“Beautiful Stranger” performed by Marcus King & Dan Auerbach Acoustic at Easy Eye Sound in Nashville.
Marcus King’s debut solo record El Dorado is a Dan Auerbach produced, genre-bending release from a world-class young talent. A 23-year-old innovative songwriter and performer who can simultaneously switch from swaggering rock to supersonic soul - Marcus’ vocal powers take center stage on El Dorado, establishing him as one of the most soulful voices of his generation.
Listen to “El Dorado": http://MK.lnk.to/eldorado
Listen to “Beautiful Stranger”: https://MK.lnk.to/BeautifulStrangerYP
Official Website: http://marcuskingband.com/
Marcus King:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realmarcusking
Instagram: http://instagram.com/realmarcusking
Twitter: https://twitter.com/realmarcusking1
The Marcus King Band:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcuskingband
Instagram: http://instagram.com/marcuskingband
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Marcuskingband
LYRICS
"Beautiful Stranger"
Beautiful stranger
You come here quite here often
I don’t know your name
But I know what you drink
You got a secret
But it’s one you can’t keep
Oh beautiful stranger
You’re an angel to me
If you’re feeling lonely
Come sit next to me
We’ll find a slow song
To dance to, and strangers
No longer we’ll be
Beautiful stranger
So lovely tonite
Could it be my future
That I see in your eyes
Take me to heaven
And do as you please
Beautiful stranger
You’re an angel to me
Beautiful stranger
You come here quite here often
I don’t know your name
But I know what you drink
You got a secret
That you can’t keep
Beautiful stranger
You are like an angel to me
Beautiful stranger
You are like an angel to me
---
Directed by Alysse Gafkjen
Edited by Russell Waddell
Written by Marcus King, Dan Auerbach, and Paul Overstreet
Produced by Dan Auerbach
Recorded and Engineered by M. Allen Parker at Easy Eye Sound
Music video by Marcus King. © 2019 Fantasy Records, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
At the tender age of 23, Marcus King has had quite a career already. There are at least four generations of musicians in his family, including his father, blues guitarist Marvin King, and he started playing guitar professionally at age 11. The Marcus King Band, focused on a jam-friendly Southern rock-blues-and-soul sound, formed in his hometown of Greeneville, S.C. in 2013, and released their first LP, 2015’s Soul Insight, via Warren Haynes’ label. The much-loved Gov’t Mule and former Allman Brothers Band guitarist and songwriter also produced MKB’s self-titled second album. In-demand Music City producer Dave Cobb worked on their third, 2018’s Carolina Confessions.
Each new Marcus King Band release has debuted in the top 10 of Billboard’s Blues Albums chart. They’ve toured extensively and launched their own festival; in September, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit headlined the third annual Marcus King Band Family Renuion. But King made a bit of a shift for his next release. While he’ll still be touring with his band, he’s made a move to Nashville, and he recorded El Dorado with The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach in the producer’s chair.
Auerbach also co-wrote the album with King and others. Above, check out the two playing an acoustic version of the song “Beautiful Stranger.” As King explains, it’s a drinking tune and a love song, co-written with ace country songsmith Paul Overstreet, who’s got a knack for the kind of emotional nuance that makes songs like this shine. (Not quite the same thing, but “When You Say Nothing at All” is great.) Auerbach may be the better-known figure, but King’s clearly the star of this show, playing lead and singing the sophisticated account of a simple story. King makes great use of his rich voice, which might bring to mind Haynes, Chris Stapleton and Jason Isbell, as well as soul legends like James Carr.
El Dorado is out Friday, Jan. 17, via Fantasy Records. You can visit King’s website or check in with your favorite local record store about preordering a copy. And if your favorite record store is Grimey’s, you can catch King there in person at 6 p.m. on release day. He also plays on the Grand Ole Opry the next night, Jan. 18 (playing solo), and he’ll be at Bonnaroo (with his band).
