Singer-Songwriter Chuck Leah Stares Down Mortality on Sinuous New Single 'Coyote'

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, August 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Texas-born singer-songwriter (and museum paleontologist) Chuck Leah has released “Coyote,” the dark, sinuous lead single from his upcoming eighth studio album, A Necessary Evil.

Co-produced by Leah and Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell (Bob Dylan, Levon Helm), the atmospheric track acts as a harrowing prelude to a record forged in the shadow of a brush with death. Captured with zero digital processing, Leah operates at 53 as an unrepentant traditionalist in an era dominated by algorithmic polish, balancing a textured, parchment-cut voice with world-class musicianship.

The origins of “Coyote” trace back to a late-night pilgrimage Leah made to a remote Mississippi crossroads – the legendary site where delta blues icon Robert Johnson allegedly struck his mythical bargain with the Devil. Sitting under the midnight moon with his guitar, Leah had a strange, hypnotic standoff with a solitary coyote that vanished as quickly as it appeared.

Years later, that surreal encounter took on a terrifying new dimension when a routine injury in a Hollywood hotel room resulted in a severe MRSA infection and life-threatening sepsis. Leah spent 57 days in the hospital, surviving four blood transfusions and seven surgeries. During the dark, morphine-laced fever dreams of his recovery, he was haunted by visions of that same ghost-like coyote waiting outside his hospital door.

“I told the LA Times the other day, this is the record I was dying to make,” Leah reflects. “Coming through what I experienced is bound to change you. The whole record is focused on resilience, survival, and thinking about the decisions you’ve made your whole life.”

Stalking the listener with a slow, ominous groove, “Coyote” mimics the predatory approach of the animal itself. Supported by a soaring gospel quartet that embodies the album’s overarching theme of good versus evil, the track builds to a thunderous, cathartic climax as a Hammond B3 organ swells – marking the precise, terrifying threshold of near-death before bursting into spiritual release.

Listen to "Coyote" HERE. Watch the video HERE!

"Coyote," like all of the tracks on A Necessary Evil, was recorded live with no digital processing, click tracks, digital edits, or auto-tune. Joining Leah and Campbell is an elite band of craftsmen, including session drummer Aaron Sterling (John Mayer, Taylor Swift), keyboardist Eric Finland, and longtime guitarist Scott Eric Olivier.

Tracks were cut in iconic acoustic environments, including Power Station New England in Connecticut and Blackbird Studio 1 in Nashville. Additionally, Leah recorded at Les Paul’s historic Hollywood studio using the world's first recording console – engineered by Grammy winner Tom Camuso and featuring guest appearances by Grammy winners Shawn Camp and Greg Leisz.

“Coyote” is available now on all major streaming platforms. A Necessary Evil is slated for release later this year.

For more information, visit:
https://www.chuckleah.com/

Dominique Silva
Jensen Communications
dominique@jensencom.com