That Eric Alper

Today, 38 Special, the classic southern rock band behind worldwide hits such as “Hold On Loosely” and “Caught Up In You,” have announced their new album Milestone out now. In celebration of the band’s 50th anniversary, their first new music in over 20 years features guests and co-writes with Pat Monahan (Train) and Randy Bachman (Bachman Turner-Overdrive / The Guess Who), and longtime collaborator Jim Peterik (Survivor, Sammy Hagar, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Cheap Trick).

Along with the announcement, 38 Special shared the lilting lead single, and accompanying music video, “All I Haven’t Said” which nods to the melody-driven bands that came before them.

“That’s my throwback to the ’60s, inspired by bands like the Searchers,” says frontman and co-founder Don Barnes who produced the album alongside Peterik. “I’ve always loved that jangling guitar sound and what’s old is new again. We just inject more power guitars to it.”

50 years together. 20 million albums sold. More than 15 albums of guitar-driven southern rock, stacked high with hits like “Hold On Loosely,” “Caught Up In You,” “If I’d Been The One,” “Back Where You Belong,” and “Second Chance.” 38 Special is proof that there’s strength in numbers.

Formed in 1974 the band toured tirelessly from the start, sharpening the explosive live show that’s been 38 Special’s calling card for a half-century. Along the way the Florida natives fine-tuned their sound too: a blend of muscle and melody, filled with the arena-rock pop hooks that would soon become staples of FM radio. As 38 Special enters its sixth decade together, the music continues with Milestone. Fueled up on snarling guitars, anthemic melodies, and the desire to break new ground, they update their sound for the 2020s, bridging the gap between past and present without forgetting their rock & roll roots.

“After all this time, we wanted to create a more modern 38 Special album,” says Barnes. “This is a fresh, updated approach to the sound we’ve been making together for so long. Why not make a big statement after all these years? When you’re reintroducing yourself to the world, ‘good enough’ doesn’t work anymore. If you’re gonna do it, you might as well go big.”

To revisit — and reimagine — the tightly-constructed sound that turned 38 Special into platinum-selling artists, the band turned to an old friend. Decades earlier, they’d struck up a partnership with Jim Peterik, founder of the band Survivor. Sitting around his kitchen table in 1980, Barnes and Peterik co-wrote “Hold On Loosely” with 38 Special’s original guitarist Jeff Carlisi. One year later the same trio wrote “Caught Up In You.” Those songs became defining songs not only of a decade, but of an entire genre, and Milestone gave the band a chance to work with Peterik once again.

“Jim is such a brilliant musician,” Barnes says. “He wrote ‘Eye Of The Tiger,’ ‘Heavy Metal’ for Sammy Hagar, and all of the Survivor hits. He literally wrote the book on songwriting; it’s called Songwriting For Dummies. He’s been my co-writer brother for decades and is a lifelong friend.”

Between their cross-country tour dates, 38 Special began recording Milestone at the Atlanta-area studio of Will Turpin, longtime bassist for Collective Soul. They worked quickly, all five musicians playing together in real time, capturing each song in a series of live-in-the-studio performances. Overdubs took place at Peterik’s home studio — “I’d be singing final harmonies in the vocal booth with a car and driver outside waiting to take me to the airport so I could fly to another show,” Barnes remembers — and mixing was completed by Johnny K, the hard-rock legend behind albums by Disturbed, Plain White T’s, and Megadeth.

Barnes has been putting in the work ever since he formed 38 Special in Jacksonville, Florida, joining forces with co-founder Donnie Van Zant — the younger brother of Lynyrd Skynyrd frontman Ronnie Van Zant — as well a talented vocalist who left 38 special’s lineup in 2013 due to inner-ear nerve damage. The group had dedicated themselves to the long, steady climb from small clubs to big arenas.

“Now, I have to say…some of the ‘new’ members have been here over 30 years and they are my brothers, too,” Barnes explains. “We’ve built our mission out of sheer stamina and fortitude, and after all this time together, we’ve learned that if we’re gonna do something, we should fiercely go at it and do it the best we possibly can. That’s why we worked so hard on Milestone. It’s paying respect to that history. Every song is diverse. We have in-your-face rockers and introspective moments. We go back and forth, over and over. It’s a great ride.”

Milestone Tracklist:

1. So Much So Right (D. Barnes / J. Peterik)

2. Slightly Controversial feat. Pat Monahan (D. Barnes/B. Capps/R. Wilson)

3. All I Haven’t Said (C. Barnes/D. Barnes/J. Peterik)

4. The Main Thing (D.Barnes/J. Peterik)  

5. Long Long Train (D.Barnes, R. Bachman)

6. Looking For My Life (D. Barnes, J. Peterik)

7. Making Up For Lost Time (D. Barnes, J. Peterik)

8. Windows of Memories (D. Barnes, J. Peterik)

9. The Look (J. Peterik)

Tour Dates:

October 16 – New Brunswick, NJ – State Theatre New Jersey  

October 17 – Glenside, PA – Keswick Theatre  

October 18 – Charles Town, WV – Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races  

November 13 – Ivins, UT – Tuacahn Amphitheatre  

November 14 – Chandler, AZ – Gila River Resorts & Casinos (Wild Horse Pass)