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Won't Be Around

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"Won't Be Around"
Single by Terry Blade
from the album Ethos: Son of a Sharecropper
ReleasedJanuary 6, 2023 (2023-01-06)
Recorded2022
Genre
Length2:25
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Terry Blade singles chronology
"Blue (feat. Charlie J)"
(2022) 		"Won't Be Around"
(2023) 		"Black Cowboys"
(2023)
Official Music Video
"Won't Be Around" on YouTube

"Won't Be Around" is a song by American singer-songwriter Terry Blade, released on January 6, 2023, as the lead single from his third studio album, Ethos: Son of a Sharecropper.

Background and release

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Blade released "Won't Be Around" on January 6, 2023.[1] Blade described the song as being "about leaving an abusive relationship by having the will to speak it, the courage to do it, and the strength to never return to it."[2]

The single aired on numerous NPR member stations, including WNRN-FM, KVNF, KWIT, WMKY, and South Dakota Public Broadcasting.[3][4] It also aired and was playlisted on Apple Music 1's Proud Radio with Hunter Kelly.[5] After receiving national radio airplay, the single appeared on New Music Weekly's Country Up & Coming Chart.[6]

The single was nominated for Best Americana/Roots song at the inaugural 2023 Hollywood Independent Music Awards.[7] It later won first place in the blues category of the 2023 American Songwriter Song Contest.[8]

A month after its release, the song appeared on Blade's third studio album, Ethos: Son of a Sharecropper.[9]

Music video

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Blade produced and directed the music video for "Won't Be Around", and released it on September 22, 2023.[10] For the music video's logline, Blade wrote: "The music video follows three individuals who are descendants of African-American sharecroppers, and who confront the racial history of sharecropping in the American south by showing that black bodies can exist and subsist on land in the south without the exploitation of black labor."[11]

Screenshot from the music video of "Won't Be Around".

In his Director's Statement for "Won't Be Around", Blade wrote:[11]

Sharecropping in the American South is captured in the video's rural/pastoral setting. The black suits worn by the performers represent racial blackness and the professionalism and dignity with which black American sharecroppers performed their work. Leaving the abusive relationship of sharecropping is shown by the performers not working the land, but defiantly standing/resting on it (looking directly at the viewer). In this way, the video illustrates that abusive relationships can take many forms, even economic and socioeconomic ones.

— Terry Blade, Director's statement via FilmFreeway

The music video received nominations for Best Music Video at the 14th Hollywood Music in Media Awards[12] and the Regina International Film Festival and Awards.[13] It won the awards for Social Justice and Hope, Best Fashion and Makeup, and Best Cinematography at the 7th Annual California Music Video Awards.[14]

In 2024, the music video premiered as an official selection of the Bare Bones International Film & Music Festival and the Berlin Short Film Festival, winning the award for Best Music Video at both film festivals.[15][16] The music video also premiered as an official selection of the Castle Rock Film Festival,[17] LA Shorts Fest,[18] Midwest Film Festival[19] New Media Film Festival,[20] Northeast Film Festival,[21] Prague Independent Film Festival,[22] Thin Line Fest,[23] Tribeca Festival,[24] and the Vienna Independent Film Festival.[25]

Critical Reception

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Ryan Cassata's Rock the Pigeon publication wrote: "The lyrics are raw and emotive, delving into themes of loss and love."[26] Bee Delores of B-Sides & Badlands wrote: "Blade’s voice carries immense weight and pierces right through the heart. You can’t escape his power as a performer."[27]

On January 4, 2023, Country Queer featured Won't Be Around as its Song of the Week.[28] Christopher Treacy of Country Queer wrote: "The instrumentation lays low, allowing the arresting vocal to remain at the forefront of the mix. Blade is telling an excerpt from a larger story, here, so context is hard to pinpoint, making the narrative all the more compelling."[28] He continued, "'Won’t Be Around' still oozes plenty of soul, though, and the sentiment could either be one of independence or abandonment, depending on perspective."[28] Treacy added, "As an excerpt from a more linear storyline, 'Won’t Be Around' leaves us wondering about context: is he inhabiting a character, or is this a first person narrative?"[29]

Accolades

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Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2023 American Songwriter Blues (2023 Song Contest): Category Winner Won't Be Around Won [8]
Hollywood Independent Music Awards Americana/Roots Won't Be Around Nominated [7]
Hollywood Music in Media Awards Best Music Video (Independent) Won't Be Around Nominated [30]
2024 Bare Bones International Film Festival Best Music Video USA Won't Be Around Won [31]
Berlin Short Film Festival Best Music Video Won't Be Around Won [16]
Calcutta International Cult Films Festival Music Video Won't Be Around Won [32]
California Music Video Awards Best Cinematography in a Music Video Won't Be Around Won [14]
Best Fashion and Makeup Won't Be Around Won
Social Justice and Hope Award Won't Be Around Won
Best Male Solo Artist Won't Be Around Nominated
Lyrics and Verse Won't Be Around Nominated
Best Inspirational Won't Be Around Nominated
Castle Rock Film Festival Best Music Video Won't Be Around Nominated [33]
LA Shorts Fest Best Music Video Won't Be Around Nominated [34]
Midwest Film Festival Music Video Won't Be Around Nominated [35]
New Media Film Festival Music Video Won't Be Around Nominated [36]
Northeast Film Festival Music Video Won't Be Around Nominated [37]
Prague Independent Film Festival Music Video Won't Be Around Nominated [22]
Regina International Film Festival and Awards Best Music Video Won't Be Around Nominated [13]
Tagore International Film Festival Music Video Won't Be Around Won [38]
Thin Line Fest Music Video Won't Be Around Nominated [39]
Tribeca Festival Best Music Video Won't Be Around Nominated [40]
Vienna Independent Film Festival Music Video Won't Be Around Nominated [25]
Best Song Nominated
Virgin Spring Cinefest Music Video Won't Be Around Won [41]

