BROTHER CANE will release its first new album in 27 years, “Magnolia Medicine”, on April 17, 2026 via Double Dragon Records, distributed by Virgin Music Group.
The official lyric video for the LP’s latest single, “Nothing To Lose”, can be seen below.
BROTHER CANE is an American rock band originally from Birmingham, Alabama. Formed by frontman/guitarist Damon Johnson and bassist Glenn Maxey in 1991, the group released three studio albums, charting several singles, including three No. 1s and five top 10 hits.
“Magnolia Medicine” reunites Johnson with Marti Frederiksen, a songwriter-for-hire who has previously collaborated with AEROSMITH, DEF LEPPARD, Jonny Lang and Sheryl Crow, among many others, rekindling the creative spark that powered BROTHER CANE‘s legacy and redefining it for a new era.
The magnolia symbolizes resilience, so it is no wonder that BROTHER CANE has chosen to highlight the mighty tree for its return to original recorded music for the first time in nearly three decades.
BROTHER CANE found immediate success with the July 1993 release of its self-titled debut album, which delivered three singles: “Got No Shame”, “That Don’t Satisfy Me” and “Hard Act To Follow”. “Got No Shame” reached No. 1 on the Mainstream Rock charts and garnered the band U.S. tours with AEROSMITH, Robert Plant and LYNYRD SKYNYRD. The band’s next album, “Seeds” (1995),yielded another No. 1 rock track, the haunting and swampy “And Fools Shine On”. This hit led to a lengthy and successful tour in support of the mighty VAN HALEN. Three years later saw the release of “Wishpool” (1998) and BROTHER CANE‘s third No. 1 song at rock radio, “I Lie In The Bed I Make”. After major personnel changes at Virgin Records (the band’s label),as well as a major shift in style at rock and alternative radio formats, the band laid down their instruments and called it a day in 2000. “Wishpool” would be the band’s final full-length release until now.
Written and recorded in Nashville, “Magnolia Medicine” sees Johnson, original bassist Glenn Maxey, drummer Jarred Pope, guitarist Tony Higbee, and keyboardist Buck Johnson put forth an 11-track effort steeped in all of their various influences.
For the past 25 years, Johnson has been the lead guitarist on global tours for John Waite, Alice Cooper, THIN LIZZY and now currently filling the enormous hole left by the late Gary Rossington in LYNYRD SKYNYRD. These experiences have helped provide the inspiration and source material for “Magnolia Medicine”. Opening track “If This Means War” leans heavy into an aggressive stance that announces that this is no meek or half assed attempt for BROTHER CANE to reenter the world of rock and roll. This return is sonic, soulful and it is not messing around. The swampy “Take A Chance” is vintage BROTHER CANE in that it was co-written by Johnson and Frederiksen. The song is a perfect example of the ineffable relationship between a musician and his creative partner. A strong riff from Johnson and a soaring melody from Frederiksen have always been the magic sauce that makes BROTHER CANE tick. This is further proven on the riotous and infectious “Nothing To Lose”.
While “Magnolia Medicine” is a deeply personal album to Johnson, such as on the breathtaking “The Wolf On The Mountain”, which explores the complications of mental illness infecting a family and a community against the backdrop of mournful drop D tuning, ultimately the album feels like a family endeavor. Johnson has described the current lineup as close friends that are like brothers. This vibe carried the project through to the highlight track “Prince Charming” which is a haunting and hopeful tribute to Rossington. Featuring a stunning guest vocal from SKYNYRD‘s Johnny Van Zant, the song, whose title is a reference to Rossington‘s nickname, is in effect a hymn. It holds space for the pain of losing someone you love and admire while also making you feel like they are in the room with you just waiting for another hug. Another tribute of sorts is the track “Miracle” which pays homage in tone and spirit to the great American songwriter and artist Tom Petty. You can also feel the pull of Bruce Springsteen in the song “Are You In There Anymore”. After multiple decades in the music business Johnson knows where he came from and he knows what he likes. His love of music is genuine and here he and the band acknowledge their heroes while being unapologetically themselves.
Johnson recounted that the title “Magnolia Medicine” came to him after he and his wife rehabilitated a Little Gem Magnolia tree that was dying in their backyard. After they almost lost hope that the tree would survive they began treating it with a special fertilizer and finally one beautiful single white blossom appeared at the top of the tree. A southern flower, a tree resurrected. So here is BROTHER CANE, a southern band, reborn.
BROTHER CANE returned to performing in 2022, released two brand new songs in October 2023, and continues to schedule shows around Johnson‘s now-full-time commitment to SKYNYRD.
BROTHER CANE promotional photo courtesy of Straight 9 Entertainment
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