“Josh Fortenbery draws wisdom and courage from everyday life in isolation like a Nordic John Prine.”
-Rolling Stone Germany
BIO
Alaska-based Josh Fortenbery writes like a poet and moves between genres with ease, creating an inviting combination of country, folk, and bluegrass. His songs offer honest, self-deprecating observations about the world around him and wrestle with relatable anxieties—tied together, it's what Fortenbery calls neurotic folk or existential country. His most recent album, Tidy Memorial, has drawn comparisons to John Prine, cracking the top 20 on the U.S. folk and alt-country charts.
“I’m just trying to be honest about my grief, anxiety, and carelessness, and hope that resonates with people,” Fortenbery says of his approach to songwriting. "I think a lot of folks feel the effects of our increasing digital and cultural isolation. I’m trying to remember what ties me to the folks I love and folks I’ve never met.”
Music
Press
"Juneau’s Josh Fortenbery has evolved into one of the state’s most formidable songwriters, as evidenced in his newly released album “No Such Thing as Forever.” The album delivers a lush country-bluegrass sound and sharp lyricism, from the starkly reflective ”Heirlooms” to “Sewing the Same Seam,” a toe-tapper that thematically threads inertia and aspiration.”
— Anchorage Daily News
"Josh Fortenbery mourns lives lost on his captivating new album”
— Rolling Stone
"Deceptively philosophical and sneaking shafts of light between the curtains of darkness, there may be no such thing as forever, but for now, this album promises Josh Fortenbery a bright future."
— KLOF Magazine
"Tidy Memorial is a deeply immersive experience shaped by geography, grit, and emotional honesty. Fortenbery’s ability to transform the solitude of Alaska into a crucible for creativity is nothing short of extraordinary.”
— Americana UK
"Throughout Tidy Memorial, Fortenbery is plainspoken like John R. Miller—with a similar predilection for intricate fingerstyle guitar. Even on fuller arrangements like the title track (which evokes Joshua Ray Walker), this record feels intimate. Though they recorded in a cold house in the frigid north, there’s no escaping the live room warmth of these musicians."
— No Depression
“Based in Juneau, Alaska, Josh Fortenbery draws wisdom and courage from everyday life in isolation like a Nordic John Prine. His singing voice may not be as soft as Prine's in his early years, a little harsher, but the songs move in similar territory, between closeness to nature, social criticism and laconicism. And the same burlesque, grim sense of humor shines through these songs.”
— Rolling Stone Germany
“Recorded in Fortenbery’s adopted hometown of Juneau, Alaska, the album feels sonically intimate, which only enhances the mood of the lyrics, which are self-reflective and framed by the isolation, uncertainty, and frustration of life in our pandemic times. It’s like the guy is spilling his guts just to you.”
— Bandcamp
“There’s a bit of melancholy, some moments of regret and wistfulness, but overall it reflects the positive side of learning. Layer underneath that a first class, twangy country sound and Tidy Memorial is indeed praiseworthy.”
— Twangville
“When listening to Josh Fortenbery’s new album, though, I couldn’t help but think of John Prine. Outwardly, the two men don’t seem to have much in common – Fortenbery lives in Alaska, he’s Jewish, and he’s never (to the best of my knowledge) delivered mail. But his way of songwriting – sharp observations, the ability (and willingness) to needle himself as much as others, and dashes of humor just when needed – is a trait that’s been in short supply over the past five years.”
— Americana Highways
Photo by Annie Bartholomew
Photo by Annie Bartholomew
Press Photos
Photo by Annie Bartholomew
Photo by Annie Bartholomew
Photo by Annie Bartholomew
Photo by Colin Gould