Here's the story... While sheltering-at-home in upstate New York, Nick Petropoulos sent Jim McGuinn an embryonic song, urgent riffs and pounding chords, and a note referencing the separation and distance suddenly and the hope that one day soon… McGuinn loved the song and quickly fleshed out the words and melody, and added another guitar. Next the duo solicited friends, neighbors, and musicians from around the corner and around the globe to join in. Drummer Noah Levy (Brian Setzer) hammered out the beat in his home studio, and McGuinn mixed the pieces together.

“Nick and I are longtime admirers of each other’s music,” said McGuinn. “Recording is keeping us sane during these times.” Added Petropoulos, “I was inspired by soemthing Jim said about the power of music to bring us together like that last verse in Thin Lizzy's Boys are Back in Town, and then sent the song to Jim, and was blown away by what he added. This is how music is made right now - coming together in spirit (if not in person) to document where we’re at!"

“Reaching out to friends to sing was a great reason to connect with so many in the same boat - amazing to hear 30+ voices together,” said McGuinn, “then Nick added a recording off his NYC apartment balcony - people banging pans 7pm to pay tribute to front line medical workers - that’s the clanging you hear at the start and finish.”

“We’re donating proceeds to two great organizations - City Meals on Wheels NY,” said Petropoulos. “They do amazing work in the best of situations, and their efforts are vital now to help feed the elderly during COVID-19, and to Twin Cities Music Community Trust, supporting the MN scene during this time. Please donate to them, buy this track, or even just listen - all proceeds go to the cause!”

This time The People Between are Jim McGuinn Slusarek (Saint Small), Nick Petropoulos, Noah Levy (Brian Setzer), plus the voices of Steve Wynn (Dream Syndicate) and Linda Pitmon (Baseball Project, Scott McCaughey) NY; Stephen Carroll (The Weakerthans) Winnipeg, CA; Ben Lovett (Mumford and Sons) London; Grzegorz Kwiatkowski (Trupa Trupa) Gdansk, Poland; Joe Greenwald (Dirtbombs) Austin; Martin Royce (Washington Social Club) Maryland; Richard Jankowski (Big Mother Gig) LA; Jamie Olson (Midnight Singers) Philadelphia; Brett Newski, Milwaukee; John Munson (Semisonic, New Standards), Mark Mallman, Katy Vernon, Dylan Hicks. Eric Oly and Delphia Blaze (Stereomaid), Martin Devaney, Andy Halmaas (Whiskey Rock and Roll Club), Andy Iwanin (Muun Bato), Deke McCallum (The Threat of the Banjo), Joshua Holt, Minnesota. Plus Jim’s Saint Paul, neighbors: Sam Archibald, Andrew, Lindsay, and Edward Farwell, Jason and Holly Overbrook, Paul and Anne Jones, Mary, Vivi, Lucy, and Mimi McCalllum, Andi and Bettie, Becky Hochstein, Clark Koenig, Momo Hawakawa, Kim and Gordie Kokx, Todd Smith, Bryson Hatfield, and Winston the Dog.