“There’s a spotlight shining ‘round the Victoria Bend…” is the opening line of singer/songwriter Jeff McCreary’s newest single, “Terrene Landing,” which pays tribute not only to the mighty Mississippi River, but also to family members who worked the river throughout their lives.
The single, recorded at Blue Sky Studios in Jackson, Mississippi, was released to streaming platforms on May 1. McCreary’s well-worn voice, showing the influences of performing songwriters like James McMurtry and the late John Prine, carries the melody comfortably over a rootsy instrumental track.
The Delta born and raised singer/songwriter has been writing songs since the age of sixteen, and, after a successful first recording, he was ready to share more of his music with the broader public. McCreary’s debut EP, Rough Patch, was released in 2021 to positive reviews. He often performs live local and regional gigs as part of the Deep Roots music initiative, but after a five-year break from the studio, he was ready to give “Terrene Landing” the attention it deserved.
“I wrote ‘Terrene Landing’ in about an hour,” says McCreary. “I wrote from the perspective of my dad and his brother and all the people that grew up with them in Rosedale in the 60s and 70s.
My dad worked on a river boat for several years and my grandfather most of his life. They were commercial fishermen. They knew that river like the back of their hands.”
McCreary is a communicator of emotion, and a listener can’t come away from this song without feeling the longing that comes from the memory of being “…a twelve-year-old boy on Terrene Landing.”
To stream “Terrene Landing,” search ‘Jeff McCreary’ on multiple music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and more.