Marcus King didn’t plan on making his new album Mood Swings. He didn’t even plan on living much
longer before he started working on it...
Heartache, addiction, and mental health brought him to the brink in 2022. However, it’s more than fair
to say that music brought him back. You can hear it in his grizzled, yet honeyed bellow across these
eleven tracks. The album feels like the moment of baptism when water washes away a life’s worth of sins
and degradation and all that’s left is a revived, yet still real-as-hell primal scream.
It’s as if Marcus strained raw soul straight from his gut up through that broken heart and on to the record
under the watchful eye of Rick Rubin. Pain quakes below the vibrato of his voice, and his delivery weighs
heavy with booze-drenched regrets and mistakes in lonely hotels. Emphasizing his vocals
front-and-center more than ever before, the trusty guitar he’s so often associated with plays the sideman
this time around (though there’s no shortage of impressive shredding).
For as dark as everything seemed, you can’t help but feel a sense of hope in the power of Marcus’s voice.
During a North American tour, Marcus had designs to drink himself to death. He admits, “I had an escape
route already decided for myself and a backup if that didn’t work.”
Nevertheless, fate stepped in.
Rubin saw a performance at the Ryman and decided to cold-call Marcus and they quickly agreed to work
together on Marcus’ next project. During the promotion of his critically acclaimed album Young Blood,
Marcus and Rubin covertly holed up for sessions in Italy and Malibu. Instead of crumbling under the
weight of his anxiety, Rubin inspired him to shift his perspective. Drawing on dark moments where King
was plagued by suicidal thoughts, dealing with addiction and in mental health crisis, Mood Swings also
shares a message of hope. Rubin helped King find a new personal and sonic approach to the turbulent
period in his life that also inspired songs on his previous album. “He helped me view mental health as a
writing partner in a way,” recalls Marcus. “I’ve learned it can give me that creative spark.”
In the studio, he opted to spotlight his voice as well. “There was no hiding behind the guitar at all,” he
grins.
The single “F*ck My Life Up Again” finds him in a space of reflection, recognizing a predisposition to
chase codependent relationships. Strings accent the smoky jazz beat, while his soulful delivery booms,
“Come fuck my life up again, don’t deserve to live without pain.” A guitar solo “played backwards”
channels stark confusion offset by the unshakable hook.
Elsewhere, his high register towers over the bluesy guitar of the title track “Mood Swings.” He adds, “In a
nutshell, Mood Swings is about a guy with ups and downs and his relationship with mental health.”
On “Hero,” co-written with Young Blood cohort Dan Auerbach [The Black Keys], his croon rises over
acoustic guitar towards a fluttering crescendo. The song tells the story of “a free-spirited young girl who’s
not looking for a man to be her hero.” The same naked emotion defines “Delilah” where he depicts “a
coming-of-age tale about learning how to love and how to allow yourself to stay still long enough to be
loved.”

Given his personal challenges, his success is all the more impressive. King is a GRAMMY® nominated
fourth generation musician from Greenville, SC, who started playing guitar at 8 years old following in the
footsteps of his guitarist Father and Grandpa. Logging thousands of miles on the road as “The Marcus
King Band,” he established himself with unparalleled performance prowess and a dynamic live show.
During 2020, he linked up with Dan Auerbach and cut his solo debut El Dorado, garnering a GRAMMY®
Award nomination in the category of “Best Americana Album.” In between packing venues on his own,
he performed alongside Chris St ...

Audacy is a sponsor of the annual Reedy River Ducky Derby again this year. The event is run by the The Rotary Club of the Reedy River Greenville club. It's the largest local Rotary fundraiser providing proceeds to local nonprofits through grants. The nonprofits supported by the 2024 race will not be selected until after the Derby. Still, last year’s nonprofits supported included: Early Act First Knight, Mauldin Miracle League, United Ministries, Girls on the Run, Jasmine Roads, Strides Tutoring, Academy of the Arts, A Child's Haven, Carolina Youth Symphony, Harvest Edge, Project Host, Habitat for Humanity, and more.

The race is Saturday, May 4 at Falls Park in downtown Greenville.
Interviewee: Eric Krichbaum, Head Duck of the Reedy River Duck Derby (corrals the ducks at the race)

Other Details:

• With a goal of 14,000 ducks to race down the falls, community members can expect an exciting and free day at the park.
• The Derby will have live music, face painting, balloon twisting, yard games, and food trucks.
• At 2:30 p.m. sharp, we have our bugler call the race and watch all 14,000 ducks race down the falls.
• For those that adopt ducks, there’s a chance to win a million dollars, a first-place prize of a year of groceries from Publix, a second-place prize of $2,500 cash from the Rotary Club of the Reedy River Greenville, and many more prizes coming in.
• Ducks are currently $10 for a single duck, and a Quack Pack of 4 ducks for $30, and Raft of 10 ducks for $70.
• To adopt your ducks or learn more, visit reedyriverduckderby.com.

PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS
John Force Racing
Career Highlights:
? Winningest Funny Car driver of all time
16-Time NHRA Funny Car Champion
1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998,
1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2013
Victories as owner — 2003, 2009, 2017 (Funny Car
and Top Fuel), 2019, 2022
Inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of
America in 2008.
? First driver in history with 100 wins
? First NHRA drag racer to achieve 1,000 career
elimination round wins

? First driver to set an official NHRA Funny Car elapsed time under five seconds in the quarter
mile
? Most event #1 qualifications in NHRA history
? 156 career wins
zMAX Dragway:
- Won the Inaugural race at zMAX Dragway in 2010 – beat daughter Ashley by .021 of a second
- Winningest Funny Car driver in the 4-Wide Nationals with three victories (plus one win at Carolina
Nationals)
- John Force Racing is going for its fourth consecutive win in Funny Car in the Charlotte 4-Wide
2024 Season So Far:
- LAS VEGAS: 3rd in E1 (most recent race + 4-Wide Format)
- ARIZONA: Loss in E2
- POMONA: WON
- GAINESVILLE: Loss in E2
Fun Facts:
? Father of drag racers Ashley Force Hood, Brittany Force, and Courtney Force
? Force, his daughters, Courtney, Ashley, and Brittany, and son-in-law Robert Hight are
collectively known as "The First Family of Drag Racing.”
? Nickname is “Brute Force,” earned by his dominating wins during his run of ten straight NHRA
championships
NHRA 4-Wide Facts:
? NASCAR Hall of Famer and three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart will make first ever
Top Fuel start at zMAX Dragway
? “Night of Fire” on Friday — Q2 Nitro Qualifying @ 7:45

? Pyrotechnics display, DJ, elaborate driver introductions
? Vintage rail and stock car show in Showcase Pavilion
? Saturday 8a - 5p, Sunday 8a - 5p
? Speedway Children’s Charities 50/50 Raffle starting Friday, April 26th
? First time hosting at NHRA
? 4-Wide Smoked Brisket Tacos
? Presented in conjunction with Levy Restaurants
? Four smoked brisket tacos with varying toppings
? KSFMX Freestyle Motorcycle team returns to midway for jaw-dropping stunts
? Jeremy "Twitch" Stenberg in attendance

Tickets:
Fans can purchase tickets to the April 26-28 NHRA 4-Wide Nationals online at
charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Every ticket is a pit pass, so come
early to see your favorite drivers and their cars up-close before a festival of 44,000 horsepower ignites
the excitement!