Singled Out: Doug Kistner's Only Road I Know

Keavin Wiggins | 03-27-2021

Doug Kistner (who has performed with Trans Siberian Orchestra, John Waite, Blood Sweat and Tears and more) recently released a new track called "Only Road I Know" and to celebrate we asked him to tell us about the song. Here is the story:

With the cancelling of gigs in 2020 and after the panic of it all, I started to come up with song ideas. I realized that its time to actually finish the songs and record them, which is something that I had not done in a long time. I knew I had a good chorus melodically so I just needed to create a verse and bridge around it. Having the chorus in a different key really gives it a lift and the way it settles back into the verse is cool.

With so much time on my hands I walked everyday. I wrote the lyrics on these walks. I read that Ronnie VanZant never wrote down his lyrics. His contention was, if you cant remember them then they dont work. Lyrically "Only Road I Know" is pretty much true except for "pretty women came and went"! We're musicians, no matter what , that's all we're gonna do. That's the path.

This tune was recorded to the conga and shaker loop. I played Keyboards then guitars. The drums were recorded in a different studio, then vocals. I had a section still open. I asked Richie Canatta, the famed sax player on so many Billy Joel classics, if he would play a solo. He played a great solo and he added a Steely Dan style horn line on the outro, it worked perfectly.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen and watch for yourself below and learn more about the album here