Jedd Hughes Shares His Rendition Of 'Loving You Is The Only Way To Fly'

(IVPR) "We all fell under the spell of a guttural melancholy love song," says Australia-raised, Nashville-based songwriter and guitarist, Jedd Hughes. In this instance, the "we" in question was comprised of Hughes and his writing partners, the great Sarah Buxton and Rodney Crowell, and the trio were penning a tune that would end up recorded multiple times over the next decade, "Loving You Is The Only Way To Fly." "I had always wanted to record this for myself after multiple recordings by others," says Hughes, most notably Crowell's own version from 2023's The Chicago Sessions and a fan-favorite duet from the hit television series Nashville. So, when it came time to get into the studio to record Hughes's latest album, the heartachingly beautiful "Loving You Is The Only Way To Fly" was a no-brainer for the long-favored session musician making a no-rules album of original material.

A reverb-drenched piano sets the scene before Hughes delivers the song's opening line over his fingerstyle guitar arrangement: "I should have moved on long ago / Why I still want you, I don't know." The monotone cadence of the verse reinforces the melancholy realization of the song's narrator, wrapped in a simple but strong rhythm section performance. The melody lifts into a quietly soaring pre-chorus before giving way to the ultimate realization of the refrain: "Loving you is the only way to fly." Hughes delivers a Jeff Tweedy-inspired acoustic guitar solo before the final verse, adding a subtle dissonance to the gorgeous arrangement.

"Loving You Is The Only Way To Fly" is the latest single from Hughes's upcoming album, Night Shades-out May 2nd on Truly Handmade Records. A testament to not settling for anything less than his truest form of self-expression, Night Shades finds Hughes's technicolor musical world blossoming into its fullest potential. Combining mesmerizingly deep and inspiring songwriting with heartbreakingly beautiful guitar playing, carrying listeners to a multitude of unique sonic landscapes, full of witty yet introspective lyrics and lilting, poignant tales of life-not unlike some of his lauded songwriter collaborators, the aforementioned Rodney Crowell, Jim Lauderdale, and Guy Clark, to name a few.

News > Jedd Hughes