Florence Dore - Hold The Spark

Label

Propeller Sound Recordings

“A wise and tender collection of rock, folk, and vintage Southern power-pop.” – INDYWEEK (Durham, NC)

“…With smart lyrics and instantly appealing tunes… Florence Dore’s melodies go straight to the heart.” – The Big Takeover

“When you have members of Son Volt (Mark Spencer) and The dB’s (Will Rigby, Gene Holder) in your band, you can expect a blistering set. That’s precisely what we got, an all-killer and zero-filler performance that had me first in the queue at the merch desk for Florence’s album HIGHWAYS & ROCKETSHIPS.” – Lonesome Highway Mag (BEST AMERICANA ALBUM OF 2022)

“…A strong album of fresh originals…” – Top Pick, What’s UP New Providence (RI)

Nashville-born, Chapel Hill-based Florence Dore returns with her third album, Hold the Spark – a sharp, funny, deeply human collection that pairs rich storytelling with a killer rock band.

“Sunset Road,” the lead single from Hold the Spark, finds Florence Dore stepping outside herself and into character. After writing dozens of songs for the album, Dore stopped wanting to look in the mirror – the feelings were still there, but instead of turning inward, she let the characters take over. Chelsea arrived, and as the song took shape, it shed its complexity and sharpened into a lean, driving rock track. By shifting the focus from artist to character, the story snapped into focus, with the truth bent just enough in service of a better song.

A songwriter with the narrative bite of James McMurtry and the melodic instincts of Lucinda Williams, Dore delivers her strongest collection to date, rich storytelling wrapped in emotional vocals and backed by a killer rock band. The songs span the spectrum, from a tear-jerking love song for her daughter to a hilarious, Stooges-leaning rocker skewering academic meetings, alongside reflections on missed romance and mortality that recall the sharp insight of Aimee Mann.

Produced by Don Dixon (R.E.M.) and mixed by Paul Voran (Bon Iver, Nathaniel Rateliff, Waxahatchee), Hold the Spark features an all-star cast of Americana greats including Jason Wilber (John Prine) and Chris Masterson (The Wallflowers, Steve Earle & the Dukes) on guitars, with husband Will Rigby (Steve Earle & the Dukes, The dB’s) on drums, plus guest appearances from Mitch Easter (Let’s Active), Libby Rodenbough (Mipso), Robert Sledge (Ben Folds Five), Kelly Pratt (Father John Misty), and Eleanor Whitmore (Elvis Costello, Steve Earle & the Dukes).

The road to Hold the Spark has been anything but straight. Known as UNC-Chapel Hill’s “rocking professor,” Dore balances teaching, writing books, organizing conferences (including one at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame), raising a kid, and logging countless miles on the road, often aboard Steve Earle’s bus. Her 2022 Propeller Sound Recordings release, Highways & Rocketships, won Best Americana Album of the Year from Lonesome Highway Magazine and led to sold-out shows and opening slots with Steve Earle, Southern Culture on the Skids, and others, earning enthusiastic support from Mojo Nixon‘s SiriusXM radio show. Writing dozens of songs for this record, Dore stepped away from autobiography and let characters take over; a shift that sharpened the stories, bent the truth just enough for impact, and ultimately gave Hold the Spark its clarity, wit, and emotional punch.