Comforting Sounds amidst COVID-19 outbreak

The coronavirus pandemic has had an impact around the globe, and that includes on the arts where theaters have closed and concert events have either been cancelled or delayed. During this period of uncertainty and "social distancing," it's a good time to rediscover the comforting sounds of reassuring voices to help get us through these tough times courtesy of some special greatest hits, reissues and special editions titles available now.

Artist: Paul Kelly
Title: Songs From the South 1985-2019: Paul Kelly's Greatest Hits (Cooking Vinyl)
You might like if you enjoy: Paul Kelly, Neil Finn, Tim Finn, Kasey Chambers
Tell me more: It's all about the song. Australia's Paul Kelly is one of the most celebrated artists to ever emerge from Down Under and it's no wonder. His songs exude an authenticity, warmth and sonic grace; they are also sumptuous listens that typically connect with a single listen. On the recently-released compilation Songs From the South 1985-2019: Paul Kelly's Greatest Hits, Kelly's stellar talents are showcased via 43 essential selections. From the tuneful acoustic introduction "From St. Kilda to Kings Cross" and tuneful power pop-minded "Before Too Long" and "Leaps and Bounds" to the indie rockers "Look So Fine Feel So Low" and "Sweet Guy," Kelly is expert as pulling in the best sensibilities of any number of genres to craft his finely-crafted songs. Indeed spoken word ("Bradman"), folk ("Everything's Turning to White," "When I First Met Your Ma"), and melodic rock ("Deeper Water") are also showcased on the first disc covering his work from 1985 to 1999. Bluegrass (the affecting "Our Sunshine"), baroque folk ("If I Could Start Today Again," "I'm On Your Side"), country-western ("Your Lovin' Is On My Mind," "They Thought I Was Asleep") and potent rockers ("God Told Me To," "With the One I Love") are on display on the equally strong second disc. The title closes out with a previously-unreleased cut, "When We're Both Old & Mad," an Americana duet featuring Kelly and Aussie songstress Kasey Chambers. The ambition and wide range of material on Songs from the South astounds across the outstanding set. If you haven't yet discovered Kelly's considerable talents, this two-disc collection is a wonderful place to start. Information: cookingvinyl.com.

Artist: Mister Rogers
Titles: You're Growing; Coming and Going; You Are Special; Bedtime (Omnivore Recordings)
You might like if you enjoy: Johnny Costa, Mister Rogers, children's music, jazz 
Tell me more: Generations have grown up watching episodes of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" since it premiered on television in the late 1960s. A large part of the magic of the beloved PBS-TV series were the songs that were written and sung by show host Fred Rogers. Between 1968 and 2001, Rogers created more than 200 original songs; casual fans might be surprised to learn he wrote all the lyrics and melodies heard on the children's show. Now on the heels of 2019's It's Such a Good Feeling: The Best of Mister Rogers Omnivore Recordings compilation comes four new full-length audio reissues featuring delightful music from "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." The release of the 2018 documentary "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" and the popular 2019 film "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" (starring Tom Hanks as Rogers) rekindled widespread interest in the legacy of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." 

The four new reissues include 1992's Bedtime, You're Growing, and You Are Special, as well as 1997's Coming and Going. The four audio CDs provide a comprehensive overview of the magic created by Rogers (who is backed by long-time collaborator and pianist Johnny Costa, bassist Carl McViker and percussionist Bobby Rawsthorne). The 60 songs work on several levels with lyrics focused on teaching about a wide variety of topics while also offering up inviting jazz stylings to help young audiences develop an appreciation of jazz-flavored song craft. There is a uniform sense of fun and intelligence on this welcome series of releases. Information: omnivorerecordings.com.

Artist: Kiefer Sutherland
Title: Reckless & Me: Special Edition (BMG)
You might like if you enjoy: Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings
Tell me more: When I first reviewed Kiefer Sutherland's excellent sophomore album Reckless & Me in 2019 I somehow missed that it was available via a two-disc special edition. The second disc features live versions of many of the finest originals from his 2016 debut Down in a Hole and last year's Reckless & Me that were recorded at a concert in Berlin, Germany. Sutherland has quickly established him as one of the strongest talents in country music, primarily because he has found a way to tap into the rich vein of outlaw music and make it his own. Whether singing intimate ballads such as "Saskatchewan," probing confessionals like "Down In A Hole" or kicking things up with "Rebel Wind," the tracks on the expanded set capture the excitement of Sutherland's recent concert tours. Information: KieferSutherland.net.

