Mad Bunny Records Are Proud to Release a Holiday Single by Birdthrower feat. Ben Harper, the Townes Van Zandt classic "If I Needed You"

November 15, 2024 - Silverlake, CA – Today Mad Bunny Records announced the release of "If I Needed You," by Birdthrower (aka Robert O. Leaver) featuring Ben Harper and written by Townes Van Zandt. This single is Birdthrower's first release since his self titled 2021 debut on the label and will be followed by a full length album in 2025.

"On this track Birdthrower is the cello and I am the violin," Ben mused. "He and I both share a deep love for this track and it's exciting to pay tribute to one of the great American songwriters while singing a song I feel this passionate about."

Birdthrower is based in NYC and is a singer/songwriter as well as a multi-media performance and visual artist. Harper first encountered him as the artist crawled up the streets of Manhattan for his art project "Crawling Home." Born and raised down the road from Thoreau's Walden Pond, Leaver has always shared a deep connection to the outdoors and has worked a series of jobs as a stonemason, landscaper and currently as a gardener in Manhattan's Riverside Park.

Birdthrower's self titled debut was released in 2021 and garnered critical acclaim: Rolling Stone called it a "goth-folk gem". While American Songwriter wrote, "These new Birdthrower songs, produced by Harper with stunning purity, form the ideal song cycle for these nonsensical times.

You can see Leaver's video for "If I Needed You" HERE. Birdthrower's second album will be released in 2025. Stream & download HERE.