After country singer Drake White suffered a stroke in the middle of a show back in 2019, doctors told him he may never make music again. But the Alabama native is not built to quit, and now he’s announcing a brand new album.
Titled fittingly The Optimystic, White’s first album since that fateful day will arrive on March 11, with the “Livin’ the Dream” star tapping his story to inspire others.
Known as a lifelong optimist, White’s worldview was seriously challenged by his ordeal. Months before the stroke he was diagnosed with AVM, and has been open about what happened in its wake. Losing control of his left side, it took multiple surgeries and months of physiotherapy to recover, and the album will serve as a sort of soundtrack to that fight — not to mention his intention to carry on.
“It’s been five years since my last album,” White shares. “I’ve had two record deals, six brain surgeries, a hemorrhagic stroke and a pandemic that has tried to rip us all apart. Through it all, I’ve always fought to keep my glass half full. The Optimystic is the action of keeping that glass half full and finding faith, hope and joy in the circus of this thing we call life.”
In his album announcement, White says he co-wrote 12 of 14 songs on the project, which was co-produced by himself and The Cadillac Three’s Jaren Johnston. White’s soulful vocal and swampy country-funk sound are still said to be in fine form, and tracks from the new album like “Hurts the Healing,” “Angel Side of You,” “Giants” and “Power of a Woman” have all been released already. Plus, fans can get one more new track by pre-saving the album, which will unlock the title track, “The Optimystic.”
Although he is still working on re-gaining his ability to play guitar, he did perform a series of headline concerts last year, and also plans to head out with roots rockers Whiskey Myers for the Whiskey Myers Is a Comin’ Tour this month. Full album track list below.
DRAKE WHITE – THE OPTIMYSTIC
- “50 Years Too Late” (Drake White, Leith Loftin)
- “American Thunder” (Drake White, Erik Dylan, Randy Montana)
- “Rainbow State of Mind (Feat. The Woods)” (Drake White, Dan O’Rourke)
- “Pawn Shop Rings and Double Wide Dreams” (Drake White, Allison Veltz Cruz, Jonathan Singleton)
- “Giants” (Drake White, Allison Veltz Cruz, Phil O’Donnell)
- “Hurts the Healing” (Drake White, Aaron Chafin, Allison Veltz Cruz)
- “It Takes Time” (Drake White, Chris DeStefano)
- “Power of a Woman” (Drake White, Lindsey Hinkle, Kelli Johnson)
- “Legends Never Die” (Drake White, Jeremy Bussey, Adam Sanders, Ron Womack)
- “Can’t Have My Dog” (Drake White, Kelli Johnson, Ava Paige)
- “Angel Side of You” (Drake White, Allison Veltz Cruz, Eric Paslay)
- “Free” (Allison Veltz Cruz, Connie Harrington, Zach Kale)
- “The Optimystic” (Drake White, Kelli Johnson, Lauren Weintraub)
- “Amazing Grace”