NEEDTOBREATHE RELEASES“HIGHLANDS”

LISTEN HERE

DAVE COBB-PRODUCED
10TH STUDIO ALBUM
THE LONG SURRENDER
OUT MARCH 27 VIA MCA
PRE-ADD / PRE-SAVE HERE

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Bringing a refreshed sense of abandon to their soulful, Americana and alt-rock fusion, GRAMMY-nominated band NEEDTOBREATHE releases the fourth preview off their upcoming album, The Long Surrender, today with “Highlands” – Listen HERE.

Penned solo by frontman and vocalist Bear Rinehart, “Highlands” is written like a prayer, seeking and searching for something steady amidst life’s tumult.

We go down, we go down, we go down with the renegade waves
Trading our love for a little white lightning
Wondering why it never soothes the pain
Be my rest, be my mountain, be my never gonna pass away
When I go blind, be the voice I’m hearing, ‘til we all get to see your face
In the Highlands

The follow up to January-released title track, “The Long Surrender,” “Highlands” unfolds with a hymn-like intimacy and impact, as Dave Cobb’s raw production stresses Rinehart’s formidable tenor.

Both tracks begin to sketch the skeleton of the “captivating songwriters and arena mainstays’” (American Songwriter) tenth studio album, slated for release on March 27 via MCA. The Long Surrender pushes into gently inventive terrain, often bringing unexpected texture and energy to Rinehart’s soul-baring songwriting. Pre-add / pre-save the album HERE.
The Long Surrender Track List

The Long Surrender (William Rinehart)
Say It Now (William Rinehart)
Highlands (William Rinehart)
Sing To Me Savannah (William Rinehart)
Where You Call Home (William Rinehart)
Strangeness Of It All (William Rinehart, John Luke Carter)
Take Me Dancing (William Rinehart)
The Door (William Rinehart)
Growing Slow (William Rinehart)
Momma Loves Me (feat. The Red Clay Strays) (William Rinehart)
Take The Blame (William Rinehart)
Spread The Ashes (William Rinehart)

Earlier this month, NEEDTOBREATHE released 20-minute short film The Season of The Long Surrender, a documentary about the process of making the new record and the band’s journey to renewal through surrender. Directed by Babysweet, the documentary follows NEEDTOBREATHE in the studio, on stage, and on the road, with interviews interspersed from the band’s four members – WATCH HERE.

NEEDTOBREATHE is currently on the road for their second leg of The Barely Elegant Acoustic Tour. Originally an 18-date fall 2025 theater run intended to bring the band’s die-hard fanbase even closer to over two decades worth of music, the trek ended up capturing such massive demand and critical acclaim that the band doubled down for the spring. An acoustic take on their live show spanning hits and deep cuts across nine albums of originals, the tour spans much of the South and Midwest, running through March 7. Buy tickets HERE, remaining tour dates below.
The Barely Elegant Acoustic Tour 2026 Dates
2/27: Salina, KS – Stiefel Theatre
2/28: Colorado Springs, CO – Pikes Peak Center
3/1: Lubbock, TX – Buddy Holly Hall
3/3: Midland, TX – Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center
3/5: Tulsa, OK – Tulsa Theater
3/6: San Antonio, TX – Tobin Center for Performing Arts
3/7: Fort Worth, TX – Will Rogers Auditorium

ABOUT NEEDTOBREATHE
NEEDTOBREATHE is a multi-platinum, GRAMMY-nominated band known for their distinctive blend of Americana, alt-rock, and spiritual depth — earning five No. 1 albums, over three billion career streams, sold-out tours, and a devoted global following. The South Carolina–bred group — Bear Rinehart, Josh Lovelace, Tyler Burkum, and Randall Harris — enters a new creative chapter with The Long Surrender, their tenth studio album and first release for MCA.

Produced by 9X GRAMMY-winner Dave Cobb, The Long Surrender captures the band at their most vulnerable and instinctive, recorded largely live and driven by Rinehart’s deeply personal songwriting. Led by the early standout “Momma Loves Me” featuring The Red Clay Strays, the album reflects themes of faith, redemption, and renewed clarity — showcasing a band confident enough to strip everything back and let the songs speak for themselves.

“This album really clarified that, as an artist, I’ve got to put my convictions in front of anything else,” says Rinehart. “I poured myself into it without trying to shape it for anyone or anything, and that’s what we’re going to keep doing from here on out. It’s definitely a better indicator of where we’re headed than where we’ve ever been, and in a lot of ways it feels it’s our very first record.”