“Her second tongue was English, but her first was patience,” sings Elliah Heifetz on his new single, “Living Proof”—a loving ode to his mother who, along with his father and sister, came to America in 1990 as political refugees from the Soviet Union. “Everything she did, she had to do.” This story of upbringing is typical for generations of immigrant children, but Heifetz’ tale carries a unique calling card, his unabashed love for American country and roots music. “Living Proof” embodies the hope and resilience of Heifetz’ mother with equal parts John Prine, Townes Van Zandt, and Don Williams, riding a quiet half-time groove accented by sweet pedal steel guitar and true-to-life lyrics. “She was fighting for a corner of a brand new nation, and I, I’m living proof.” The first release from Heifetz’ upcoming full-length album First Generation American, fans can hear “Living Proof” now and pre-order or pre-save the album at this link. (Elliah Heifetz, 2022)
Set to be released on April 1, First Generation American finds this son of eastern European immigrants telling his most personal truths and truly confronting his life-long identity crisis. In late 2020, Heifetz connected with Grammy-nominated producer and fellow first-generation American Andrija Tokic. Flying to Nashville to track thirteen songs with Tokic at his all-analog Bomb Shelter studio, Heifetz recorded with an all-star band of legendary musicians including Dennis Crouch, Jeff Taylor, Jimmy Lester, Jack Lawrence, and JJ Tourville.
The record’s opening title track is a raucous, joyously tongue-in-cheek anthem for all children of immigrants, followed by the honeyed, heartfelt “Living Proof.” Other standouts include “Modern Man,” a rip-roaring blues rocker with a wink in its eye; “Anxiety,” a vulnerable conversation with mental illness; “Keep the Grass in the Ground,” a tonal nod to Heifetz’s late hero John Prine; and “Buzzin’,” the honky tonk shout-along he has always dreamed of leading. First Generation American blows open the door to the musical world inhabited by tour-de-forces like Tyler Childers, Waylon Payne, Joshua Ray Walker, and Margo Price.
Heifetz likes to say that on this record, he is a “tourist through country music”—paying reverent homage to the genre’s traditions while upending every old-guard, exclusionary norm he can find. It is a vital album for a hellishly turbulent time, a way to belly-laugh while we swallow the bitter reality of America’s hateful roots and complex future. And it is a perfect summary of something that has taken Heifetz down a rough road to learn: the stranger it is to listeners that he plays country music, the more right it feels. In this nation of immigrants, this patchwork quilt of a million differences, strangeness is precisely what makes you belong.
First Generation American follows the release of Heifetz’ debut EP, New Folk Songs, from which a number of songs were added to curated playlists—including TIDAL’s 2018 Best Of: Rising Folk/Country. Additionally, Dramatist Guild Foundation Fellow Heifetz has been crowned as one-to-watch as a composer and pop songwriter. In his songwriting career, Heifetz has collaborated with hit pop songwriters and producers like Freddy Wexler, Dave Kuncio, Corey Sanders, and Neff-U.
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