Above: Winston Hightower in Olympia, Washington. Photog by Jolie M-A.
Speaking with Winston Hightower this afternoon, he had just returned home to Columbus, Ohio after a week spent in Olympia, Washington, recording and playing a show with The Moving Pictures. The recordings are for the next Winston Hightower album on Perennial Records, which will be available in spring, 2026
Winston has many, many new songs to record for the as yet untitled album. "I wrote a song right before I got on stage in Olympia, and then recorded it with Hayes for the new record. I'm hoping to have two or three new songs before coming back to Olympia." In September Winston Hightower will return to Olympia to play the Northern Sky Festival at Oyster Bay Farm, which he played last September, as well. "I'm playing all new songs. I am excited, I have a lot of energy, I feel a lot more grounded, musically. I hadn't played solo guitar for a really long time before last summer's show, I had been just singing over backing tracks. Now I'm more into playing guitar. It'll be better this time, my playing and everything." (We thought it was pretty good last year. - Editor)
Winston just got off work and he's really on the move. "I'm about to pick up a sandwich, then we're off to Oakland to play Mosswood Meltdown this weekend." That would be Twompsax, the band featuring Winston Hightower and Ian McDonnell (Johnny Maraca & the Marockers). "We played Mosswood Meltdown a couple years ago, it was supposed to be our last show but we got asked to play again..." Oh, well. What can one do? Give the people what they want.
Find out more about the Northern Sky Festival, including ticket information, HERE.
Above: the line-up for Northern Sky Festival 2025, including Winston Hightower!