Paying homage to the stages that raised him. Vincent Neil Emerson is taking a stroll down the early days of his career, pursuing a life on stage with his latest single “Dark Horse.” Vincent Neil Emerson is gearing up to drop a brand new record, Blue Stars, on April 17 via La Honda Records. Marking the Texas natives’ 4th studio project, fans are eager to hear what’s in store, as this is Emerson’s first LP since his 2023 release The Golden Crystal Kingdom. Throughout his career thus far, Emerson has solidified himself as a songwriting mastermind rooted in tradition. He keeps the traditional sound of artists like Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark alive, while still carving out his own. “I think I’ve always gravitated towards artists that are honest about what they’re doing. It’s the most important thing because people have a chance to connect to a little more if you’re telling the truth.” The Texas native shared that he penned many of the songs on Blue Stars “on front porches, in hotel rooms, and underneath trees.” After he curated this collection of tunes, he took them to Music City. He recorded the project at Gnome Studios in Nashville, TN, with producer Patrick Lyons and Vincent’s touring band, The Red Horse Band. View this post on Instagram Emerson has given fans a strong preview of what’s in store for the record with the singles he’s released thus far: “Jet Plane,” a Bob Dylan-inspired tune, “Livin’ In the Past,” and most recently “Dark Horse.” On this single, Emerson is returning to his honky tonk roots both sonically and lyrically. The solo write by Emerson is an ode to his mother and his upbringing in East Texas and later in Fort Worth. In Cowtown, Emerson fully immersed himself in the music scene, getting his start as a songwriter and performer in the honky tonks and bars around town. From the opening lyrics, Emerson credits his mother for raising him in nature and for letting him live freely as a child, but then his mother moved them to the city, trying to make it for herself while providing a good life for her children as a single mom. In the chorus, Emerson proves that you should never bet on a “Dark Horse” because just like his mother, he is working his tail off to make a name for himself while having a career that is fulfilling to him. Emerson is one of the most honest songwriters in the game, and I always love knowing that there are personal ties to the lyrics that he sings. Blue Stars is gaining a lot of hype among VNE fans, and I am certain it will deliver come April 17. Crank it up: Blue Stars Tour Dates 4/2 – Nashville, TN 4/3 – St. Louis, MO 4/4 – Little Rock, AR 4/5 – Little Rock, AR 4/24 – Denver, CO 4/25 – Denver, CO 4/27 – Salt Lake City, UT 4/28 – Boise, ID 5/1 – Seattle, WA 5/2 – Seattle, WA 5/3 – Portland, OR 5/5 – San Francisco, CA 5/7 – Los Angeles, CA 5/8 – San Diego, CA 5/9 – Phoenix, AZThe post Vincent Neil Emerson Honors Hard-Working Single Moms With New Single “Dark Horse” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.