In a heartfelt move to promote self-acceptance and love, perfectly timed during LGBTQ+ Pride month, Keith A. Getchell has released a new version of his song “Send Your River”, dubbed “REDUX2”. This soulful rendition is an ode to the LGBTQ+ community, emphasising the importance of self-love and acceptance, especially among young people.
“Send Your River”, originally a smooth R&B tribute to Portland, has evolved into a deeply personal anthem reflecting Keith A. Getchell’s experiences as a gay man. Getchell is a dedicated social worker from Oregon and has spent decades on a path to self-acceptance, a journey beautifully encapsulated in this poignant song.
The beautiful female vocals flow effortlessly around the gentle backing track spotlighting all the highs and lows of those incredible notes and touching words. As the music progresses, so do the lyrics, adding texture and storytelling to a whole new level and bringing a connection to the audience that suits Pride Month, down to a tee. Sweet, heartfelt, and empowering, “Send Your River REDUX2” is one of those songs that just hits you deep inside.
This version of the song came to life with the collaboration of ItyDity, Ryan Stockbridge, and Sundown Sessions Studio. Due to contractual reasons, Getchell cannot reveal the name of the female lead vocalist, but he is immensely grateful for her role. Her voice was instrumental in transforming his personal narrative into a message that resonates universally.
“Starting In the year 2000,” he explains. “I commuted by train to Portland State University (OR) from the little town of Boring. That had me crossing the Willamette River almost daily for five years. It was a beautiful view, rain or shine. And it needed a song. But what started out as a song about Portland became a song about me. It’s about a lonely gay kid in 1979 trying to escape his upbringing via a series of diversions. It’s taken me almost my whole lifetime to come home to myself.”
“Although I was born in Portland,” he continues. “I grew up in a rural setting in nearby Boring. My family was conservative and Baptist. Their love was unwavering, but sexual orientation was just not a topic for conversation. So I didn’t see other examples of people like me in the world, and I didn’t understand who I was. Needless to say, adolescence was difficult. I enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1979, where I found comfort in alcohol, cigarettes and sex.”
“At one point,” he says. “A short love affair with another sailor at age 21 showed me how much of a regular Joe I actually am. That was a confidence booster. I’m now in my 60’s. I’m happy. I love the life I have. I experience the love of family, friends, and one particularly special man. From where I started out, that’s saying a lot.”
“This is really the only song I’ve ever written, but I feel like there’s a poetry in that because it’s like each of our lives is one ongoing song. And in some ways, I feel like this is the one message I was put on earth to deliver: that it’s okay to just be you—I know how difficult that is, but I’m living proof.”
‘In the end,” he continued. “I ended up realizing that home is not so bad after all, and that I have some really good people back there. I like to imagine this song as something Judy Garland would’ve [sung] at the end of The Wizard of Oz after waking up in her bed like, ‘Oh, this is where I should’ve been all along!’ Ultimately, the song is about coming back home and finding out that there are more healthy sources of love in life.”
Alongside the single, a music video has also been dropped which sees the artist Filipe Teixeira step up to the plate to showcase a variety of drawings that encapsulate these words effortlessly, to the extent that they fit naturally together. The animations are engaging and thoughtful, truly bringing the audience into the art scenes, themselves.
Getchell’s journey, encapsulated in “Send Your River REDUX2”, resonates with many who have struggled with self-acceptance. Ultimately, “Send Your River” is a profound exploration of returning to one’s roots and realising that true love and self-acceptance are attainable. The song showcases the volatile journey of finding peace within oneself and understanding that genuine connections and acceptance are often closer than we think. Mainly focusing on coming home, both physically and emotionally, the song encapsulates the discovery of deep love and acceptance, that has always been within reach.
The “REDUX2” version of “Send Your River”, by Keith A. Getchell, is available to download and stream, right now, across all platforms. It serves as a powerful reminder that self-acceptance is a lifelong journey, but one worth taking.
