Black Stone Cherry are a band in the truest sense. Nearly twenty years after their explosive self-titled debut, the Kentucky foursome still bring the fire, friendship and collective spirit that first brought them together. Across eight albums, they’ve earned six UK Top 20 releases, four Top 25 US radio singles over their past two albums and a devoted worldwide following. Their sound draws on hard rock, metal, roots, blues, soul and hip hop, always anchored by songs with heart. That spirit drives Celebrate, a new EP produced by the band and recorded at High Street Studios in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Its six original songs and a cover of Simple Minds’ “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” capture four musicians making music together at the height of their powers. The record moves between muscular riffs, carefree energy and raw emotion, reflecting the lives they’ve shared onstage and off. The songs began taking shape on the road, where riffs and lyrics surfaced during soundchecks and tour bus rides. In early 2025, the band met twice a week at guitarist Ben Wells’ home studio to develop them. Ideas passed freely among singer and guitarist Chris Robertson, Wells, drummer John Fred Young and bassist Steve Jewell. They swapped instruments, followed each other’s instincts and built songs as a unit. The title track turns a heavyweight riff into an anthem about recognizing small, everyday victories, especially during difficult times. “Neon Eyes” grew from a soundcheck riff into a hard rock party starter, while “I’m Fine” brings a hazy grunge edge. “Up Down” adds a playful swagger and nods to early 2000s hip hop. At the EP’s emotional center is “Deep.” Wells began writing it two days after he and his wife experienced a miscarriage following years of fertility struggles. The song became a way to express feelings he had struggled to put into words. Its vulnerability also resonated with Jewell as his father, a musician and lifelong inspiration, faced a stage four cancer diagnosis. Black Stone Cherry have long found ways to turn painful experiences into music that connects and offers hope. Celebrate closes with the band’s take on “Don’t You (Forget About Me),” featuring longtime friend Tyler Connolly of Theory Of A Deadman. Robertson had wanted to cover the song for years, and the result pairs its familiar melody with Black Stone Cherry’s grit and soul. The EP was mixed by Robertson with longtime engineer Jordan Westfall and assistant Mark Owens. It sounds both familiar and fresh: fierce enough for fans who have followed the band from the beginning, yet open to the new ideas that keep four old friends excited to make music together. That same commitment carries into their live shows. Whether playing to thousands at a festival or a packed 100-capacity pub, Black Stone Cherry give the crowd everything they have. On Celebrate, their priorities are unmistakable: loved ones, friendship, connection and songs that make people feel something. As Robertson puts it, the record is “an unpolished diamond.”