References

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  1. ^ The Boot Staff (2023-02-09). "The Boot's Weekly Picks: Willie Jones, Mya Byrne + More". The Boot. Archived from the original on 2023-02-11. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
  2. ^ Whalen, Shane (2024-07-03). "Meet the 2023 Song Contest Category Winners". American Songwriter. Retrieved 2024-07-03.
  3. ^ "Soundcharts". app.soundcharts.com. Archived from the original on 2024-08-20. Retrieved 2024-08-20.
  4. ^ Songstats. "Won't Be Around | Radio Analytics". Songstats. Archived from the original on 2024-08-20. Retrieved 2024-08-20.
  5. ^ Songstats. "Won't Be Around | Apple Music Analytics". Songstats. Archived from the original on 2024-04-01. Retrieved 2024-08-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. ^ McCoy, Buck (May 3, 2024). "Inside Country Radio". New Music Weekly. p. 33. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  7. ^ a b "2023 WINNERS | Hollywood Independent Music Awards". Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  8. ^ a b Whalen, Shane (2024-04-10). "American Songwriter 2023 Song Contest Winners Announced". American Songwriter. Archived from the original on 2024-04-10. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  9. ^ Liebig, Lorie (2023-05-01). "Most Wanted Music: 2023's Country, Americana, Bluegrass and Folk Album Releases". The Boot. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
  10. ^ Terry Blade (2023-09-22). Won't Be Around (Official Music Video). Retrieved 2024-08-12 – via YouTube.
  11. ^ a b Blade, Terry. "Won't Be Around (Official Music Video)". FilmFreeway. Retrieved 2024-08-13.
  12. ^ "2023 HMMA Nominations". Hollywood Music in Media Awards. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
  13. ^ a b "2024 Nominees". riffa.ca. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
  14. ^ a b TasteTV (2024-01-11). "7th Annual California Music Video Awards Announce Nominees for Year's Best Music Videos". TasteTV. Archived from the original on 2024-01-12. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
  15. ^ "WINNERS & NOMINEES-PART 1". Bare Bones International Film Festival. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
  16. ^ a b "Festival 2024 | Berlin Short Film Festival". Retrieved 2024-07-06.
  17. ^ @castlerockfilmfestival (2024-03-31). "Here are just some of the great films we will be showing at the Castle Rock Film Festival" – via Instagram.
  18. ^ "LA Shorts International Film Festival". LA Shorts Fest. Retrieved 2024-06-27.
  19. ^ "Emerging Filmmaker Night - The Line-Up". Midwest Film Festival. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  20. ^ Johnston, Susan (2024-04-01). "Won't Be Around". New Media Film Festival. Retrieved 2024-04-15.
  21. ^ "2024 Film Lineup". Northeast Film Festival. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
  22. ^ a b "PIFF 2024 Official Selection | PIFF 2024". www.prague-film-festival.com. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  23. ^ "Event Details". Thin Line Fest. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
  24. ^ Grobar, Matt (2024-04-23). "Tribeca Festival Sets Short Film Lineup For 2024". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-04-23.
  25. ^ a b https://www.vienna-film-festival.com/official-selection-2024.pdf
  26. ^ Pigeon, Rock the (2023-01-20). "Bluesy and Soulful Terry Blade Won't Be Around". ROCK THE PIGEON. Retrieved 2024-08-13.
  27. ^ Delores, Bee (2023-01-11). "Songs of the Week: Terry Blade, LAV.ISH, & more -". Retrieved 2024-08-13.
  28. ^ a b c Treacy, Christopher (2023-01-04). "CQ Roundup with Keep For Cheap, Terry Blade and Ever More Nest • Country Queer". Country Queer. Archived from the original on 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2024-08-13.
  29. ^ Treacy, Christopher (2023-01-05). "Q&A With Terry Blade • Country Queer". Country Queer. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
  30. ^ "2023 HMMA Nominations". Hollywood Music in Media Awards. Archived from the original on 2023-10-26. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  31. ^ "Nominees-Part 1".
  32. ^ Calcutta International Cult Film Festival. Wayback Machine. 2024-09-09. Retrieved. 2024-09-09.
  33. ^ @castlerockfilmfestival (2024-03-31). "Here are just some of the great films we will be showing at the Castle Rock Film Festival" – via Instagram.
  34. ^ "LA Shorts International Film Festival". LA Shorts Fest. Retrieved 2024-06-27.
  35. ^ "Emerging Filmmaker Night - The Line-Up". Midwest Film Festival. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  36. ^ Johnston, Susan (2024-04-01). "Won't Be Around". New Media Film Festival. Retrieved 2024-04-15.
  37. ^ "2024 Film Lineup". Northeast Film Festival. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
  38. ^ "Tagore International Film Festival". Wayback Machine. 2024-08-30. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
  39. ^ "Event Details". Thin Line Fest. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
  40. ^ Grobar, Matt (2024-04-23). "Tribeca Festival Sets Short Film Lineup For 2024". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-04-23.
  41. ^ "Virgin Spring Cinefest". Wayback Machine. 2024-09-01. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
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