Ben Nichols is best known as the frontman and songwriter for the

long-running Memphis rock band Lucero. Now, at age 50, he is

releasing one of his most personal pieces of work, a rare solo

album titled In the Heart of the Mountain.

The album features Nichols on acoustic guitar and vocals, as well

as the occasional electric guitar solo and percussion. He is

accompanied by Morgan Eve Swain (The Huntress and the Holder

of Hands, The Devil Makes Three, Brown Bird) on violin and

backing vocals, Cory Branan on electric and acoustic guitars, and

Todd Beene (Chuck Ragan, Glossary) on pedal steel and electric

guitars. It was recorded at Southern Grooves studio in Memphis,

Tennessee with Matt Ross-Spang as the recording and mixing

engineer.