The Pink Stones To Release “Thank the Lord… It’s the Pink Stones” & Tour

The Pink Stones will release Thank the Lord… it’s The Pink Stones on September 19, 2025 via Normaltown/New West Records. The 11-song set was co-produced by Henry Barbe (Deerhunter, Drive-By Truckers) and frontman Hunter Pinkston, and was recorded in the band’s hometown of Athens, GA with additional engineering at Johnny Cash’s historic cabin studio in Hendersonville, TN.

Thank the Lord… it’s The Pink Stones follows 2023’s You Know Who which was met with critical acclaim. Bandcamp named it one of the best country albums of the year exclaiming, “This ensemble could sit comfortably alongside giants of the genre, such as George Jones, The Byrds, and J.J. Cale” while Holler said “…these Stones roll with the same surly twang and honky-tonking attitude that made the likes of the Flying Burritos and early Poco sound so fresh… the multi-talented Pinkston turns in a set every bit as enticing, organic, and charming as his first… Fire up the lava lamp, black lights, and your recreational substance of choice and dig in.”

On their intoxicating new album, The Pink Stones offer up a joyful, adventurous take on ‘60s twang that blurs the lines between cosmic country, folk, bluegrass, soul, and psychedelic rock. The collection also showcases a more deliberate, mature side of the band’s sound and is one that reflects all the personal and sonic growth that has defined the last few years for the hard touring five-piece.

Today, American Songwriter premiered the video for the first single “If I Can’t Win (With You).” Hunter Pinkston says, “One night I was hanging out with some of my best buds, and we played Kings in the Corner. This sparked an obsession with online solitaire for me. The rest is history. I also do have a white couch; I was sitting on it drinking boxed red wine when I wrote this tune. It features some fabulous pedal steel guitar from the newest Pink Stone, Caleb Boese, as well as strings and fiddle from our pal Libby Weitnauer (Margo Price, Kelsey Waldon).”

SHARE THE “IF I CAN’T WIN (WITH YOU)” VIDEO DIRECTED BY JOSHUA SHOEMAKER

Started alone by Pinkston in his Athens, GA apartment, The Pink Stones quickly emerged to widespread acclaim with their 2021 debut Introducing…The Pink Stones which earned praise from Rolling Stone, Under the Radar, No Depression, American Songwriter, and more. The band returned two years later with their similarly well-received sophomore album which was followed by dates across North America, Europe, and Australia. While the band’s rapid growth could be traced in large part back to the undeniable energy of their raucous, freewheeling live shows, working at such a relentless pace came with a price. “A lot has changed since the last record,” says Pinkston. “We’ve grown up, traveled all over the world, said goodbye to old bandmates and welcomed new ones. All of that’s helped our sound grow and evolve into what it is now.”

The songs on Thank the Lord… it’s The Pink Stones are humble and timeless, full of wry, sardonic wit and rich, evocative storytelling, and the performances are easygoing and amiable, with an effortlessly natural feel that belies the masterful craftsmanship behind them. The result is a record that wears its influences proudly on its sleeve, even as it subverts expectation, a work of poignant longing and playful humor that tips its cap to everyone from Merle Haggard and Earl Scruggs to Don Williams and The Byrds as it looks both forwards and backwards all at once.

“I’ve never been religious,” says Pinkston, “but I’ve always been fascinated with those early country guys who sang gospel tunes and wore suits with crosses on them even while they were getting into some pretty immoral stuff. I wanted this album to touch on both sides of that coin.” Despite its flirtations with virtue and vice (Pinkston stands in front of a church on the cover, casting a shadow with a subtle pair of devil horns), Thank the Lord… is, at its heart, a classic Pink Stones rumination on human connection, on love, loss, and desire. “I’ve always tended to gravitate toward those kinds of stories as a writer,” says Pinkston. “Heatrbreak, regret, unrequited love, that’s our wheelhouse.” He continues, “Our last record got really loud and fast and in your face at times, but it was important to me that we lay back on this one. The band played softer, I sang softer, and we just embraced the mystery of it all.”

The Pink Stones have also announced their initial live dates in support of Thank the Lord… it’s The Pink Stones, including appearances at AmericanaFest in Nashville, TN this September as well as dates with Teddy and the Roughriders, and more. Please see tour dates, with more to be added, below.

Thank the Lord… it’s The Pink Stones will be available across digital platforms, on compact disc, and opaque denim color vinyl. A limited-to-250 opaque denim color vinyl edition autographed by the band is available for pre-order NOW via NORMALTOWN/NEW WEST RECORDS

Thank the Lord… it’s The Pink Stones Track Listing:

1. Thank the Lord (ft. Wyatt Ellis)
2. Too Busy
3. Real Sad Movies, Big Jet Planes
4. Cold Eye of Leaving
5. If I Can’t Win (With You)
6. Summer’s Love (Winter’s Pain)
7. Hard to Kill
8. Such a Sight
9. Hometown Hotel
10. Start With Your Name
11. Pile of Memories

The Pink Stones Live:

9/10 – Nashville, TN – Americanafest
9/12 – Nashville, TN – Americanafest
9/25 – Athens, GA – Flicker Theatre – Record Release
9/26 – Athens, GA – Flicker Theatre – Record Release
10/6 – Chattanooga, TN – Cherry Street Tavern
10/7 – Ste. Genevieve, MO – The Orris
10/8 – Kansas City, MO – Knuckleheads w/ Teddy and the Rough Riders
10/9 – Salina, KS – Big Booty Trudy w/ Teddy and the Rough Riders
10/10 – Denver, CO – High Dive w/ Teddy and the Rough Riders & Dylan Earl
10/11 – Palisade, CO – Talbott’s Cider Co. w/ Teddy and the Rough Riders
10/12 – Trinidad, CO – Fancy Spider Music Festival
11/1 – Columbus, GA – Jarfest