Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Home Free has released the a cover of Percy Sledge’s classic song, “When a Man Loves a Woman.” The song has been recorded numerous times since then, by artists like Bette Middler, Aaron Neville and more. But it was Michael Bolton who made the song a bit hit, with his version, released in 1991. The song, from Bolton’s Time, Love & Tenderness record, became a No. 1 hit for Bolton, and a big inspiration for Home Free’s Austin Brown.
Dear Mr. [Michael Bolton],” Brown tweeted ahead of the song’s release.”I am a life long fan and we finally covered your cover of the great Percy Sledge. It comes out tomorrow and I apologize in advance for all of the tweets coming your way hoping that you give it a listen.”
Dear Mr @mbsings goodsir I am a life long fan and we finally covered your cover of the great Percy Sledge. It comes out tomorrow and I apologize in advance for all of the tweets coming your way hoping that you give it a listen 😬😬😬😁
— Austin Brown (@_theAustinBrown) February 11, 2021
After the song was released, Brown tweeted Bolton once again, saying, “I wouldn’t sing the way I do if you hadn’t first! I hope you like it.”
“When a Man Loves a Woman” comes only a couple of weeks after the all-vocal group released a cover of another classic song, Don McLean’s “American Pie.”
“You could just tell that he’s performed this song for years and that it’s truly grown and changed, even for him, over the decades,” Brown tells The Tennessean. “He had an almost narrative quality to his style of singing this now, and to me, even after knowing this song and hearing it my entire life, ‘American Pie’ felt more like a story than it ever had before.”
Home Free just announced that they are once again pushing back some of their Dive Bar Saints Tour Dates, due to the ongoing pandemic.
“We’re all excited and waiting to see you on the road soon, and we know many of you are anxious about our shows in March, April, May and June,” Home Free said in a statement. “We’re in the same boat together. We are sadly further postponing these dates … We appreciate your patience and understanding during this unprecedented time.
“Planning our tours and then rescheduling them several times has been a hard pill for all of us to swallow,” the statement continued. “We miss being on the road so much and are disappointed we have to wait a bit longer, but we think it’s in everyone’s best interest.”
Tour updates, and download and streaming information for “When a Man Loves a Woman” is available at HomeFreeMusic.com.