Today, August 5, Greg Loiacono & Stingray have unveiled their first single, “Hope We Get To Dance,” via Royal Potato Family. The track arrives in tandem with a new James Joiner-directed music video, which presents fan-sourced dance clips, alongside peaks inside the studio, supplying viewers with an account of the making and reception of their first time release.

Greg Loiacono & Stingray spotlights namesake guitarist, vocalist, and co-founder of The Mother Hips, Loiacono, and the Stingray, a unit of Bay Area stalwarts that includes Michael Urbano (Lindsey Buckingham, John Hiatt), Vicki Randle (Mavis Staples, George Benson), Kofy Brown (bass/vocals), Danny Eisenberg (keys) and Tom Ayres (guitar).

“Hope We Get To Dance” dispenses Loiacono’s likeness to the late Sly Stone by assimilating the funk pioneer’s method of vocal delivery, evoking a raised falsetto that supports the soul-rock lean of the track’s instrumentation, a groovy guitar line, percussive support, and the complimentary addition of layered harmonies. 

Curtis Mayfield’s 1971 output inspired the track, particularly the progressive soul artist’s critically acclaimed second studio effort, Roots. “Hope We Get To Dance” slipped into the rock ether, organically, as a sign of the member’s instrumental backbone and natural application of the genre. 

Loiacono explains, “Because we sometimes lean into the rock side of things, it ended up sounding like Curtis meets Led Zeppelin. I think of it as a reminder that the pure power of dancing to and feeling music is always there for us. It’s up to us when we want to let go and jump in.”

Like the song title implies, “Hope We Get To Dance” inspires listeners to get on their feet and move; it’s an infectious, soul-tinged journey tied to a fast and bountiful instrumentation that sparks the timeless nature of music’s ability to rouse and promote the shake of a leg. 

Following today’s release, Greg Loiacono & Stingray will gear up for a series of Northern California tour stops, beginning on August 14 at Argus Bar in Chico, Calif. Scroll down for a complete list of forthcoming live dates. 

Watch the official music video for “Hope We Get To Dance” below.