Lyman Ellerman - Departure (2022)

Music heals - and Lyman Ellerman is living proof of the power music has to cleanse the soul from dark times. Walking the fine line between hand-sewn Americana and traditional country, Ellerman measures his heart through his music, writing songs that reflect honesty and truth. "We need humanity so much more these days instead of judgement", he says - and his songs are proof of that mantra, reflecting the rawness of grasping to understand life's big questions and inspiring listeners to dig a little deeper themselves.

Ellerman first began singing the truth after picking up a guitar in his mid-teens. It wasn't long before he became dedicated to perfecting his songwriting craft, leading him to a local studio in Baton Rouge where he worked and learned from Bee Gees bassist Harold Cowart, who helped him produce many of his earliest recordings. Ellerman eventually moved to Nashville and struck his first publishing deal in 2005, going on to land more than 20 independent cuts on various fringe alt-country releases and collaborate with such mainstay songwriters as Marshall Tucker Band founding member and guitarist George McCorkle, Larry Steele (.38 Special), Buddy Brock (Tracy Byrd, Aaron Tippin), Wil Nance (Brad Paisley, George Strait), Bill Shore (Garth Brooks) and Keesy Timmer (Kelsea Ballerini). In 2019, his song "This Is Your Day", landed in the award winning movie Turnover, starring Paul Guilfoyle, Katherine Kramer, and Jamie Brewer, and was an Oscar contender! His song “Drink Your Wine” (from the Get Loose record) was featured in the 2016 award-winning independent film, Last Call at Murray’s, starring John Savage and Michael Gross. Having shared stages with David Allan Coe, Billy Don Burns, Dallas Moore, Jason Eady, Mudbone, TJ Hernandez, and Ward Davis, Ellerman is spreading his creative wings more than ever.

Ellerman's sturdy foundation of life experiences have allowed him to craft a cohesively appealing project with his recent album, Closer To Home. A shining example of how dark times can often yield the most outstanding work, Ellerman twists his poetic grandeur into honest reflections of love, loss, recovery, heartache, and downright authentic storytelling. Throughout the album, Ellerman settles into a comfortable place and allows himself to feel each emotional punch, not afraid to share the intimacy and honesty of each life experience with his audience. "Ellerman’s testaments to life are told with just enough detail as to feel universal in their humanity." (- Americana Highways)

Having cleansed himself of grief and heartache through song, Ellerman hopes his forthcoming music will showcase a different side.... this time one of light and hope. "I'm still a firm believer that music should be used for good - inspiration, action, acceptance, healing, laughter", says Ellerman, and his new music does just that. Without losing the sincerity of his previous work, Ellerman is writing songs that allow him to move forward with acceptance and turn a new leaf in both his personal life and his career. Favoriting live performances over anything else, Ellerman is celebrating a little more, hurting a little less, and helping his audience do the same.