The Soundtrack of Resilience: Jordan Lee King's “Cars and Refrigerators” Echoes the Spirit of Appalachia
His East Kentucky roots run deep. Jordan Lee King of Bell County, Kentucky keeps the very heritage that runs through his veins alive through his stories and songs. His latest release, “Cars and Refrigerators,” is a raw and intimate perspective on the trials faced when you grow up in the eastern region.
“This is a song about empathy,” King said when he introduced the song to a packed midday crowd as he opened the sold-out Laurel Cove Music Festival. Crafted by a team of veterans in the world of Appalachian music, “Cars and Refrigerators” features Aaron Smith, fiddle connoisseur of Nicholas Jamerson and the Morning Jays, Brother Smith, Brit Taylor, and more. Recorded, mixed, and engineered by J. Tom Hnatow, who also appears on the track. Hnatow, currently touring with John R. Miller and the Engine Lights, brings the bass, dobro, pedal steel, and keys to life on this track. Accompanied by Morning Jay alumni and, more importantly, a good friend of King’s, Andy White, on the drums.
The four-minute memoir begins in the scrapyard. “Daddy’s out workin’ but he’ll be home later. At the yard, he’s scrapin’ cars and refrigerators.” King paints the harsh reality of the lengths families are going to in Appalachia solely to survive. “Now I ain’t saying that thievin’s all right, but some folks do whatever they can to survive. Try to find your way when you’re left behind. It's hard when you’ve got no schoolin’ and they’re closin’ the mines.”
“Cars and Refrigerators” is a conversation that strikes a chord with addiction, poverty, unemployment, and welfare: “Now I ain't say it’s fair to be abusin’ the system, but the money coming in’s the only thing that keeps ‘em a living. But a youngin come along, just to get you a check, ain't gonna have a shot at nothin' when nothin'’s all that's left.”
Photo Carrie Wilson
Too many have been displaced by the lack of industry in small towns, and more have turned to drugs to numb the pain of everyday reality. King's depiction of life in Appalachia seems somewhat bleak, but it provokes a conversation worth having. With opioid addiction at an all-time high and poverty still taking hold of many families, this song speaks right to the hearts of those who face or have watched others battle these problems daily.
“Now I ain’t sayin' it’s fine to snort your life away, but to say he’s addicted by choice is a bold thing to say,” - will have the hairs standing up on the back of your neck. The fear a mother endures when the thoughts of someone finding her boy dead or winding up in prison plague her mind is something all parents whose children battle addiction face. Insinuating that anyone would choose this lifestyle is indeed a bold thing to ascertain.
“In my short time of recording for people, I’ve come to appreciate both direction and open-mindedness from the artist/songwriter and ol' boy’s got ‘em in high supply,” Aaron Smith told The Amp. “I love the song and Jordan’s songwriting in general. I think “Cars and Refrigerators,” particularly, is real easy listening with a genuine message born from real-life experience,” Smith said. “That’s what I gathered anyway, without asking him any specifics.” That tends to be the blanket narrative from listeners.
This song is somewhat reminiscent of Tracy Lawrence’s “Time Marches On” in that it tells the story of a family who have each only done what they know how to do to make life more bearable. King’s ability to capture these three stories and intertwine them into one is masterfully done. He does a superb job of evoking strong emotion throughout the entire track. Inspirational songwriting like this comes from inspirational people, and Jordan Lee King is just that — an inspiration and a hope to those seeking something to relate to all across Appalachia. It is safe to say that “Cars and Refrigerators” is a song to be reckoned with for a long time to come.
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