MOBILE, AL — Mobile, Alabama artist
Paid In Mullet has released
“Mobile's My Home,” a new single featuring
Mobile's Excelsior Band, believed to be the
oldest marching jazz band in the United States and a 2022 National Endowment
for the Arts Heritage Fellow.
Written and composed by Will G. Phillips, “Mobile's My Home” is a
love letter to the coastal city of Mobile—its food, its music, its people,
and its deep-rooted culture. The song imagines being a thousand miles away and
telling a stranger what makes Mobile special: the oysters parmesan at Wintzell's,
shrimp and grits, live string shows, the birthplace of Mardi Gras, and the
enduring spirit of a community that rebuilds after every hurricane.
“This song came to me when I picked up a ukulele after a shoulder injury and
my 18-year-old son said, ‘Dad, you should write a song about Mobile,’”
says Phillips. “He was right. I imagined being far from home, with someone asking me
about my accent and where I was from, and how I would respond with charm. The song is
just what I would tell them about the place I love.”
Paid In Mullet—the duo of Will G. Phillips (ukulele, vocals) and Britt V. Bethea
(guitar)—collaborate on strings with songs about fish and Alacoastal people and
places. Nostalgia, stories, memories, Gulf Coast oddities, and catchy tunes is what to
expect. There is a reason Jimmy Buffett was inspired here.
For “Mobile's My Home,” Phillips and Bethea joined forces with trumpet player
and jazz band leader Hosea London and members of the Excelsior Band, along with Kenneth
“Mystro” Brandon (piano), Nikeland Nichols, and Calep Lewis (violin and
mandolin). The track was produced by Ben Brenner.
The song also celebrates famous sons of Mobile, including Hank Aaron, Jimmy Buffett
(who was a student at McGill Institute), the Red Clay Strays, Walker Hayes, Muscadine
Bloodline, and Wet Willie.
“Mobile's My Home” is available now on
Spotify,
Apple Music,
and
YouTube Music.
More Paid In Mullet releases are on the way.