Composer and songwriter Peter Melnick has released his new single, “Still Here,” the latest offering from his forthcoming debut album, due in 2027.
Written in the aftermath of the devastating 2018 Montecito debris flow, “Still Here” is a reflection on “loss, resilience, community and gratitude.” With a Roots-inspired sound, the song tells the story of a “survivor processing the devastation of a natural disaster and finding strength in the extraordinary humanity that emerges in its wake.”
The Montecito debris flow occurred during an intense rainstorm in January 2018, when cascading boulders and a 15-foot wall of mud descended from the hills above the community in a matter of minutes, destroying hundreds of homes and taking the lives of 23 people.
Melnick began writing “Still Here” later that year as the approach of another rainy season brought memories of the disaster
Melnick explains:
Everyone who survived that deadly night was transformed by it. If until then you had been lucky enough to live a life untouched by disaster, you just received a crash course in the fragility of human existence.
Produced by Joseph E-Shine, “Still Here” features an ensemble of musicians, including Curtis Kelley on drums, Randy Tico on bass, Tommy King on piano, Davy Nathan on organ and keys, Peter Melnick on acoustic guitar, Joseph E-Shine on electric guitars and mandolins, Philip Glenn on accordion and violin, Giovanna Clayton on cello, Drew Taubenfeld on pedal steel and mandolin (Kacey Musgraves, Leon Bridges, Sharon Van-Etten) and Adam Levy on electric guitar (Norah Jones, Tracy Chapman).
Melnick also arranged and conducted the horns and strings, featuring Steven Becknell on horn, Alan Kaplan on trombone and Brad Moller on tuba.
“Still Here” was recorded at Sunset Sound, Westlake Studios, WAX Studios, Archon Studios and United Recording, with engineering by Joseph E-Shine, Daniel Anglister, and Noah Hubbell. E-Shine also handled the mix, with mastering by Eyal Katzav.
Melnick concludes:
I just love this song. Maybe I shouldn’t say that, but I do, and I feel privileged that it came through me. The recording is gorgeous too, and for that I have a village to thank — producer Joseph E-Shine, a roomful of extraordinary musicians, and especially, the amazing singer Mark Campbell, whose beautiful, seasoned voice tells the story straight from the heart.
The release marks a personal shift for Melnick after a lifetime spent composing for film, television, and musical theater. For the first time, he is placing his own songwriting and artistic voice at the center of the work, drawing from personal experiences and stories.
A Drama Desk-nominated musical theater composer, Melnick is currently adapting Snow in August for Broadway alongside lyricist Mindi Dickstein and librettist Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa.
Melnick has also built a career as a film and television composer, contributing scores to more than three dozen productions. His credits include the Steve Martin film L.A. Story, The Only Thrill starring Diane Keaton and Sam Shepard, Horton Foote’s Convicts featuring Robert Duvall and James Earl Jones, and Farce of the Penguins, directed by Bob Saget. His television work includes the PBS documentary Cinema’s Exiles: From Hitler to Hollywood, Indictment: The McMartin Trial, Grand Avenue, and Lily Dale.
