Prince’s “Raspberry Beret” was playing on the radio in his dad’s car when Stimulator Jones was in grade school, but the lyric he thought he heard on the hook was: “round spiritual ring.” That’s become the title of his new album. Round Spiritual Ring shows a more personal and vulnerable side than Stimulator’s debut Exotic Worlds and Masterful Treasures, with lyrics that touch on his struggles with depression and chronic pain. But Stimulator - aka Sam Lunsford - is an optimist at heart, and his album’s overarching message is that love and connection are the forces that will ultimately save us. The first track from the album, “Love Will Light Your Dreams,” carries this message: “It’s hard for you to see / When your life is empty / But that’s alright / Just close your eyes / And love will light your dreams.” Stimulator Jones now knows all the lyrics to “Raspberry Beret,” and can play the song on virtually any instrument, from bass to sitar. Round Spiritual Ring’s title does more than pay homage to one of his musical heroes; it also symbolizes the connectedness of everything, what Sam calls “repetitive forces in the world” – think DNA, the planets, or vinyl records.
Stimulator Jones, aka Samuel Jones Lunsford, is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, DJ, vocalist and songwriter born and raised among the nature and wildlife of Roanoke, VA.
