John Paul White finds peace at home after Civil Wars breakup

In this July 22, 2016 photo, John Paul White poses for a portrait at La Conversation before playing a show at The Troubadour in West Hollywood, Calif. After the breakup of his band Civil Wards, White is back with a new solo album called, “Beulah.” (Photo by Casey Curry/Invision/AP) In this July 22, 2016 photo, John Paul White poses for a portrait at La Conversation before playing a show at The Troubadour in West Hollywood, Calif. After the breakup of his band Civil Wards, White is back with a new solo album called, “Beulah.” (Photo by Casey Curry/Invision/AP)

By Associated Press August 17, 2016 3 min read

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – When singer-songwriter John Paul White returned home to Alabama after the breakup of the duo Civil Wars, his mind and schedule were blissfully clear.

“I was creatively, or at least song-wise, just a little burnt out and I didn’t hear anything in my head,” White said. “And I was OK with that.”

White, 44, has returned with “Beulah,” his first solo record in nearly a decade, out Friday, and his first since White and singer Joy Williams officially called it quits in 2014.

The Civil Wars achieved amazing success in an abbreviated career starting in 2009. They won four Grammys, released two critically acclaimed studio albums, recorded with Taylor Swift and toured with Adele.

But they dealt with constant speculation about their relationship despite being married to other people and canceled their tour in 2012 citing “irreconcilable differences of ambition.”