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Louis York's 'The Heart of the Matter' Is Out: How the Franklin, Tennessee Hitmakers Found Their Own Voice

Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony, who've written for Whitney Houston and Rihanna, released their third album Nov. 6, led by the Nashville tribute 'I Found a Home.'

Louis York, Franklin, Tennessee R&B artist, YourInfoDaily music cover

Louis York, the hit-making duo of Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony, runs its Weirdo Workshop creative hub out of a house in Franklin, Tennessee, and the pair's new album goes straight to the core. The Heart of the Matter, their third LP, arrived Nov. 6, 2026, on Weirdo Workshop: 14 songs in 59 minutes, per Apple Music.


Songwriters who started writing for themselves

Before Louis York, Kelly and Harmony built careers behind other people's records. Rated R&B cites credits with Whitney Houston, Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Fantasia and Ledisi, and Wikipedia adds Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, Kelly Clarkson, Jessie J and Miley Cyrus.


The name is a map. According to Wikipedia, it comes from their hometowns: East St. Louis for Harmony and New York City for Kelly. The two first met working on Chrisette Michele's 2009 album Epiphany.


A Nashville song leads the way

Rated R&B broke the album news on Aug. 24, 2026, alongside lead single "I Found a Home." Louis York wrote and produced the track, with Brian Frasier-Moore on drums, Nathan Chapman on bass and Kyle Bolden on guitar. The outlet describes it as a tribute to Nashville, tracing Kelly's winding path to the city and a growing fondness for country life.


Harmony said in Rated R&B's announcement that writing for yourself "can take a while to find your true voice." He called the sessions "creating from the heart" and said that "could have only happened in Nashville." The finished album opens with "I Found a Home" and also includes "Starlight," "The Ballad of a Broken Man" and "Favorite Sweater," before closing on "Brightest Star."


A Grammy and a growing catalog

Louis York executive-produced Tennessee State University's marching band album The Urban Hymnal, which won the Grammy for Best Roots Gospel Album, according to the Williamson Herald. Kelly and Harmony also co-wrote and co-produced it, and the paper identifies both as Williamson County residents.


Their catalog runs from the three-part Masterpiece Theater series (2015–2017) to their 2019 debut album American Griots and 2024's Songs With Friends, a duets album with Anthony Hamilton, Lalah Hathaway, PJ Morton, Jessie J, and others. In May 2025, they returned with "Starlight," their first single since that project, per Rated R&B, which also noted they co-host the Emmy-nominated podcast We Sound Crazy.


Where to listen and follow


Sources

Rated R&B — "Louis York Announces New Album 'The Heart of the Matter,' Shares 'I Found a Home'"
Rated R&B — "2026 R&B Album Release Calendar"
Rated R&B — "Louis York Finds Solace in 'Starlight' on New Song: Listen"
Apple Music — "The Heart of the Matter - Album by Louis York"
Weirdo Workshop — "Music"
Williamson Herald — "Louis York announces new album, releases new single"
Wikipedia — "Louis York"

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