Bill Kirchen aims his telecaster towards the stars and unspools some wild tales on his new album Cat Out of the Bag.

To let a cat out of the bag supposedly means to let a secret slip out. But for Bill it means freedom - from confinement, convention...even gravity. Freedom to hit the road and play rock 'n' roll. That's the energy driving the title track of Kirchen's new album, Cat Out of the Bag, which showcases the six-string master - dubbed the Titan of the Telecaster by Guitar Player magazine - at his gusto-grabbing best.

"That's a good-to-be-alive song," says Kirchen of the album's opening track. "It's a celebration of getting through the worst of the pandemic unscathed, getting back on the road, and affirming our belief that the kids are alright."

The music flowing from Kirchen's roots-loving heart and rock 'n' roll soul to his ever-nimble fingers blends boogie-woogie, jazz, jump blues, western swing, country, folk, and other idioms; yes, he was playing Americana before it had a name. In fact, he helped pioneer the genre, way back when he co-founded what he calls his "hippie country band": Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. Back in the 70's Kirchen's fret-sizzling guitar riffs drove that band's version of Hot Rod Lincoln to the top of the charts.

But for Kirchen Cat Out of the Bag is also a declaration of freedom from the confines of his past, pushing him to explore new sounds and approaches. "This album has the broadest scope yet of any of the dozen or so I've done in my own name, with a bigger palette of genres, songwriting and guitar work," he says.