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Home Free has enjoyed a lengthy career by covering iconic hits by other artists, but their latest one marks a career first. The five-man group just released a stunning cover of Bonnie Raitt’s “Something To Talk About,” marking the first video featuring their newest member, Adam Bastien-Bell, who took the place left vacant when Austin Brown made the decision to leave Home Free earlier this year.
“In the process of deciding what song to release as my first single with Home Free, I compiled a list of songs that filled me with nostalgia,” Bell-Bastien says. “The rest of the guys were excited when I mentioned ‘Something to Talk About,’ so we immediately went to work to bring it to life.
“This song reminds me of childhood family camping vacations in the tip of Michigan’s ‘thumb’ at a gorgeous campground right on the shores of the Saginaw Bay,” he continues. “We’d sit under the canopy of trees at our site with local radio station Cruise 102 playing in the background, known then as ‘the station that rocks the docks and shakes the lakes in FMX Stereo!’ This song never ceases to make me smile and I hope our version can give listeners the same effect!”
Mark Wills, who joined Home Free on a new version of his hit single, “Don’t Laugh At Me,” appears in the video, as do TV journalists Megan Alexander and Alecia Davis, plus several of Home Free’s patrons, from their Patreon community.
When Brown announced he was leaving Home Free to pursue other interests, he originally planned on staying through the end of the group’s current Crazy(er) Life Tour. Those plans ultimately changed, with Bell-Bastien joining Home Free in June.
Brown praised Home Free’s newest member when sharing his thoughts on his unexpected early exit.
“I’m leaving earlier than I expected,” Brown explained in a YouTube Live video. “That is the truth. But we’re making the best of it. At some point, we will release a statement to our private community, and maybe that’s all that we’ll ever say on this. But for the time being, that’s all we got. I had an incredible 12 years with Home Free, which is absolutely the truth. I love the Home Fries, so much. You’re a group of folks that I want to forever honor. I’m so grateful for the journey with Home Free that I did have, and my heart’s full.
“And lastly, I also want to say that Adam Bastien is one of the best human beings I have ever met,” he continued. “He is one of the sweetest, most-present people. If you ever get a chance to talk to him one-on-one, he is there. He’s so present with you. If you ever get a chance to talk to Adam Bastien, he is an awesome person. Be kind to him, and know that I have his back in his new role with Home Free, 100 percent.”
Bell-Bastien was no stranger to Home Free, or their fans, long before he became a permanent member of the group.
“Adam shares some Home Free history already, so for some of our fans from the earliest days, Adam may not be completely’ new,” Home Free said in a statement when announcing Brown’s replacement. “For a period of time after Adam Rupp and his brother, Chris, founded the band – and just a few years before we went on The Sing-Off in 2013 – Home Free was definitely a rotating cast of talented characters. We had been lucky enough at times to have Adam lend his talents to us during those years.”
Home Free will kick off their Any Kind of Christmas Tour on November 29. Find all of Home Free’s music and upcoming shows at HomeFreeMusic.com.
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