British-American Folk Singer-Songwriter Merrick Winter Announces Sophomore EP “The California Zephyr”
Winter also shared a recording and live video of the orchestral version of the title track, recorded with Lockeland Strings at British Grove Studios
The California Zephyr EP Cover Art
London-based folk/Americana singer-songwriter Merrick Winter has just announced his sophomore EP, The California Zephyr due out May 9 via Tone Tree Music and available for pre-save now. Alongside the announcement, Winter shared the grandiose orchestral version of "The California Zephyr" with Lockeland Strings (Live At British Grove Studios). The recording is out now, with an accompanying live video.
On The California Zephyr, Winter paints sonic portraits of love, loss and the human condition through masterful instrumentation and stirring lyricism. Winter describes the album as “a travelogue of longing. It’s the feeling that most often yields a song for me. A chronology of bygone eras; a homesickness morphed into fantasy. I find comfort in making that feeling permanent through songs."
Photo by Katie Sylvester
Influenced by Randy Newman, Jackson Browne and Tom Waits, the project captures extraordinary accounts of ordinary lives with vignettes of American life, mixed with the memories of the artist's childhood, before moving to the UK at age 12.
The EP was produced by Matt Zara (who has worked with contemporary stars like Teddy Swims, Lola Young, and Niall Horan), Patrick James Fiztroy and Adam Lee. Taking its name from the cross-country Amtrak train Winter boarded while writing it, The California Zephyr largely draws its inspiration from conversations with travellers from across the U.S.–an Amish family from Illinois, an ex-Hippie from Berkeley, a mother and daughter from Tennessee, and many others. Throughout the work, Winter keenly examines a wide range of topics and emotions while weaving varied sounds together–from grief, to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, to the millennial and Gen Z approach to spiritual connection with meditation apps.
BTS: Lydia Luce by Merrick Winter
Never limiting his sources of inspiration, Winter also pulls from the Buena Vista Social Club and the storytelling of Paul Simon and Ernest Hemingway, Winter taps into the rich culture and music of Cuba in his Flamenco guitar-driven track with Spanish multi-instrumentalist Lau Noah.
The version of the title track featuring Nashville's orchestra collective, Lockeland Strings, was recorded at London's British Grove Studios. Owned by Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits), the studio is packed with music history including Beatles-era EMI consoles, one of which was used on Paul McCartney’s Wings records. On the unforgettable recording experience, Winter says, "We tracked everything live in about an hour. I played my Gibson ES-340, which I’d just bought in New York, and used a Benson Vinny Reverb in an iso booth. Playing with the orchestra felt like flying—my songs had never sounded so alive."
Arranger Jordan Lehning by Merrick Winter
about merrick winter
Merrick Winter was raised in a small Midwestern college town in Iowa by an Anglo-American family in an alternative spiritual community. He learned to meditate at the age of 10, and early musical influences like The Beatles and Donovan (with their own ties to Maharishi) were soon joined by more esoteric figures such as David Lynch, Paul Simon, and an unexpected love for Irish traditional music.
While earning a degree in English Literature from King's College London, Winter began writing, producing, and performing in bands, first making a name for himself as a producer before releasing his debut solo recordings in 2022. Working with artists like half·alive and Ivor Novello Rising Star winner Victoria Canal, Winter grabbed the attention of leading tastemakers like NOTION, The Line of Best Fit and EARMILK. Winter's unmatched intimate live shows have earned him a following across the U.S. and UK, selling out London’s iconic St. Pancras Old Church in November 2024, and recently toured globally supporting Bastille. Now, Winter aims to expand his sonic universe with a captivating, cinematic body of work that proudly puts his singular artistry and narrative-driven resonant storytelling on display like never before.
The California Zephyr, Merrick Winter's absorbing sophomore EP officially arrives on May 9 via Tone Tree Music and is available to pre-save here. The enchanting live orchestral version of "The California Zephyr" featuring Lockeland Strings is out now and can be watched here.
Photo by Robbie Jeffers
