Mike Aiken's "Virginia" Video Captures Commonwealth's Glory

Nashville, TN (April 19, 2017 Press Release) -- Mike Aiken's  new video, "Virginia,"  features a unique and personal view of the Commonwealth this singer/songwriter calls home.  "Virginia"  is the latest single from Aiken's critically-acclaimed sixth studio album,  CAPTAINS & COWBOYS, released on Northwind Records. 
 
"This should be our state song." 
-Paul Shugrue, NPR - WHRV, Norfolk, VA
 
With the warmth of Lightfoot, the earthiness of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and the unerring timing of Billy Joe Shaver, Aiken's vocals are uninhibited on the self-penned, sweetly vibrant "Virginia."   "It's a love affair," Aiken admits.  "This is my home and a special place to me.  She's beautiful, but just beneath the surface lies the story of a troubled past.  Look a little deeper and you can see and feel the pain of the Civil War's blue and gray; black and white.  It's part of what makes Virginia what she is.  It always sets my soul free to get back home," Mike adds.

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The video was shot in a variety of locations, from graveyards to mountaintops to coastal beaches, but the Civil War cemeteries left a lasting impression on Mike and the crew.  "It was the first time I'd ever filmed in that type of location," Aiken reflects.  "When I looked at the tombstones, saw the names and where the soldiers were from, I felt their souls reaching out to me.  It gave me chills and inspired a sense of awe that I'd never felt before."
 
A well-traveled troubadour, Mike has always felt the pull of the past - and he admits that he sometimes feels as if he were born in the wrong century.  An inner sense of chivalry oozes from every track on  CAPTAINS & COWBOYS.  A writer of enormous depth, Aiken knows whereof he speaks: he has lived on a sailboat for the past 20 years, sailed across oceans as a USCG-licensed captain, raised horses and made his living as a farrier.  
 
Mike's upcoming CD, WAYWARD TROUBADOR, will be released this summer.  In the meantime, fans can follow his musical journey at  MikeAikenMusic.com.