You know that sinking feeling you get from watching love walk away? Usually, it’s accompanied by the annoying intrusion of an unwelcomed guest called loneliness.

The Shootouts have employed their honky tonk-inspired brand of California country to capture the exchange on their new single, “Here Come the Blues.” This “reckoning of loneliness and longing” was written by the band’s pedal steel player, Al Moss, and features renowned Americana musician and CMA winner Chuck Mead.

“When we were working up the song in rehearsals, we actually came up with two arrangements — a western swing one, and this Bakersfield inspired one,” said lead singer Ryan Humbert. “We all knew this version was the way to go, and Chuck agreed. I was thrilled when he agreed to be the Don Rich to my Buck Owens on this one.”

What became of the western swing version? You might just hear it one day, after all!

“We recorded a ‘live in the studio’ version of the western swing arrangement in Memphis — with our friend Dale Watson joining us on guitar — in February of last year. It’s still in the Shootouts vault, but we might sneak it out eventually,” Humbert hinted.

While you wait for that glorious day, enjoy the Bakersfield-inspired version of “Here Come the Blues” below!