Hanh Truong on December 23rd, 2020

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For Parker Ainsworth, moving on from hurt is about manifesting where one wants to be, rather than sulking in the pain from the past and present. Truly a poet behind his long brown locks and acoustic guitar, the folk singer-songwriter has a flair for personal reflection and intimate storytelling.

“A kindness takes its place at a table set for all / In an instant all the anger, all the sadness, all the fear once invited as a guest simply rise and disappear,” Ainsworth sings in his new ballad, “Only Love.” “Only love is in the dark like answers we run past / Only love is where we start / Where we’ll return at last,” he continues with his gentle vocals as if to cradle the knot in his throat created by his tender lyricism.

“It’s an older tune that took some long bouts of reflection to capture,” the Texas-born, L.A.-based artist says. “I know this year has offered so many lessons and for me, one of the greatest has been reminding me what really matters, what’s really left when everything else disappears.”

Ainsworth wrote the original draft of the song on a sailboat in Marina Del Rey, where he was living at the time. Although heartbroken from a recent breakup, he decided to not fuel his writing with bitterness and blame. Instead, “Only Love” is a musical guide to take those lost in pain back to what he believes is most important — love.

The track is co-produced by Ainsworth and Tommy King (a touring member of Haim), with additional production by Todd Stopera. It follows his equally soothing and sentimental releases, “Fire Swing” (with backing vocals by Jessie Payo) and “The Way That It Was,” all of which will be featured on his debut studio album, “Running For So Long.” The record is expected to come out in 2021.

||| Stream: “Only Love”

||| Also: Stream “Fire Swing”

||| Previously: “The Way That It Was,” “American Miracle”