Exile have released “Look Out, Heart,” the first single from their forthcoming album of the same name, available now on all major streaming platforms via StarVista Music. Written by ACM Award-winning songwriter and founding member J.P. Pennington, the track tells the story of someone who recognizes, after failed attempts at a relationship, that a particular person is simply the one, no matter how hard you try to resist it. Listen here.
“This song is exemplary of a lot of the past material over the course of the long history of the band,” the group shared. “We feel that fans new and old will enjoy ‘Look Out, Heart.'” That confidence is well-placed. The track carries the signature soulful harmonies and musicianship that have defined Exile across more than 6 decades.
The recording features all 5 original members: Pennington on electric guitars, percussion, acoustic guitar, and lead vocals, Sonny LeMaire on bass guitar and harmony vocals, Marlon Hargis on keyboards and vocals, Steve Goetzman on drums, and Les Taylor on acoustic guitars and harmony vocals. Pennington and LeMaire produced the track together, with sessions split between Tower Station Studio in Lexington, Kentucky, engineered by Jeff Myers, and The DAWg Houze in Gallatin, Tennessee, with Tony Cottrill. Paul Scholten mixed and Mike Purcell mastered at County Q in Nashville.
The pedigree behind this band demands context. Exile formed in 1963 in Richmond, Kentucky, and went on to top both the pop and country charts with 18 hits collectively, including 11 No. 1s. Their 1978 smash “Kiss You All Over” spent 4 weeks at the top of Billboard’s pop chart and has since appeared in Happy Gilmore and Employee of the Month, among others. Their country run produced 10 No. 1 singles including “Woke Up In Love” and “Give Me One More Chance.” They’ve written hits for Alabama, Diamond Rio, and Restless Heart. In 2023, they celebrated their 60th anniversary as a band.
Kentucky Music Hall of Fame inductees with an Emmy Award for their historical documentary to their name, Exile continue to tour extensively. The upcoming schedule runs through the summer and fall with dates across the U.S. and a run on the ’70s Rock and Romance Cruise in March 2027.
Exile Tour Dates:
June 27 – Rainsville, AL @ Freedom Fest
July 4 – Moapa, NV @ Moapa Paiute “Rock The Sky” 4th of July Country Music Festival
July 10 – Waite Park, MN @ The Ledge Amphitheater
August 3 – Monroe County, PA @ Kalahari Resort
August 5 – New Paltz, NY @ Ulster County Fair
August 21 – Des Moines, IA @ Iowa State Fairgrounds
September 6 – Raton, NM @ Historic Shuler Theatre
September 11 – Seymour, IN @ Jackson Live & Event Center
September 12 – Dale, IL @ McLeansboro Fall Festival
September 17 – Hazard, KY @ Black Gold Festival
September 18 – Richmond, KY @ The Vine at Chenault Vineyards
September 26 – Elizabethton, TN @ Covered Bridge Days Festival
October 3 – Dunlap, TN @ Harris Park
October 9 – Hiawassee, GA @ Georgia Mountain Fair (Anderson Music Hall)
November 15 – Roland, OK @ Lee Creek Tavern
February 28, 2027 – Conway, AR @ Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts Concert Hall
March 13-20, 2027 – Fort Lauderdale, FL @ ’70s Rock and Romance Cruise 2027