Charlie Winton “Rising Tide”

Singer-songwriter Charlie Winton’s story begins in entertainment and media—but not where one might expect. Though he spent fifty years playing guitar and writing songs, listeners who discover him today may not realize he was also the visionary behind one of the most significant forces in the publishing business, serving as chairman and CEO for decades before branching out his ventures into several distinct imprints that employ hundreds and continue to shape the industry today. Throughout it all, Winton never stopped playing and writing, honing a soulful Americana-rock sound inspired by the legends he reveres, such as Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and Tom Waits.

In 2016, retirement finally opened the door to a full-time musical career; he wasted no time embarking on his “second act.” Joining forces with Bay Area producer Scott Mathews, whose notable collaborators include Jack Nitzsche, Brian Wilson, Van Morrison, and Elvis Costello, Winton has, at 73, crafted an impressive trio of records, each more meditative, expressive, and expansive than the last. Following 2024’s Eternal Light, his fourth upcoming album, Shadowland, casts a long look back at the shadows of the past, pairing a gravelly, swampy atmosphere with the kind of unhurried introspection perfectly suited to a contemplative drive down an endless stretch of American road, tucked deep in the wilderness, with no one in sight.

About “Rising Tide”

Tethered to an arresting guitar riff, “Rising Tide” overflows with the placid melancholy and deep-seated curiosity of sonic troubadours like Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, artists who recognize that life is meaningful and mysterious, yet time “rushes on and on” regardless of how one spends the journey. In simple, poetic declarations, Winton unfurls the testament of someone reconciling with the present in the wake of the past, the untamable swell of the tide capturing a feeling that can no longer be suppressed, a poignant realization that there’s “always time to get it right.” His weathered, rugged vocals take center stage above a steady tempo and wailing acoustics, carrying the weight of looking to the past, present, and future at once, grappling with vulnerability, acceptance, and the subtle dread that creeps in as “the long goodbye” inches closer. The waves are crashing onto the shore, but rather than being swept away, Winton is “hanging in, and holding tight,” letting a lifetime of earned wisdom guide him from here on out.

About the “Rising Tide” Music Video

As Winton’s first official music video, the stripped-back concept is a reminder of just how artful an indie performance visual can be, drawing listeners inward through the passion of the moment, wading through a lifetime of memories and infinite possibilities. As Winton and Mathews bring the song to life on screen, pouring raw emotion into each pluck of the strings, shimmers of light catch the eye at every turn, floating and flickering against the backdrop of the narrator’s glimpses of hope and dashes of sorrow. Much like in real life, flashes of the clock periodically bombard the peace, a jarring reminder that the great wheel of time turns on and on, through the best of times, the worst of times, and everything in between. Eventually, those hands will stop. All the more reason to “let the light in, slay your dragons,” and squeeze every last drop from the moments that remain.