- Music
- 29 Mar 16
It's about as far as one can get from counter-terrorism acts but 24's Kiefer Sutherland is embarking on a new career, as a country singer.
In the running up to the release of his debut LP Down in a Hole, Sutherland dons his cowboy hat for 'Not Enough Whiskey'.
Who knew the actor had such gravelly textured tones to serenade us with? A lament laced with sorrow and regret, 'Not Enough Whiskey' follows a straight-forward narrative and a sound that is reminiscent of Johnny Cash. It is a strong start to open with promising much more to come from his Americana and country album.
It's an ambitious and daring move for any actor to break into the music scene but Sutherland is out to prove that he is a serious musician. "If I hear about an actor doing a music project, my eyes are the first to roll," Sutherland admitted to the Rolling Stones. "It's been done before and, on some levels, not very well. A lot of actors make records but won't tour to support them or make videos, and it ends up not being serious. I felt strongly that this was something I wanted to do."
His passion and devotion to the new career path is evident as Sutherland penned his own lyrics making each song deeply personal to him, delving into intimate relationships and experiences. "It's the closest thing I've ever had to a journal or diary," he said. "All of these songs are pulled from my own personal experiences. There is something very satisfying about being able to look back on my own life, good times and bad, and express those sentiments in music." 'Not Another Whiskey' tells of a lost love and the reliance on drink to try and solve problems while the title track 'Down in a Hole' relives the trauma of a friend lost to alcoholism.
Since wrapping up the last season of hit series 24 in 2014, Sutherland has dedicated himself to Down in a Hole. He presented country music's biggest awards night, the AMC's and is now about to undertake his first tour which starts on the 14th of April and will wrap up at the end of May. Sutherland has settled into his newfound talent quite comfortably and is relishing the whole experience; "The nice thing about being able to play these songs live is you can take a minute and tell the stories: 'Look, I was here in 1994, and this is what was happening,'" he says. "My experience so far, playing 250-seat rooms and bars, is that it's created a level of intimacy. It's an experience I've been enjoying that I couldn't even describe."
No dates have been set for Sutherland on our shores yet but with plenty of promising potential we might just see him on the global touring circuit yet.