Hollywood Records, FX and Hulu 
announce the release today of THE LOWDOWN–Original Soundtrack with a score by singer-songwriter JD McPherson. Long recognized as one of Oklahoma’s singular musicians, McPherson channels his signature rock, blues and vintage roots influences and elevates them to ominously atmospheric heights on this, his first project as a composer. McPherson’s instinctive artistry proves to be the most authentic backdrop to the first season of creator Sterlin Harjo’s critically-acclaimed FX series steeped in “Tulsa noir.”
Says McPherson: “Harjo / noir / Tulsa are three nouns collected together which might cause anyone’s wig to flip in general, but mine in particular. When Mr. Harjo asked me to produce music for a noir set in my hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma, I could not have been more thrilled. Tulsa is a truly unusual city made up of Art Deco architectural masterpieces casting long shadows over storied honky tonks, cars zooming around with tribal license plates, coney shops, and a rich, living history of jazz, funk, blues, country, western swing and art rock. There’s a diverse cast of real characters everywhere you look. I knew that with Sterlin at the helm, The Lowdown would be an earnest love letter to our wild and wooly city.”
McPherson adds: “To build the sound palette for the show, I revisited not only the particolored musical history of the noir genre, but also gathered influence from Japanese ‘westerns,’ obscure ‘50s rock and roll, western swing, and blues… all which somehow fit Tulsa’s wild and surreal landscape. I used the tools with which I’m familiar – old battleship-colored analog tube gear, 1/4″ tape and 1950s ribbon mics, along with the astounding modern tools at our disposal to try and weave a soundscape for The Lowdown as gritty, revelrous, and eccentric as Tulsa itself.”
Track listing
- Dale’s Theme (The Letter)
- Thank You For Your Concern
- Good Bullets
- Tulsa Nocturne
- Strollin’ Dead
- Catalina, Mi Amor
- Betty Jo
- Brothers
- Land Back
- A White Van
- Allen Murphy Suite
- Indian Head Hills
- Caviar Suite
ABOUT THE LOWDOWN
FX’s The Lowdown follows the gritty exploits of citizen journalist Lee Raybon (Hawke), a self-proclaimed Tulsa “truthstorian” whose obsession with the truth is always getting him into trouble. While Lee’s no idealist, he’s fiercely committed to exposing corruption and unearthing the city’s hidden rot, even when it puts him at risk. In season one, the publication of Lee’s latest exposé – a deep dive into the powerful Washberg family – is immediately followed by the suspicious suicide of Dale Washberg, and Lee knows he’s stumbled onto something big. Following a trail of breadcrumbs Dale has left behind, urging someone to dig deeper into the circumstances surrounding his death, Lee does just that. The first season also starred Keith David and featured guest stars Kyle MacLachlan, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Tim Blake Nelson, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Michael “Killer Mike” Render, Kaniehtiio Horn, Tracy Letts, Peter Dinklage and the late, great Graham Greene. Season one is currently available to stream on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S.
ABOUT JD MCPHERSON
Hailing from Broken Arrow, OK, JD McPherson has recorded four studio albums and toured extensively at venues worldwide, including festival sets at Glastonbury, Bonnaroo and Newport Folk Festival, among many others. Rolling Stone has described his music as “Timeless, forward-thinking rock & roll.” His 2017 LP, Undivided Heart & Soul, was released to widespread critical acclaim with NPR praising, “McPherson’s mastery of rock and soul fundamentals is beyond question, but his voice moves in wild ways on these songs, and the band exudes a new kind of risky energy.”
McPherson was born as the youngest child, growing up on the family’s cattle ranch near the town of Talihina. His father was a farmer, while his mother was a church minister. He took up the guitar at age 13.
“Where I actually grew up was just completely removed from anything resembling a town or a city. It was an hour away from the nearest supermarket. What that granted me was a lot of isolation and when you are bored you tend to work really hard on your interests. So it probably would have been a different story if I grew up in a town somewhere.”
He studied visual arts in college, earning a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Tulsa, and later worked as an art and technology teacher. McPherson taught middle school art for four years before embarking on a music career.
After deciding to pursue music more seriously, McPherson sent a demo to Jimmy Sutton of the small independent record label Hi-STYLE Records, which specialized in roots music. This was the start of a process that ultimately led to 2010’s Signs and Signifiers. After its wider release through Rounder Records, Rolling Stone gave Signs and Signifiers a 3 1⁄2 star (out of 5) review in November 2012 and labeled McPherson an “Artist to Watch.”
ABOUT DISNEY MUSIC GROUP
Disney Music Group (DMG) spearheads The Walt Disney Company’s global music ventures, encompassing recorded music, publishing, and live concerts. As the home of iconic labels like Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records, DMG boasts an extensive portfolio that includes soundtracks from some of the most beloved franchises in entertainment—Disney, Walt Disney Animation, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, Pixar, Searchlight Pictures, 20th Century Studios, and Disney+.
A trailblazer in the industry, DMG has launched award-winning and chart-topping albums, including the Grammy®-winning Encanto, the Oscar®-winning Frozen, and the fan-favorite Guardians of the Galaxy mixtapes. Its rich legacy extends to celebrated compositions from WandaVision and The Mandalorian, iconic scores like Soul (Oscar® and Grammy® winner), Black Panther,Coco, and Moana, as well as hit video games such as Spider-Man 2, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (Grammy® winner), and Star Wars Outlaws.
Recent releases include Avatar: Fire and Ash, A Very Jonas Christmas Movie, Zootopia 2, Moana 2, Mufasa: The Lion King, Thunderbolts*, Lilo & Stitch, Freakier Friday, Fantastic 4: First Steps, alongside television soundtracks for Shōgun, Only Murders in the Building, Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires and Alien Earth. Looking ahead, DMG is set to unveil highly anticipated soundtracks for Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Season 2 and Paradise Season 2.
With a catalog spanning over eight decades, DMG’s music has become a cornerstone of global pop culture. From timeless classics like Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, and Mary Poppins to modern epics such as Avatar and The Lion King, DMG’s repertoire continues to define cinematic music history.
Through Disney Concerts, DMG enchants audiences worldwide, producing and licensing thousands of live performances such as Descendants/Zombies: Worlds Collide Tour, Star Wars in Concert, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Disney on Classic, Pixar in Concert, The Lion King 30th Anniversary, and Marvel’s Infinity Saga. These spectacular productions celebrate the music that has shaped storytelling for generations.
DMG also leads in music innovation and discovery with curated playlists, its dedicated SiriusXM station (Channel 133), and the Disney Music Emporium (www.disneymusicemporium.com), an online hub for exclusive vinyl and collector’s editions. Its acclaimed The Big Score video series highlights the composers behind DMG’s most iconic soundtracks, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the artistry that brings music to life.
Beyond soundtracks, DMG represents a dynamic roster of artists and songwriters, including Queen (in the U.S. and Canada), Andy Grammer, Sofia Carson, TINI, kenzie, almost monday, Freya Skye, Adrian Lyles, Dewain Whitmore, Tony Ferrari, Lenii, Paris Carney, Rose Tan, and others.
