New EP from The Cumberland River Project

Based in the quiet German city of Hagen, Frank Renfordt has gradually built an unexpected connection to Americana and country through his project The Cumberland River Project. The sound he now creates might feel geographically distant from where his story begins, but the journey behind it gives the music its emotional context; starting as a childhood fascination, it’s slowly bloomed into a creative outlet shaped by reflection, travel and a rediscovered love for songwriting.

As a child, Frank’s parents gave him a guitar, a gesture that would set the course for years to come and by the time he reached his teenage years he’d moved into playing bass, performing in a rock band called RING. The group became a long-term fixture in his life and remains part of his musical world today but like many creative pursuits that begin young, music eventually took a step back as life demanded attention elsewhere.

It wasn’t until Frank reached his mid-fifties that music re-emerged in a meaningful way and what might have remained a dormant interest instead turned into a personal renaissance. A series of visits to the United States sparked a deep appreciation for Americana, particularly during time spent in Nashville. That influence hit strongly enough to push him back toward songwriting and out of that renewed inspiration came The Cumberland River Project, an alias that allowed Frank to explore the storytelling traditions of American origins music while viewing them through a distinctly European perspective.

The project first appeared publicly in 2020 with the single “Back On The Road” and the project eventually secured Frank a finalist position in the UK Songwriting Contest and received an Outstanding Achievement in Songwriting award from the Great American Song Contest. By 2024, Frank expanded his vision with the release of the EP Vain Regrets, marking a personal step as he took on lead vocal duties for the first time.

Now he brings us the latest release as The Cumberland River Project with the new EP titled Meet Me In The Rain, a six-track outing that flows between country, Americana and folk stylings. With Frank contributing a wide range of instrumentation including acoustic guitar, baritone guitar, bass, mandolin and keyboards, he’s joined by Jessie Morgan on background harmony vocals and fiddle, pianist Neemias Teixeira and Aaron Fabbrini on pedal steel.

Opened by the bright strums and intricate lead notes on “Turntable,” Frank’s elegant voice floats above with smooth melodic leads as the shuffle of warm bass notes, rustle of drums and Jessie’s silky backing vocals combine to form a charming country pop listening experience. “Leave The Lights On” slows things down with soft acoustic guitar notes and delicate piano tones to cast a moving country ballad that glides with intimate vocals and heartfelt lyricism.

With “I Want You Back,” the lively flutter of strings and steady march of guitar and percussion is met by commanding vocals as the track jumps with the uptempo energy of walking basslines and catchy vocal hooks. “Song 4 U” serves up a delightful slice of timeless pop-tinged Americana music where Frank and Jessie’s alluring voices engage in a balletic duet as intricate instrumentation swirls throughout.

“Leave-Me-Town” shimmers with breezy rhythmic sway and expressive vocal leads, offering an inviting country soundscape brimming with blissful melodies and tender songwriting. Closing the EP with “Redbuds In Bloom,” he crafts a transportive scene through picture painting lyrics, smokey arrangement and mesmeric vocal layers to provide a stunning finale to his superb new EP release as The Cumberland River Project.

Listen to Meet Me In The Rain below