Making his solo debut at age 67, Nashville singer/songwriter
Peter One
completes a feel-good comeback story whose long arc traces back to mid-'80s Africa. Born and raised in the small West African country of Cote d'Ivoire,
One
and his friend
Jess Sa Bi
found unexpected success with
Our Garden Needs Its Flowers
, a heartfelt album of Ivorian folk music that took influence from American acts like
Simon & Garfunkel
and
Crosby, Stills & Nash
. The duo rose to star status at home and in pockets of West Africa before political unrest and economic hardship caused
to immigrate to the U.S. in the mid-'90s. After bouncing around the East Coast for a while, he eventually started a family and settled into a career as a nurse in Nashville. Although he continued to write songs at home, he'd largely given up on his musical prospects, and few in his new life knew anything about his past success. Everything changed in 2018 when
Brian Shimkovitz
, owner of the small but enthusiastic
Awesome Tapes from Africa
imprint, reissued
internationally. Critics took notice, and the sudden upswell of attention resulted in not only a series of reunion shows for the duo but a major-label contract for
. Suddenly, in his mid-sixties, the soft-spoken singer found himself recording an album of original music for jazz giant
Verve Records
.
Come Back to Me
is a lovely album that distills
's still-vibrant Ivorian roots into an intriguing hybrid of acoustic Afro-pop and American folk. His keening high tenor soars across the uplifting opener, "Cherie Vico," then melts into gentler fare like the quiet love song "Sweet Rainbow" and the ruminative "On My Own." Singing in a mix of English, French, and Guro,
looks back on his life's journey, conveying its loves, losses, and sacrifices with what feels like an innate sense of compassion. His music is tender, big-hearted, and occasionally even playful. Recorded with an array of top Nashville players, he even duets with
Allison Russell
on "Birds Go Die Out of Sight," a low-key shuffling country gem that closes out the set. The very existence of
is a testament to
's resilience, and when gifted with a second chance, he gamely rose to the occasion. ~ Timothy Monger