# Okemah Rising

Professional ratings :
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| Blabbermouth.net | 8/10 |
Okemah Rising is the twelfth studio album by American band Dropkick Murphys, released on May 12, 2023, on Dummy Luck Music. The album was recorded in 2022 during the band's recording sessions for This Machine Still Kills Fascists and like the songs from that album, the songs are composed of unused lyrics and words from Woody Guthrie. Like with the previous album, Okemah Rising does not feature vocalist Al Barr who was on hiatus from the band to take care of his ailing mother. The album was executive produced by Guthrie's daughter Nora Gutherie and also features appearances by Violent Femmes, Jaime Wyatt, Jesse Ahern and Woody's grandson Cole Quest. The album features a reworked "Tulsa Version" of the band's biggest hit, "I'm Shipping Up to Boston", which was originally written by Guthrie.

## Background

The album was recorded in Tulsa in Woody Guthrie's home state of Oklahoma at Leon Russell's The Church Studio. With Al Barr on hiatus from the band, the band thought it was the ideal time to record an acoustic album. The band released the first album from these recording sessions, This Machine Still Kills Fascists, in 2022.

## Promotion

The album was preceded by the first single and music video for "I Know How It Feels" on March 1, 2023. The album's second single, "Gotta Get to Peeksill" (featuring Violent Femmes), was released on March 31, 2023, with a music video being released on April 6, 2023. The album's third single and music video for "Bring It Home" (featuring Jaime Wyatt), was released on May 31, 2023.
The band's early 2023 dates in Europe featured the first performances of songs from Okemah Rising. The band will continue to promote the album throughout their annual St. Patrick's Day shows in the US, which begin in March 2023.
For people who preordered the vinyl version of Okemah Rising through the band's website, received a free limited edition 7-inch vinyl featuring acoustic versions of "Barroom Hero" and "Skinhead on the MBTA" recorded live at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The 7-inch will not be sold at retail.

## This Machine Rising documentary

On August 30, 2024, the band released the short documentary, This Machine Rising, on YouTube. The film "tells the story of Dropkick Murphys' journey with Woody Guthrie's lyrics, focusing on the Tulsa sessions (the recording of This Machine Still Kills Fascists and Okemah Rising), the theater tour, and the enduring power of music and words to unite the working class and promote equity.

## Track listing

All tracks are written by Woody Guthrie

## Personnel

Dropkick Murphys
* Tim Brennan – guitar, accordion, vocals
* Ken Casey – lead vocals, bass
* Jeff DaRosa – banjo, mandolin, acoustic guitars, vocals
* Matt Kelly – drums, percussion, vocals
* James Lynch – guitars, vocals
Additional musicians
* Cole Quest – dobro guitar, backing vocals

## Charts

Chart performance for Okemah Rising :
| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) | 19 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC) | 37 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) | 63 |
| UK Album Downloads (OCC) | 87 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC) | 16 |