Focus Track "Comet in the Sky" Pays Tribute to Poco Co-Founder Rusty Young
Acclaimed Americana collective Cimarron 615 celebrates today's release of Same Sky, available now. The band's third album finds the veteran musicians fully settled into their identity, drawing from decades of experience while continuing to push beyond the boundaries of country rock, Americana, blues, bluegrass, R&B and roots music.
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The album's focus track, "Comet in the Sky," is among its most moving moments. Written and sung by Michael Webb, the song serves as an elegy for the band's late Poco bandmate Rusty Young, whose passing in 2021 ultimately brought the group together. Featuring an expressive pedal steel performance by Mike Daly, the song reflects on loss while honoring the lasting influence of a friend, bandmate and musical trailblazer.
"This is an acknowledgement of those who came before, who are no longer with us, particularly Rusty," Webb says. "It's saying, we're going to miss you."
Cimarron 615 brings together Poco veterans Jack Sundrud (bass, vocals), Michael Webb (keyboards, accordion) and Rick Lonow (drums, percussion), alongside guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Ronnie Guilbeau, whose history with Poco includes co-writing the band's 1989 Top 20 hit "Call It Love."
The story of Cimarron 615 began after the passing of Rusty Young, when Blue Élan Records founder Kirk Pasich assembled Sundrud, Webb and Lonow for a tribute concert and recording project. The chemistry proved impossible to ignore. With Guilbeau joining the lineup, what began as a celebration of Poco's legacy quickly became something entirely new.
Named for Poco's classic "Rose of Cimarron" and Nashville's 615 area code, the band has developed a sound rooted in ringing guitars, expressive keyboards, rich harmonies and a lifetime of shared musical experience. Produced by the band and recorded at Treasure Island Recorders in Nashville, Same Sky showcases that chemistry across an eclectic collection of songs that ranges from country twang and blues rock to bluegrass, reggae, Cajun, and soulful R&B.
Collectively, the four musicians represent decades of American music history. Beyond Poco, their careers include Burrito Deluxe, Great Plains, Brooklyn Cowboys, Palomino Road and GYG, along with recording and touring credits with artists including Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, Loretta Lynn, Chris Stapleton, John Prine, John Fogerty and Hank Williams Jr.
Across Same Sky, Cimarron 615 explores resilience, friendship, gratitude and the experiences that connect us. Every member contributes as a songwriter, arranger and vocalist, creating an album that feels both deeply collaborative and unmistakably personal. The opening track, "Your Turn Now," acknowledges the band's next chapter, while songs like "Aruba," "Broken and Blue," "Hard Way to Make a Living," and "World Slidin' Down" showcase the breadth of influences that define the group's Americana approach.
As Sundrud puts it, "'Americana' as a brand seems to fit our style of music really well. The label just encouraged us to be ourselves, and it worked out."
With Same Sky, Cimarron 615 continues writing its own story while honoring the musicians and friendships that made it possible. It's an album built on shared history, seasoned musicianship and the simple joy of making music together.