New Single: Broken Down Bus
I've spent a lot of my life writing my own version of a "9-step program." So when I sat down to write a song from the head of Richard Hoover, the failed motivational speaker Dad from Little Miss Sunshine, it hit closer to home than I expected.
"Broken Down Bus" is available Friday, July 24, 2026 on all streaming platforms.
Spotify Pre-Save Link: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/davehilljr/broken-down-bus?ref=release
The idea
"Broken Down Bus" is available Friday, July 24, 2026 on all streaming platforms. Just look up Dave Hill Jr.
If you know the movie, you know the setup: a family crammed into a dying VW bus, grinding the clutch across three states so their daughter can make it to a beauty pageant. Along the way, they lose a grandfather (his Dad) and nearly lose each other. Richard, the Dad, and my character in the song, has to watch his whole "refuse to lose" philosophy fall apart in real time.
I wrote this song in HIS voice. I thought it was too great of a coincidence that I too had written a self-help book. And I too can imagine my kids and friends rolling their eyes a bit when “coach” Dave starts talking…
So to take myself a little less seriously, and to tip my hat to a fantastic movie, Broken Down Bus was born.
Maybe writing as a guy whose self-help program doesn't work wasn't exactly a stretch of the imagination. It's more of a confession with a costume on. Once I placed myself in the movie of my mind, the song took on a life of its own following the family's journey almost beat for beat: the broken clutch, the door that won't stay shut, the ache of watching your kid's dream slip.
The whole song started with the Broken Down Bus line that came to me just before my sleep arrived the night I viewed the film.
"Broken Down Bus" was written as part of Reel Songs, a songwriting initiative started by Seattle-based videographer and musician Sherri Jerome, where songwriters write original music inspired by film. Give her a follow if you don't already. I was so happy Sherri Jerome asked me to participate and picked such a great movie for her Reel Songs project.
My favorite line that emerged was "maybe we're all a bit colorblind," which nods to Dwayne's arc in the film, his Air Force dream ending the moment he finds out he can't tell red from green. It's a small detail in the movie, but it's the emotional center of the song for me. We all think we see clearly… but can we really?
The moral of the story for me is even when things are completely messed up, families can find a way to stay together and love each other more than any stupid Miss America Pageant.
The Sound
I took some uncharacteristic chances as a songwriter on this track. And the piano part I wrote took me a couple of months to get up to speed.
Musically, this one goes to some wild places. It's funky at its core, with a nearly reggae vibe (thanks to Jeff Fielder).
V1 Draft artwork that I replaced. Just posting it here for fun.
There’s also a dramatic out-of-time bridge that comes way too early in the song but just felt right so I left it. The song also starts rubato (or out of time a bit) before the groove takes over.
This was a true collaboration with Jeff Fielder, who recorded and produced the track at his home studio.
I played drums and piano and sang all the vocals. Jeff brought his special guitar intuition to the track and also added some fun synths and mellotron. His fingerprints are all over the feel of this one.
Listen
If this one lands for you, share it with someone who's ever had their own "refuse to lose" program fall apart. That's most of us, eventually.
