Ararat’s finest purveyors of string-led storytelling, The Runaway Strings, are back with a poignant shift in gear. Following the playful energy of their debut single ‘Big Gold Watch’, the trio is set to release ‘Baby When It’s Gone, It’s Gone’ on 17 April. While their first outing was steeped in tongue-in-cheek charm, this follow-up peels back the layers to reveal a more contemplative, soulful core.
Anchored by the band's trademark acoustic palette—a rich tapestry of guitar, ukulele, banjo, and harmonica—the track finds singer Peter Harrison grappling with a fading ideal. The song serves as a meditation on the American landscape, a place that birthed the musical titans who shaped Harrison’s own creative DNA.
“People like Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Hank Williams, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jack White, the list is long,” explains Peter. “But about a year ago I realised that that America was gone, it’s something else now. So, I guess in a weird way it’s about the change we’re seeing in America, and my own little take on that. In a strange way it kind of feels like watching a friend go off the rails. I thought that by the time we released it would hopefully be irrelevant and I would have missed the moment. I haven’t.”
The band’s origin is as organic as their sound. Formed on a whim during Halloween 2023, the group solidified when Peter and Jiah Harrison—partners in life and music—found their missing link in Lionel Holt during a chance banjo session on a front porch. Since then, they’ve transitioned from costumed coincidences to a formidable live act, gracing stages at the National Folk Festival and Port Fairy Folk Festival.
For this latest chapter, the trio headed to Greenhills Sound in Blackwood, VIC. Working with engineer Bobby Bravington and mastering legend Nao Anzai, they’ve captured a sound that is both intimate and expansive.
With ‘Big Gold Watch’ already earning them nods from Americana Highways and heavy rotation on stations like 4ZZZ, RTR, and PBS, the momentum is building. You can catch the new track live at their single launch at Moyston Hall on 18 April, or at Ararat Town Hall on 4 June.
Experience the bittersweet beauty of ‘Baby When It’s Gone, It’s Gone’ exclusively here ahead of its release tomorrow. For more, be sure to keep up with The Runaway Strings on Instagram and Facebook.
