Self-proclaimed “outlaw blues/trash-grass pioneers” take on a famous “outlaw” forefather with a cover of traditional American folk song “The Wayfaring Stranger”, premiering today exclusively via Live For Live Music. The new single from the the Colorado Springs natives is set to appear on the band’s forthcoming collection of traditional American music covers, Stolen Goods, due out on May 7th via Liars Club/Regime Music Group.

“The Wayfaring Stranger”, for those unfamiliar, has deep roots in the American songbook. Believed to be written at the end of the 19th century, the gospel/folk hymn has been recorded by various notable artists through the years, from Emmylou Harris to Johnny Cash to Jack White.

The live performance video for the cover presents the group’s core members, Connor O’Neal (banjo/vocals) and Shawn D’Amario (acoustic guitar/vocals), with an added bassist and washboard player in a jug band setting and cinematic aesthetic aligned with the song’s bleak themes. Beyond that, the Thieves’ take on the traditional tune, which starts slow and somber before building in speed and intensity toward a raucous climax, also neatly mirrors the band’s early days as traveling buskers in a sort of circular homage.

As Connor O’Neal explains of the Tejon Street Corner Thieves “Wayfaring Stranger” cover, “This song is just beautiful. All around one of the deepest traditional songs we play. We were so excited to add fiddle to it for our first time [on Stolen Goods] and it came out wonderfully. When we play it, I always think of my departed father and it gives me a sense of peace. It’s a very special song to me and I think we did it justice.”

Watch the video of Tejon Street Corner Thieves performing “The Wayfaring Stranger” below.

Tejon Street Corner Thieves – “Wayfaring Stranger” (Traditional)

[Video: Liar’s Club]

Tejon Street Corner Thieves’ forthcoming Stolen Goods is a 10-track collection of classic traditional Americana, folk, and bluegrass covers that pays homage to the forefathers of the genre who laid the groundwork for what would become the roots of modern folk. Recorded at Royal Recordings in Colorado Springs with producer Bill Douglass, the songs on Stolen Goods have become a staples of Tejon Street Corner Thieves live sets dating back to their early days busking the streets for pocket change.

When it came time to assemble the visual album artwork, Tejon Street Corner Thieves were blessed with an original illustration by artist Jim Evans (also known as TAZ, the “Rock Poster God”). TAZ has illustrated and designed some of the most iconic rock posters for artists ranging from Neil Young, the Ramones, Smashing Pumpkins, Pixies, and more.

“This release is a collection of songs that are staples in our band’s history. Even before we were a band, I was traveling the country and playing music and busking. I picked up a ton of traditional and old-time tunes along the way,” O’Neal explains about the Stolen Goods project. “I really got into artists like Pink Anderson and jug bands like the Mississippi Sheiks and took a ton of inspiration from them. These were the songs we played when the band first formed. Before we even started writing our own songs, these were the ones we’d play when we busked. And we’ve kept them around ever since. We love sneaking them into our sets to keep that old spirit alive.”

Shawn D’Amario adds, “The title ‘Stolen Goods’ was an easy choice for this album because we can’t take any credit for writing these. They are American traditional songs. They shaped music as we know it today. The rag songs turned into jazz, the blues songs turned into rock n roll. Like many before us, we stole them. And songs with that much history tend to be good ones!”

Pre-order a CD or vinyl copy of Stolen Goods by Tejon Street Corner Thieves ahead of its May 7th release here. Included in the limited vinyl release is the new Tejon Street Corner Thieves board game “Larry,” in which fans play and party as their favorite band member, warping through the chaotic world of life on the road.

Tejon Street Corner Thieves – Stolen Goods – Album Art by Jim “TAZ” Evans

tejon street corner thieves stolen goods, tejon street corner thieves wayfaring stranger

Tejon Street Corner Thieves kept plenty busy in 2020 despite the shutdown of regular live events and tours. When forced to cancel their touring plans when the COVID-19 global pandemic hit, Tejon Street Corner Thieves responded by doing drive-by performances in front of the houses of their fans. The band used their tour bus and a P.A system to drive through local neighborhoods and perform from inside the vehicle, while fans take in the music from their front porch, maintaining safe social distances. The performances drew the attention of local and national media. Since then, other bands across America have adopted a similar strategy for performing drive-by concerts in other states and credited Tejon Street Corner Thieves for their original idea. The duo also released the acoustic Monarch Sessions collection in October.

For more information about Tejon Street Corner Thieves, hit their website here.