"Patriot State Rising"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Local Songwriter Robert Curtis Armstrong Releases "Restoring Our Roots" - A Patriotic Folk Album Reclaiming Untold American Stories
YUBA COUNTY, CA – Songwriter and composer Robert Curtis Armstrong announces the January 19, 2025 release of Restoring Our Roots, an eight-track alternative folk album that weaves together forgotten chapters of American history, faith, and patriotism through traditional folk storytelling and contemporary alternative folk instrumentation.

The album explores themes often overlooked in mainstream historical narratives, from California's early independence movements in the 1830s and 1840s to the faith-driven peaceful revolution that brought down the Berlin Wall during the Reagan era. Armstrong's songwriting brings these stories to life through the traditional folk music format of historical ballads.

"I wrote these songs to bring back the folk tradition of telling events and history that haven't been widely shared," Armstrong explains. "Whether it's California's Patriot State heritage, the prayer meetings that helped end the Cold War, or honoring local heroes, these are stories that deserve to be remembered and celebrated."

Featured tracks include:

"Leap of Faith that Shook an Empire" - Chronicles the story of Friedrick Mercurius and the Monday prayer meetings at St. Nicholas Church in East Germany that grew from one man's faith into a peaceful movement of 70,000, ultimately contributing to the fall of the Berlin Wall on October 9, 1989.
"Patriot State Rising" - Traces California's independence movements from the 1836 Alvarado uprising through the 1846 Bear Flag Revolt to the modern New California statehood movement.
"Peaches and Patriotism" - A heartfelt tribute to local WWII Marine veteran Johnny Yaklich (1924-2025), celebrating his service at Guadalcanal, his life as a Marysville peach farmer, and his decades of community leadership.
"Restoring Our Roots" - The title track examines America's founding principles and the role of faith in the establishment of constitutional self-government.
Armstrong wrote all the lyrics and stories but partnered with Suno AI to compose the vocals and music, creating a fully produced album without access to traditional recording studios or equipment. "In a world filled with fear about AI, I wanted to show it can be used for good—to tell meaningful stories and preserve history through music at a fraction of traditional production costs," he says. "I'm a songwriter, not a trained vocalist or musician, and AI tools like Suno allowed me to bring these important stories to life in a way that would have been impossible otherwise."

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