Photo by Lindsay Elliott
Denison Witmer just released his new single, “Older and Free,” produced by his longtime friend Sufjan Stevens, who also contributes to the track (with additional co-production by Andy Park). With its thoughtful lyrics and rich instrumentation, the song is about centering yourself in nature.
“One of the benefits of getting older and knowing yourself is being able to seek out the things that reset you in times when things feel off balance. For me, alone time is very important. Nature is very important. Moving my body and getting lost in my thoughts has become a must – whether it be running or, in the case of this song, hiking.
I wrote this song when I was solo camping for a night at French Creek State Park not far from my home in PA. During Covid lockdown, my wife and I realized that we would burn out in the responsibilities of our day to day life if we didn’t take time to ourselves. The melody and lyrics came to me as I was hiking the Lenape Trail back to my campsite. I have a little classical guitar that goes with me most places, and I wrote the song in completion that evening. I got so attached to the sound that the little guitar ended up being the instrument we recorded the basic tracks with.” – Denison Witmer
“Older and Free” is available now on all streaming and download platforms.
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