Morning bear - EPK
Bio
After a long hiatus, Morning Bear has awakened from hibernation to release their first new music in 6 years. After a series of devastating events and losses, including the global pandemic, the death of three close friends in separate tragedies, a severe injury, and battles with anxiety and depression, band leader John Runnels was uncertain about a return to the stage. However, after taking time to heal and process, Morning Bear returns with songs inspired by those experiences; exploring themes of grueling work and sacrifice in the face of uncertainty, of giving ourselves grace, of finding things to hold onto in the darkest of times, and of the resilience of the human spirit.
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The brainchild of Denver-based singer/songwriter John Runnels, Morning Bear is an orchestral indie folk project that channels emotion through vivid imagery and intricate melodies. Characterized by highly dynamic compositions, Morning Bear's music is a synthesis of the calm and delicate stylings of artists like Bon Iver and Jose Gonzalez with the complexity and depth of the Fleet Foxes and Sufjan Stevens. Featuring soaring vocals and atypical arrangements including cello, violin, piano and more, Morning Bear provides a textured landscape behind pop-influenced hooks.
Since forming in early 2014, Morning Bear has released two EP's and 5 singles, has toured extensively both nationally and internationally, and has had their music on rotation at college and public radio, including NPR. Morning Bear's music has over 1,000,000 combined listens on Spotify. In 2018, Morning Bear was invited to play Red Rocks amphitheater for the Film on the Rocks series. Past live radio sessions at KVOQ Open Air (An NPR affiliate station in Denver), WEMF in Boston, MA, KRFC in Fort Collins, CO, KPSU in Portland, OR, and KUCI in Irvine, CA.
Music
Press
CLASH Magazine - “‘A Simple Understanding’ shares a genuine connection with its listener, a bold turning point for Morning Bear.”
Fame Magazine - “The intimate acoustics of early Bon Iver are mirrored in A Simple Understanding, which shows the therapeutic power of honest songwriting”
UK Music News - “With his warm and tender vocal performance spread across a wistful acoustic-led production from beginning to end, he is certainly looking to pull on our heartstrings with this one.”