King of Clubs: National Touring Folk/Pop/Rock Musician Eric Himan Pairs Up w/ Top Nashville Players

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - May 20, 2015 - PRLog -- (Nashville, TN) Tulsa OK-based singer/songwriter Eric Himan released his new deluxe EP “Playing Cards” this week. The album, a collaboration with award-winning musician and songwriter Zac Maloy, was recorded in Nashville with some of the top studio and touring musicians on the music scene today. Maloy, who has worked with Blake Shelton, Daughtry, Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw and David Cook, just to name a few, produced the deluxe EP and co-wrote several of its songs with Himan.

Himan recorded the EP with Maloy in Nashville, with some of the city’s most accomplished studio and touring musicians including guitarist Kenny Greenberg, pianist / keyboardist Dave Cohen, bassist Jacob Lowery and percussionist Miles McPherson. Also making a guest vocal appearance is Grammy® nominee Alana Davis, whose soulful, nuanced voice complements Himan’s soul-fueled rock vocals perfectly on the track “Flying China.” “Nashville is a city known for holding this kind of talent, and you can’t help but feel that energy when you’re recording there with a great producer and all these great people he pulled together for the project. Makes all the difference,” said Himan.

2014 saw Himan realizing some of his personal dreams, touring with such acts as Leon Russell, a member of both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, as well as Himan’s personal musical hero Ani DiFranco. DiFranco, the critically acclaimed, genre-crossing singer, guitar player, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, has been possibly the largest influence on Himan’s career. “Once you’ve toured with these legends, these heroes of your musical career, you take a look around and think, “Well, I guess that’s it!” said Himan. “I thought I had done what I set out to do, and thought touring for me was now a thing of the past. Then along comes Zac…”

“For me, this experience allowed me to collaborate and learn from songwriters of all different styles, which truly allowed me to find my own songwriting voice,” added Himan, whose influences come from soul, rock, folk and blues.

Recording in Nashville with such seasoned players helped Himan reignite his own passion for music in an unexpected way. “I took away a sense of “this is the next level” said Himan. “These musicians not only knew what to play, they FELT what to play.” That musicality, the ability to feel the music, inspired Himan to bring his own A-game to the table.

The resulting work is a collaborative exploration of the unexpected or unintended consequences of love, romantic or otherwise. “Flying China,” for example, surfaced as a way to examine how love is at once fragile, expensive and even dangerous. “Hiding In My Dreams” is about falling in love again unexpectedly and allowing life to surprise you. “Never Wanna Let You down” is an homage to the feeling of being there for others and wanting that same security.

Eric Himan is an award winning, nationally touring soul / folk / rock artist based in the Tulsa area. Eric's music has been featured on Sirius/XM's Coffeehouse radio station with his song, "Everything To You" and version of the Simply Red classic, "Holding Back the Years". Eric has shared the stage with Ani DiFranco, Leon Russell, India.Arie, Edwin McCain and many more. He has appeared in the The Advocate, Huffington Post, OUT, newspapers nationwide, won the Singer/Songwriter Awards in London and is endorsed by Fender Guitars. Visit EricHiman.com for detailed information about the artist and tour dates. “Playing Cards” is available now on iTunes and Google Play.