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In the late 1970s, Tony Joe White was arguably in his golden era.
Curating a distinct mix of country and disco, the man affectionately known as the "Swamp Fox", was cooking up his own batch of delectable desert disco, harking back to the humid riffs emanating from his native Louisiana and injecting them into something altogether more funky and danceable.
Now, some of that never-before-heard material is seeing the light of day, in a way never previously expected, all courtesy of White's son Jody and UK outlaw country house pair The Flying Mojito Bros.
Suitably titled The Swamp Fox, the posthumous project will be released on March 13. The first taste we have of the record comes in the form of 'Alligator Swamp', a boot-stomping jive that leaves all manner of sweat and blood across the unwaxed dance floor.
Across the track, FMB cleverly inject White's Louisiana burl into a kaleidoscopic acid trip of sweaty, euphoric beats, humble Moog textures and White-inspired sultry, stinkin' electric guitar.
It possesses all the charm and suave sway of White's classic 1980 record The Real Thang - a record that thrusted and thrived in a way that would make even Charley Crockett blush. With the FMB's attentive hands at the desk, the songs develop into something altogether modern and contemporary in 2026, a piece of work that will allow White's songwriting to be enjoyed and appreciated for years to come.
Speaking on the release, Tony Joe's son, Jody, who has at been at the helm of the project, explains how this newly unveiled body of work feels like a timely collaboration between his father and the UK duo, despite Tony having passed away in 2018:
"During the late 70’s and early 80’s, Tony Joe was blending country, swamp and disco into his own recipe of funky dance music. With some help from the Flying Mojito Bros, these songs are about to see the light of day and the Swamp Fox will carve out another unexplored path of musical experience".
Alongside Jody, The Flying Mojito Bros have paid tribute to Tony ahead of the project's release:
"Tony Joe White has been at the heart of our musical universe since day one. Being invited by his son Jody to rework unheard material from what we consider to be Tony Joe’s golden era feels like a fever dream – and a great honour.
Alongside paying their respects, The FMB explained their core desire in creating the release:
"Our aim is simple: to act as torchbearers for his songwriting, funk power and Southern soul, sensitively bringing our modern electronic muscle to a body of work we revere beyond words. And damn is it danceable!"
The Swamp Fox is set for release on March 13. The first song from the album, 'Alligator Swamp' is premiering exclusively today at Holler.
