Western Skies

Written by Darden Smith

Narrated by Darden Smith

Part prose, part album, and part photographic essay, Western Skies is singer-songwriter Darden Smith’s stunning homage to the mythologies of Texas and companion to his music release of the same name.

Amid a series of road trips across West Texas, Darden Smith―Austin-based musician, author, and creative―found himself writing songs at the wheel and taking Polaroid photographs of the stark and ghostly terrain. Inspired by the spirit of the landscape, Smith scribbled his observations in a notebook and found new life in old lyrics―and between the prose, the music, and the Polaroid images he captured with his camera, Western Skies came vividly to life.

This beautifully designed and collectible book combines everything Smith captured and created during his travels. Features include:

• Sixteen new essays
• A foreword by Grammy Award–winner Rodney Crowell
• The lyrics of Smith’s latest album, also entitled Western Skies

The perfect companion piece to his latest album, also titled Western Skies, this arresting travelogue celebrates the sights and sounds of West Texas in a truly immersive and transportive way.

• Language: English
• Publisher: K-LOVE Books
• Release date: Apr 18, 2022
• ISBN: 9781947297449

Darden Smith

Darden Smith is a singer-songwriter based in Austin whose 30-year career redefines what it means to be a musician. In addition to 15 critically acclaimed albums, Smith continues to break new ground using the craft of songwriting in education, entrepreneurship, and in service to others. He is the founder and creative director of SongwritingWith:Soldiers, a nonprofit that pairs award-winning songwriters with veterans and service members in retreat settings to craft songs about combat and the return home.