After a decade of performing, Harlan’s Dakota Saylor to release debut single on May 23
Dakota Saylor, 28, captures the space between distance and devotion in his debut single, "Letterbomb," releasing Friday, May 23.
“'Letterbomb' feels like the very first time I’ve put something together that transcends the words I put to paper.”
HARLAN, Ky. — (April 28, 2025) — After 10 years paying his dues on the local music circuit, Harlan’s Dakota Saylor has found his voice on his debut single, "Letterbomb," releasing Friday, May 23.
The Central Appalachian singer-songwriter’s music has steadily evolved from his home region’s deep tradition of honest storytelling into a sparse yet vivid representation of life in isolation — and the anticipation of something more.
“I joke that I’ve written songs since I was a toddler,” Saylor says, “but 'Letterbomb' feels like the very first time I’ve put something together that transcends the words I put to paper. It’s just got that laid-back vibe that takes a long time to achieve in this craft.”
Emerging from the alternative rock scene in 2015, Saylor began playing acoustic sets in the Richmond and Lexington, Kentucky, area by 2018. After snagging a spot on Red Barn Radio’s 17th season (conveniently between Waylon Nelson and 49 Winchester), he launched his solo country and folk career, playing bars and festivals from Warsaw, Kentucky, down to Elizabethton, Tennessee — with a Listen Locally "Artist in Residence" slot at the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame Museum somewhere in between.
Just when it seemed his trajectory was reaching a breaking point, the world had other plans. The COVID-19 pandemic, like so much else, brought his live shows to a sudden halt. Five years later, Saylor — now a husband and father — has decided to reclaim what was lost during the lockdown.
“It’s been a long time coming,” he says. “I’m so excited to finally get my music back out there again.”
"Letterbomb" releases Friday, May 23, on Spotify, Apple Music, and other major streaming platforms.
To pre-save the single, visit https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/dakotasaylor/letterbomb
For more information about Dakota Saylor, and to access his full bio and press kit, visit dakotasaylormusic.com
Cover art for Dakota Saylor’s debut single, “Letterbomb,” created by illustrator and former classmate Blake Marsee of Middlesboro, Ky. (Courtesy of Dakota Saylor)
