New Music: Lyal Strickland Returns with ‘I’m Still Poor’ Ahead of First Album in a Decade

“I’m Still Poor” is the third and final single from Lyal Strickland’s forthcoming album, Shooter of Truth. Following the success of the title track and the duet “Birds,” “I’m Still Poor” is out now on all streaming platforms. (Broken Jukebox Media, 2026)

Shooter of Truth marks Strickland’s first full-length album in ten years, arriving with the weight of a life fully lived in the years between. The album drops on October 16.

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A Decade in the Making

After the death of his father and a string of hard miles on the road in 2016, Strickland went through an emotional breakdown that left him questioning his place in music alongside his ability to keep writing honestly.

In the decade that followed, life didn’t stand still:

• He got married.
• He became the father of two young daughters.
• He stayed tied to the land and the cattle that have shaped his family’s story for generations.

Then, in one weekend, the songs returned.

“Those songs became the foundation of Shooter of Truth, an album that looks directly at alcohol, depression, old relationships, present love, failure, survival, and the strange grace of still being here.”

The breakthrough came during a Southwest Folk Alliance conference, where Strickland wrote a batch of songs with a new kind of clarity: brutally honest, unguarded, and unwilling to dress up the truth.

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The Sound of the Ozarks

Across its ten tracks, Shooter of Truth moves between solo acoustic performances (“Another Place And Time” and “Hellbent On A Heartache”), an acoustic guitar and cello-backed duet (“Birds”), a couple of irreverent fast-paced tracks, and a collection of mid-tempo tunes rooted in country, folk, and Americana.

The record is earnest, raw, and unpolished, capturing a side of Lyal that hasn’t been fully captured on record before. The backing musicians all hail from the Ozarks, lending the project a sound deeply tied to place: unpretentious and lived-in. It’s music shaped by the same hills, highways, churches, barrooms, and back roads that run through Strickland’s writing.

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The Singles

The album’s three singles trace its full emotional range:

• “Shooter of Truth” — Sets the tone with a plainspoken reckoning and the hard edge of self-examination.
• “Birds” (feat. Rachel Laven) — Explores the strain of life on the road and the temptation to push past your limits in search of something true. Not originally written as a duet, Laven was the first and obvious choice when the track called for a complementary voice, bringing out an understated tension in the lyrics.
• “I’m Still Poor” — Brings Strickland’s hard-earned realism to the forefront—a song about the sacrifices artists make, the cost of chasing the work, and the long search for the people who understand why you keep doing it anyway.

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Betting on the Music

To make the album happen, Strickland is making big changes on his farm by dwindling his cattle herd down to Herefords, the same breed raised by his grandfather and great-grandfather on his mother’s side. It’s both a sacrifice and a promise: Strickland is putting his heart into this release, letting go of one version of the farm to carry forward another while making room for the music that has never quite let him go.

On Shooter of Truth, Strickland sounds like an artist less interested in reinvention than reckoning. He returns as a husband, father, and farmer still marked by the road, singing with fewer illusions and more at stake. After ten years away, he has come back with songs that do what the title promises: aim straight for the truth without flinching.

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About Lyal Strickland

Lyal Strickland is an Americana singer-songwriter, whose music is as authentic as the Ozark hills. With a background deeply embedded in the rural landscapes of Missouri, his lyrics resonate with the experiences of small-town life, weaving tales of struggle, resilience, and unyielding human spirit. (Lyal Strickland, 2026)

Strickland’s songs are a testament to his commitment to his roots and his versatility as an artist. His albums move through stages of life, showcasing his distinctive voice that brings his narratives to life. Each song is a window into Strickland’s world, inviting listeners to step into stories woven with candor and crushing humility.

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Album Credits

• Co-Produced by: Adam Dawson & Lyal Strickland
• Recorded, Mixed, & Mastered by: Jeff Smith at Studio 2100
• Songwriting: All songs written by Lyal Strickland (except “Hellbent On A Heartache”)

Musicians

• Lyal Strickland – Vocals, Guitar
• Molly Healey – Fiddle, Cello
• Joe Terry – Organ, Keyboards
• Oran Thornton – Electric Guitar
• Kyle Vance – Bass
• Nick Smith – Drums
• Rachel Laven – Duet Vocals on “Birds”
• Jeff Smith, Dillon Hasten, Damien Thousand – Background Vocals

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