Home Free setting sail for the NPAC

By Quincy Thompson

Just released Friday: Challenge the Sea concept album from all-vocal country group Home Free. Featuring their legendary harmony blend – plus a swashbuckling sway and the hypnotic rhythms of sea-shanty folk – Country’s only all-vocal group Home Free have officially released their new album, Challenge the Sea. They set sail to the Niswonger for their Sunday, October 5 show, presented by Danfoss, and supported by Gary Taylor. 

In the wake of their viral hit “Sea Shanty Medley” (reaching 4.4 billion views across all social channels), the 16-song project puts new wind in the sails of a timeless genre, mixing rich vocals and the rousing emotional energy of traditional, singalong storytelling. 

Revitalized for a new generation of fans, the band have already shared a treasure trove of sea worthy standouts, including “Host the Colours,” “Leave Her Johnny,” “Bonnie Ship the Diamond,” “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” and more. Now, the rest are ready for re-discovery.

In addition to Challenge the Sea, Home Free has also chosen to launch another new creative vessel – the cinematic music video for “Northwest Passage” (feat. Seán Dagher).

Written by Canadian folk legend Stan Rogers and first released in 1981, the mesmerizing tune is full of history, detailing the search for a route from the old world to the far east, through the unexplored wilderness of North America. 

Along with folk traditionalist Seán Dagher, Home Free bring a new spark to the track’s wandering melancholy, while the video brings it to life. Following one lonely explorer’s epic journey through the Yukon territory in the mid 1800s, the singers narrate in stunning harmony, matching the stunning theme. Yet the clip ends on a clever changeup, which ties past and present together.

“When we set out to make this record, there’s no way we could leave off Stan Rogers,” Home Free’s Adam Chance explained. “His music holds such a special place in this community, and with the help of our friend Seán Dagher, we couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. This music video also portrays the natural beauty of the world and love for exploring that Stan romanticized so well.”

Meanwhile, Home Free left port on their sea-shanty themed Into The Deep Tour with co-headliners The Longest Johns on Thursday (9/18), with a series of singalong shows set to run through October 5. Van Wert will welcome the band as the last stop on the tour on that October 5 date at the Niswonger.

About Home Free

Comprised of Rob Lundquist, Adam Rupp, Tim Foust, Adam Chance, and Adam Bastien, Home Free continue to bring a rich, dynamic mix of voices to the Country music format.

With over 825-million views and 1.8-million subscribers on YouTube, 900,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, 987,000 followers on TikTok, and a legion of tens of thousands of fans who come to see them perform live every single year, Home Free has built a career entertaining music fans all over the globe.

Boasting over 600,000 album equivalents sold around the world, the band has been praised by tastemakers like Rolling Stone Country, People, Billboard, FOX & Friends and American Songwriter, among many others. And with 10+ years in the spotlight since their win on NBC’s The Sing-Off, they’ve strung together a series of fan-favorite albums, collaborations, and stand-alone hits.

Starting with their Crazy Life debut, Home Free has posted six Top 3 albums in the U.S., including their 2022 #1 on Billboard’s Current Country Albums chart, So Long Dixie. Following up with 2023’s As Seen On TV and 2024’s Crazy(er) Life, the band continues to earn the title of “Country music fans’ favorite a cappella group” (Taste of Country), touring nationwide on a near constant basis. Starting out 2025 with feel-good anthems like “Get Down Like That” and “Get Low, Get High,” the band has also wowed fans with harmony-laden versions of hits by The Beatles, John Mayer, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, the Oak Ridge Boys, and many more. 

For more information and to purchase tickets to any upcoming Niswonger events, visit the Box Office from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday at the Niswonger, call 419.238.6722, or get your tickets 24/7 at vanwertlive.com.