‘Darling Blue’: Marcus King Band Reunites For 1st Studio Album In 7 Years, Shares New Songs

The Marcus King Band announced Darling Blue, a new album due out on September 26 through American Records/Republic Records. The quartet also shared “Here Today” and “Carry Me Home,” a pair of singles from their first album together since 2018’s Carolina Confessions.

After focusing on solo albums over the past five years, guitarist Marcus King gathered his longtime backing band to record the follow-up to his 2024 LP, Mood Swings. In May, The Marcus King Band issued the single “Honky Tonk Hell,” while “Carolina Honey” arrived last month. Both songs are featured on Darling Blue.

Marcus King was deeply inspired by his home state of South Carolina when writing 14 songs that are featured on the forthcoming album. The guitarist also decided the time was right to have the MKB join him in the studio.

“It truly felt like home,” King explained. “Like my band and I were just working out songs to perform live but ended up creating a piece of recorded music for our fans to hear. Our goal is always to be a vessel and allow the music to flow through us and tap into something that’s already there in the room. But more than anything I’ve done before, this album felt like a real concerted effort to make music for myself, and for ourselves as a band—creating for the love of creating and being as honest as we possibly can. We put everything we had into making something that we love and we have faith that the audience will feel that and love it too.”

“Here Today” finds The Marcus King Band joined by Jamey Johnson and Kaitlin Butts. “The song came together in that organic way that happens when you’re just hanging out with friends instead of being on the clock,” King said of the tune. Darling Blue also features guest appearances from Billy Strings and Noah Cyrus.

Also out today is “Carry Me Home.” Marcus King revealed it was “the first song that poured out of” him for Darling Blue. “The track reflects on his deep love for the Blue Ridge landscape and the place he calls home,” as per a press release.

Stream The Marcus King Band’s “Here Today” and “Carry Me Home” below:

Darling Blue Tracklist

1. On & On
2. Here Today ft. Jamey Johnson & Kaitlin Butts
3. Honky Tonk Hell
4. Heartlands
5. Die Alone
6. Somebody Else ft. Jesse Welles
7. Levi’s & Goodbyes
8. Carolina Honey
9. No Room For Blue
10. Blue Ridge Mountain Moon
11. Dirt (Nashville version) ft. Billy Strings
12. The Shadows ft. Noah Cyrus
13. Pretty Petty
14. Carry Me Home

Marcus King is currently touring Europe. King and his band will be on the road for the bulk of the last half of 2025. Scroll below for dates and ticket links.