Ben Vaughn Has Released New Single Rain Songs
The track features guest vocals by Vanessa Carlton and marks the third release from an upcoming album.
Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Folk
Ben Vaughn has released the new single Rain Songs, featuring guest vocals from Vanessa Carlton. The track serves as the third release from the upcoming album Magnetic East: The Deer Tick Sessions.
Why it matters
The release builds momentum for the full-length collaboration between Vaughn and the band Deer Tick. The record captures a unique blend of Vaughn's vocals with the instrumental work of the band.
Magnetic East: The Deer Tick Sessions contains 10 tracks, following the debut of lead singles Imitation Wood Grain in June and When Love Returns in July. Deer Tick provided all instrumental support for the project, including mandolin and piano on the latest single.
The players
Ben Vaughn
He is a musician and songwriter who serves as the lead vocalist on the new album Magnetic East.
Vanessa Carlton
She is a singer-songwriter who appears as a guest vocalist on the track Rain Songs.
Deer Tick
They are a band that provided all instrumental contributions for the collaborative record Magnetic East.
Yep Roc Records
It is the independent record label responsible for the release of the single Rain Songs.
The details
Rain Songs is the latest preview of the collaborative effort Magnetic East, which showcases Ben Vaughn on vocals backed by Deer Tick instrumentation. The project follows a busy summer of releases and a recent deluxe reissue of the album 12 Country Greats.
Timeline
June 2026: Single Imitation Wood Grain was released.
July 2026: Single When Love Returns was released.
July 31, 2026: Rhino Records released a deluxe reissue of 12 Country Greats.
September 23, 2026: Single Rain Songs was released.
October 30, 2026: The album Magnetic East: The Deer Tick Sessions is scheduled for release.
Industry Dynamics
The release continues a trend of collaborative sessions and archival reissues that dominate the current folk music market. By pairing established songwriters with recognized indie bands, artists are finding new ways to generate engagement ahead of full-length album drops.
Fans can stream the new single across digital platforms immediately. The full album will be available for purchase and streaming on October 30, 2026.
The takeaway
Collaborative projects like this demonstrate how seasoned musicians are leveraging partnerships to refresh their sound for modern listeners. Keeping track of the release schedule can help fans prepare for the full album launch at the end of October.
What happens next
The Ben Vaughn Quintet is scheduled to perform two live shows in November 2026.
Further reading
Explore more artist news and releases in the Folk section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Broadway World.
