Caroline Cotto paints a portrait of a Lone Man with the help of Stray Cats drummer Slim Jim Phantom in her new single and lyric video — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
As a young girl growing up in New York, singer-guitarist Cotto couldn’t get enough of Massapequa rockabilly trio Stray Cats. Now, she’s pinching herself as she collaborates with none other than Phantom on this catchy, groove-fuelled single. “Brian Setzer, Lee Rocker and Slim Jim Phantom were the perfect trio to me,” she says. “So when I found myself years later in the studio with Slim Jim, this was a dream come true.”
Lone Man shines with punchy, rockabilly-leaning goodness thanks to Phantom’s backbeat and Cotto’s guitar work. Old-school influences like Little Richard, Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly can be heard as it slowly builds before launching into a glorious, closing foot-stomping rave-up.
Cotto, also a fan of Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent and Presley, saw a bit of herself when she first heard Stray Cats. “I was inspired immediately by the revival of rockabilly with their unique flair,” she says. “Though Stray Cats and I grew up decades apart, I felt a kinship to them. Throughout all my travels from New York to Paris to London to New Orleans, their music was a guiding light.”
Cotto sent the track to Phantom, figuring he’d be a perfect fit to produce and play drums. “We both loved Elvis Presley’s Sun Sessions and have a kinship to ’50s rock ‘n’ roll,” she says. “Jim is an absolute legend and icon. We completed the song in a few hours over a span of two days. It was just straight rock ‘n’ roll — just guitar, voice, bass and drums.”
Lyrically, the song is “about being in a relationship with someone who is stuck in darkness and cannot see the light around them — and no matter what one does to help them, they continue to stay stuck there.” The song came from a conversation she had with someone show said “if they didn’t make it into the music industry by the time they were 30, they would move to New Orleans and play loud guitar and drink.” Cotto felt it was sad for someone “to not see the light of a dream and be consumed by drugs and alcohol.”
Cotto and her “red-glitter guitar case” flew to Los Angeles in January to record the single in Sherman Oaks at former Guns N’ Roses member Gilby Clarke’s studio. Clarke co-engineered Lone Man alongside Barry Pointer. Phantom and Cotto were joined by bassist Tom Slik.
Cotto grew up reading literature and writing poetry, but eventually moved on to music, inspired by her guitarist father. She became a regular at Sidewalk Cafe in the city’s East Village. After releasing her debut EP Devil In Me, she moved to Paris in 2015, eventually heading to London and New Orleans. In 2023, she released her debut album Bayou Sun, earning Independent Blues Awards for Best New Artist and Best New Artist Release.
Check out Lone Man above, hear more from Caroline Cotto below and try to keep up with her on her website, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
