With the runaway success of “I Don’t Care” hitting Top 10 on the Canadian Independent Country Countdown, Americana artist KC Armstrong is riding a wave of momentum into his next chapter. Today, he releases his new single, “When You’re Gone” — a cheeky, soulful tune filled with wit, rhythm, and personal history that stretches all the way back to a walk through a field in 1997.
Originally from Peterborough and now based in Brantford, Armstrong brings together years of road-tested musicianship, a wry lyrical sense, and a homespun charm that continues to win over listeners coast to coast. His latest single, which premiered June 30 on CBC Radio One during a live interview with host Mary Ito, is already making waves.
“When You’re Gone” has a breezy strut that conceals a deeper emotional thread. With lines like “I’m going to shed some pounds — get out around — keep my good friends near,” Armstrong paints a picture of self-renewal in the wake of a relationship’s end. It walks the line between heartbreak and liberation with signature flair. The key modulations between verses echo the emotional highs and lows that come with letting go and moving on.
The story behind the song is as remarkable as the tune itself. On a summer day in 1997, Armstrong composed not one, but three songs during a six-hour stretch while walking his dog, Kelsie, along the Trent-Severn Waterway in Peterborough. The chorus to “When You’re Gone” struck him mid-walk, causing him to abandon their outing not once, not twice, but three times to get the melody down – and got it . By the end of the day, he had also written “Another Lonely Night” and “I’ll Needta Know.”
“To this day, I couldn’t tell you where it came from,” Armstrong reflects. “There wasn’t an event or heartbreak that inspired it. But like some songs do, this one just arrived.” Strangely enough, both “When You’re Gone” and “So About You” (from his debut album Finally Crafted) foreshadowed a major personal chapter—the eventual end of a long-term relationship nearly a decade later.
Though written decades ago, the release of “When You’re Gone” is perfectly timed. With two singles charted—”I Don’t Care” and “Someone Else Tonight” hitting Top 10—Armstrong is connecting with a growing community of fans, radio hosts, and folk/country tastemakers across the country. His music has charted on U.S. and U.K. stations, garnered praise from Cashbox and Record World International, and earned finalist nods at the International Singer Songwriter Association Awards.
The musicians who surround Armstrong are no less impressive. His collaborators have toured with Jim Cuddy, George Canyon, Doug and the Slugs and Del Shannon, and collectively hold platinum and gold records, Junos, and a Grammy among them. This deep bench of talent brings warmth and vibrancy to every recording.
Armstrong’s music carries the weight of lived experience and the spark of discovery. With lyrics that balance humour and truth, and melodies that stay with you long after the song ends, “When You’re Gone” is yet another example of his craft at its finest.
The track is a standout preview of his upcoming 2026 album Late Boomer, which will also feature the two other songs born that same fateful day. Until then, listeners can enjoy the first taste of that magical summer afternoon—one ‘oooo’ at a time.
