Nashville-based singer-songwriter Amy Black is premiering her new song “Nineteen” exclusively for readers of The Boot. Press play below to listen.

“Nineteen” is a moody and beautifully composed track that showcases Black’s uniquely rich timbre. According to the artist herself, the song is ultimately about the Vietnam War -- specifically, about those soldiers who were drafted to fight and, as Black says, had the course of their lives “irrevocably changed.”

"I didn’t set out to write a song about Vietnam. It just happened,” Black tells The Boot. "I had some heavy things on my mind that day and started singing something that ended up being the chorus; it was about being too far gone to come back: 'There’s no coming back from this one / The battle’s lost, and the war is done / No preacher, prophet or holy son gonna wash that stain away.'"

The sonic direction of "Nineteen" was inspired partially by soul legend Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine” and partially by the top-notch Memphis musicians (including members of the Hi Rhythm Section and St Paul & the Broken Bones) with whom Black recorded her forthcoming new album, Memphis. She calls their work on the song "achingly beautiful."

“The Memphis band I recorded with got a great groove going, but the beginning [of "Nineteen"] is more open and starts with a cello and strings,” explains Black. “I was in the studio when they were recording, and it almost broke my heart to hear them.

Memphis, produced by Scott Bomar of the Bo-Keys, is set for release on June 2, on Black's own Reuben Records. Visit AmyBlack.com for more information.

Listen to Amy Black, "Memphis":

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