Song Premiere: Mark Erelli’s “Talking To A Hurricane”
Tomorrow is Veteran’s Day and we are honored to recognize the observance by premiering Boston-based singer-songwriter Mark Erelli’s “Talking To A Hurricane.”
“Talking To A Hurricane”
Credits:
Written by Mark Erelli (Hillbilly Pilgrim Music/ASCAP) & Jeremy Lyon (MTR Retreat Music/ASCAP)
Mark Erelli – Vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, mandolin, keyboards, bass & percussion
Jeremy Lyon – Drums
Mixed & Mastered by Dave Brophy
From the provided materials:
Written by Erelli and U.S. Army veteran Jeremy Lyon at a Music Therapy Retreats event in North Andover, MA, the song speaks to the long adjustment back to civilian life after deployment, and to the loved ones who carry the weight of a soldier’s absence and return. Lyon, a longtime drummer, joined Erelli in the studio to play drums on the track. Built around images of storms and volatile weather, “Talking To A Hurricane” pairs Erelli’s emotive songwriting with Lyon’s propulsive drums to give voice to the turmoil veterans and their families often face after the homecoming.
“Partnering with Music Therapy Retreats and songwriting with veterans is one of the most moving and rewarding parts of my job as an artist,” says Erelli. “Writing with veterans connects me with men and women whose life and experiences may be very different from mine, providing us both an opportunity to find common ground.” Lyon echoes this sentiment, noting, “After getting to know each other and sharing stories, we were able to connect over having internal anxieties, which helped us come up with the idea of weather, storms, and volatile situations as the theme for the song.”
For Erelli, that kind of honesty is the point. “Truthfully addressing difficult emotions in a song situates them in a more manageable context, robbing them of their all-consuming power, and shrinks the proverbial tempest to the point where it fits in a teacup,” he says. “If what once seemed overwhelming can be contained in a three or four minute song, then that emotional wound is something that you can learn to live with.”
Erelli and Lyon wrote “Talking To A Hurricane” in August 2024 at a Music Therapy Retreats event in North Andover, MA. Lyon spent about three hours that day telling Erelli his story while Erelli filled a page with notes. “It looked kind of jumbled,” Lyon recalls. “But I saw him the next morning, and the first thing he said was he didn’t even leave the driveway before he was thinking of song and melody ideas, and he couldn’t wait to get started. And the song just came together so quickly.”
Lyon helped shape the song’s sound, suggesting it open with the sound of an approaching storm, which fades out as the music begins. He also knew how the drums should sound on the track. “I knew how I wanted it to sound, how I wanted to play it,” he says. “The work Mark did alone was incredible, and then for him to let me have the opportunity to lay drums on, it meant a lot to be a part of the recording.” Lyon spent his teens, twenties, and early thirties drumming in rock bands. “Mark really brought back the meaning of music,” he says. For Erelli, bringing Lyon into the studio was “an added bonus,” giving the song “the muscular and propulsive drumming that its message demanded.”
Jeremy Lyon is a New England-based veteran who served 15 years in the U.S. Army, including three deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and also spent 14 years as a Vermont State Trooper. “I had a heart to serve, which is why I served for so long,” he says. “I’ve always been drawn to people with a heart of service, and I think that’s why Mark and I connected so well.” The song draws on Lyon’s own experiences and traumas, as well as those of fellow soldiers, law enforcement officers, and everyday people facing trial after trial. He notes that you don’t have to be or know a veteran to connect with the song; anyone can connect with the feelings it describes.
“While soldiers are away from their families for hundreds of days at a time, their family members have to continue on with their lives and keep moving forward,” Lyon explains. “For us, after so many months of deployment away from the family, we want to get home and have positive feelings from our loved ones, but they need a break after doing it all alone for so long. Everyone is trying to adjust to ‘normal’ life and it can be very hard and stressful for everyone involved. Loved ones take the brunt of the veteran’s pain. Even something as simple as having a conversation about a daily thing can trigger an argument and make everything worse. Loved ones should know that the veteran is not trying to be angry, depressed or overbearing, they just need a moment to process before responding.”
Erelli feels the weight of that trust each time he writes with a veteran. “I don’t have any formal training as a therapist, so the creative stakes feel higher,” he says. “If we can’t write a song that resonates with a soldier’s truth, will I risk re-opening old wounds and compounding dormant trauma? Perhaps because of these risks, the songs I write with veterans feel particularly powerful and cathartic. It was an honor to partner with Jeremy on this song.”
About Music Therapy Retreats
Music Therapy Retreats is a nonprofit organization that provides evidence-based, trauma-informed retreats and ongoing community programs that promote healing, resilience, and connection through music. Led by board-certified music therapists and supported by professional songwriters, the organization serves veterans, cancer survivors, survivors of sex trafficking, individuals experiencing homelessness, and others navigating the effects of trauma and life adversity. Through songwriting, music-making, creative arts experiences, and therapeutic group processes, participants are empowered to express their stories, process difficult experiences, build supportive relationships, and rediscover a sense of purpose and hope. By blending clinical music therapy with the craft and inspiration of professional songwriting, Music Therapy Retreats creates transformative experiences that foster emotional well-being, personal growth, and lasting community.
About Mark Erelli
Mark Erelli is a critically acclaimed American singer-songwriter, producer, and guitarist known for his distinctive blend of rock, folk, and Americana. His music is known for its lyrical depth and intricate instrumentation, drawing influence from classic rock icons. Mark has collaborated with artists including Rosanne Cash, Sheryl Crow, and Anaïs Mitchell; opened for the likes of Marc Cohn, Watchhouse, Josh Ritter, and many others; released fourteen solo albums and three albums with his bluegrass band Barnstar!; and produced two records for GRAMMY-winning artist Lori McKenna.
