN, 7:30 PM
Nov. 10 – The 404 Kitchen, Nashville, TN, 9 PM
To learn more about Dave Lenahan, his music, and shows, visit his Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Spotify, and YouTube. To learn more about Songwriter Connection Podcast click HERE.
ABOUT DAVE LENAHAN
Dave Lenahan is a passionate and prolific songwriter and a veteran of country radio. Music is in his blood and his diversified musical influences and unique life experiences are all reflected in his music to create a unique style of his very own. Raised in Cleveland, Ohio, music was always an integral part of Lenahan’s life. He has fond memories early on of his grandfather bringing home boxes of 45 records taken from local jukeboxes and listening to them for hours at a time as well as singing in the church choir with his mother and playing guitar for church masses with his brother.
As years passed, Lenahan landed a job in radio working in the jazz, rock, and adult contemporary formats, and later accepted a position at WOBL outside of Cleveland – the first station in the northeast to play country music. Following that, Lenahan moved over to the award-winning WUBE, and then took over the drive-time slot on WYGY in Cincinnati. Lenahan’s longstanding radio career spanning three decades allowed him the opportunity to meet and interview many of country music’s legends and iconic artists including Willie Nelson, Brooks & Dunn, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts, and Montgomery Gentry.
Working in the country format required frequent trips to Nashville and with every visit, it became increasingly difficult to leave. He fell in love with Nashville and the music community so as his full-time radio career was winding down, Nashville kept tugging at his heartstrings. Around this time, he discovered Nashville Songwriters Association International and was invited to speak to their members about the process of how songs are chosen to be on the radio and how they enter and rise up the charts. He eventually became the Cincinnati Coordinator for NSAI. This was a very active group requiring more frequent visits to Music City where he found himself building in more time for co-writing sessions, seminars, networking, and to record demos on the songs he was writing. Eventually, he and his wife Patti decided to make the highly-anticipated move to Nashville.
Lenahan is comfortable in front of a mic as well as behind the scenes. He is also very connected with the Nashville songwriter community. He spends his time writing, co-writing, and working on his award-winning online show, Songwriter Connection Podcast which recently surpassed one million streams. He interviews Nashville’s top award-winning hit songwriters as well as rising talent each week about their songs and the stories behind their songs. Lenahan has been fortunate to welcome the likes of Ben Fuller, Bill Whyte, Chuck Jones, Danny Wells, Dave Gibson, H. Jack Williams, Jan Buckingham, Jason Patrick Mathews, Jeannie Seely, Jeffery Steele, John Berry, Kent Blazey, Kerry Kurt Phillips, Randy Sharp, Rivers Rutherford, Roxie Dean, Sylvia, The Flat River Band, and Wynn Varble to the show. Lenahan also co-wrote the song, “Sun Shine Down” which was co-written with and recorded by Melissa Leigh and features Claudette “Blues Queen” King (daughter of the legendary BB King) and was was nominated for a Dove award and recently received Elite Music’s Award for Podcast of the Year.
When Lenahan is not writing or recording his podcast, he can be found playing his songs all over Music City at Nashville’s most prestigious venues including The Bluebird Cafe, Commodore Grille, Millennium Maxwell House, Cabana Taps, The Local, The Listening Room Cafe. Lenahan also loves to play at songwriters festivals across the southeast. Most recently, he was part of the Gatlinburg Songwriters Festival where he shared the stage with numerous award-winning songwriters.
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