Inspired by what he witnessed at a Nashville, TN, mall, Rich’s new release is entitled “Pickleball at the Mall.”
(Nashville, TN) – Independent recording artist Rockin’ Rich Lynch (www.RichLynchBand.com) found himself at the Green Hills Mall in Music City earlier in the year. He came across that establishment’s latest enticement to attract more visitors – a pickleball court.
Rockin’ Rich Lynch: A sign was posted that said to play ‘pickleball at the mall.’ I realized it was a potential song title.”
“I grew up in a mall in Paramus, New Jersey, and my father purchased a Hickory Farms-style franchise when I was only five years old,” recalled Lynch. “When normal kids my age were outside enjoying regular playtime activities with their friends, I used to bring a tennis ball and bounce it off the top of the awing over the Lord & Taylor for hours at a time. So I have experience in the field, and it’s safe to say I was probably a bit of a menace at the time.”
How did the singer/songwriter/musician known for tackling controversial topics and subjects pulled from the paranormal and political worlds compose a track about the growing game with the funny name?
“Well, the fact of the matter is that I might have taken a serious approach to my music over the years,” Lynch confessed. “I have a lighter side with dozens of more comedic lyrics. But this is the first time I have recorded a project with the main focus on the humor behind the situation.”
However, the idea behind the song is pretty serious, as the economic decline has taken a toll on several of the nation’s largest malls, with many closing up shops in recent years. “It is the God’s-honest truth that the day after I exited the recording studio and wrapped up the vocal mix in Nashville, news broke about pickleball and malls via several high-profile media sources.”
Rockin’ Rich Lynch: “Both CNN (America’s fastest growing sport is coming to your mall [05/15/23]) and Deadpan (Pickleball at the mall? Sounds like a good time for all [05/14/23]) recently posted feature articles about the impact pickleball is having on abandoned commercial retail spaces across the country. So, the timing for this track might be perfect – and that suits me just fine.
Lynch brought the quirky idea into the competent hands of producer Dallas Jack of Record One studio in Nashville with one directive – to let the spirit of classic Southern Rock lead the way. Once completed, characteristics of punk and 80s-influenced gothic pop found their way into the mix, along with some complex thoughts about playing pickleball in a mall.
“I immediately noticed at Green Hills Mall that a Crate & Barrel was situated directly across the court. So, I immediately began thinking about a match gone awry and what the implications might be,” said Lynch walking us through his songwriting process. “Then, I wanted to put in the perspective of shoppers and store owners who might not want to share their space with crazed pickleball aficionados. So, we touched upon many issues that could come up in the song.”
Pickleball is an indoor or outdoor paddle sport where players compete in singles and doubles matches. The game utilizes a racquet, a hollow plastic ball, and a smaller tennis-style court and net. The sport is known for its unique high-pitch ping during serving and volleys. The COVID-19 pandemic is thought to have boosted the game’s popularity as people sought alternative indoor activities. As a result, Pickleball ranked as the fastest-growing sport in the United States for two years in 2021 and 2022. Experts predict participants will increase tenfold to over 40 million players by the end of the decade, with many of those games perhaps taking place in a mall or former commercial retail space.
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Rockin’ Rich Lynch
ABOUT ROCKIN’ RICH LYNCH: Rich Lynch is a singer/songwriter who began his professional recording career in 2014 with “I Want to Live in a Dome.” He has now released over 40 critically acclaimed digital singles to the online marketplace, and he is currently hard at work in Nashville on several new tracks that will see the light of day soon. More at – www.richlynchband.com
PRESS CONTACT: soundpress@yahoo.com / 615.645.5760
WEBSITE: http://www.richlynchband.com
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SOURCE: http://www.richlynchband.com/news/news-2023-05-22-pickleball.php
BANDCAMP: https://rockinrichlynch.bandcamp.com/track/pickleball-at-the-mall
