Press release –
Today marks the release of “Busted,” the first track from Dispatches From The Desert , a new, serialized musical project by Americana singer-songwriter Dan Montgomery. Dan retreated to the desert and recorded these twelve tracks over twelve days: one per day. Now, he is releasing them throughout 2026 in a similar fashion: one track per month, each a dispatch from the desert. The project, produced by Ben Vaughn, explores songs written and performed by Dan and his guitar, with creative collaborative support from the inspiring desert surroundings.
“‘Busted’ is a song I wrote during a previous visit to the desert,” Dan explains. “I saved it for this project and it’s the first one we cut, setting the tone for the rest of the sessions. The hero in the tune has seen better days, much like the abandoned shacks dotting the landscape in this desolate part of California.”
Dan traveled from his home in Memphis, TN to record a solo acoustic session in Ben Vaughn’s 1975 Silver Streak trailer. After dragging Ben’s studio equipment to the trailer and setting it up, a windstorm whipped in from the west, relentlessly rocking the trailer and eventually knocking out the power. Impossible to record, Dan and Ben fine tuned the songs by candlelight. The winds continued the next day, moving the recording back into the desert house.
“Why record in the California desert when studios are everywhere? Because the desert isn’t just a location, it’s a collaborator,” Dan explains.
His desert collaborator’s natural drama required Dan to get honest with his recordings. No backing band, just Dan, his songs, and his guitar. The duo set out to present the songs in their purest form, focusing on “direct communication.”
“Direct communication,” says Dan. “Ben and I kept saying that phrase to each other whenever we were tempted to get lazy. It really helped steer us back and stay dedicated to achieving the most authentic expression possible. It was a great way to work. And quickly became the only way to work.”
The tracks, all Dan Montgomery originals, cover a lot of ground. “Looking For a Fight” and “Two People” are in the storyteller tradition, “Busted” and “A Little Tear” go straight to the heart, “She Said” and “Gotta Go” display Dan’s talent for delivering wry humor, and “Bad Shepherd” is a darkly confessional piece written just days before the sessions.
And the mood was set by the desert, whipping winds and all. Dan Montgomery was ready for the ride.
“I could’ve recorded anywhere. But the stillness– despite the wind– the focus, and strange way time bends out here shaped these performances,” Dan says.
Producer Ben Vaughn is also thrilled with the album.
“I knew we were going to get down to the nitty gritty but I didn’t know there would be this much nitty gritty to work with. The well was deep. I love how it all came out,” Ben explains.