Artist: Ten Years After
DVD Title: Live from the Marquee Club, London (Store For Music)
You might like if you enjoy: Ten Years After, Alvin Lee, Joe Bonamassa, Humble Pie
Tell me more: Released back in 2012, Ten Years After's Live from the Marquee Club, London is definitely worth watching if you love classic British blues rock. Ten Years frontman Alvin Lee was a gifted singer and one of the world's first guitar heroes. On this performance captured in 1983 that was staged in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Marquee Club, Lee and company tear through a fiery set including the masterful blues cut "Help Me," jazz jam "Woodchoppers Ball," and a marathon tear through "I'm Going Home." Information: thestoreformusic.com.





Robert Kinsler

Masterworks from U2, Kasey Chambers, Game Theory, Rosebud celebrated

Three outstanding reissues and a stunning new double CD highlight a field of new works waiting to be discovered (or rediscovered).

Artist: U2
Title: The Joshua Tree [Super Deluxe Edition] (Island Records)
You might like if you enjoy: U2, Simple Minds
Tell me more: The Super Deluxe Edition edition of U2's The Joshua Tree is a significant purchase, retailing for between $90 and $100. Yet, the newly-released box set marking the 30th anniversary of U2's 1987 masterwork is money well spent for U2's countless fans who have been filling stadiums for the band's current tour that has already garnered $62 million in its first month (according to Billboard). The new box set includes the original 11-track album, a live recording captured during the 1987 Joshua Tree Tour at Madison Square Garden, a number of B-sides and rarities, and several 2017 remixes of several of the album's songs. There is also a a beautiful hardcover book featuring photographs taken by The Edge and a folio of eight 12-inch cooler prints from band photographer Anton Corbijn. Information: u2.com.

Artist: Kasey Chambers
Title: Dragonfly (Essence/MGM)
You might like if you enjoy: Lucinda Williams, Patty Griffin
Tell me more: Kasey Chambers' ambitious double album Dragonfly succeeds on every imaginable level. The Australian singer-songwriter's potent songs and shining vocals always amaze, but on "Dragonfly" there is a magical quality how she moves effortlessly between country blues, bluegrass, Americana and traditional country in the service of her confessional songs. The collection is divided into two parts; disc one features the "Sing Sing Sessions" produced by Paul Kelly while the second disc features the "Foggy Mountain Sessions" produced by her brother and frequent producer Nash Chambers. The powerful "Ain't No Little Girl" finds her beautiful soprano erupting to a roar, while she can artfully rebound on the melodically lush "Summer Pillow" before masterfully moving into roots rock territory on the soaring "You Ain't Worth Suffering For" - and that's just on the first disc. The second disc features an equal number of amazing songs, including the gospel spiritual-styled "Shackle & Chain" and "No Ordinary Man," the speedy title track and electrified Delta blues gem "If I Died." There are several special guests, with Keith Urban's vocal contributions particularly affecting on "If We Had A Child." Information: KaseyChambers.com.

Artist: Game Theory
Title: 2 Steps From The Middle Ages (Omnivore Recordings)
You might like if you enjoy: Game Theory, Alex Chilton, Big Star
Tell me more: It's easy for discerning music fans to get angry when talented bands such as Game Theory never achieve the recognition and commercial success they deserve. Headed by brilliant singer-songwriter-guitarist Scott Miller, Game Theory issued five studio albums and two EPs in the 1980s. The band's jangly power pop-meets-baroque rock sound was combined with intricate musical arrangements and literate lyrics. The reissue of Game Theory's final studio album 2 Steps From The Middle Ages marks another reason to celebrate Omnivore Recordings' continuing commitment to shine a light on the band. The new expanded edition of "2 Steps From The Middle Ages' includes 11 bonus tracks, including original demos, live versions and radio broadcast sessions. The material includes some of Miller's most infectious and detailed songs. If you have not yet heard of Game Theory, check out tracks like "Room For One More, Honey," "Don't Entertain Me Twice," "Throwing the Election" and prepare to be hooked. A fully-illustrated 24-page booked adds a wealth of background and insight about Game Theory. The release also serves as a bittersweet tribute to Game Theory drummer Gil Ray, who passed away earlier this year. Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com.

Artist: Rosebud
Title: Rosebud (Omnivore Recordings)
You might like if you enjoy: Judy Henske and Jerry Yester's "Farewell Aldebaran"
Tell me more: A masterwork even in its original form, Rosebud's self-titled 1971 album has been reissued with 10 bonus tracks and is ready for the world to discover this classic anew. The range of material encompasses a number of styles of the day and then some, thanks in part to the fusion of well-crafted songs written by Judy Henske (vocals) and Jerry Yester (vocals, bass guitar, banjo), as well as the vocal and instrumental contributions of everyone in the quartet (rounded out by multi-instrumentalist Craig Doerge and drummer John Seiter). There is beautiful folk rock ("The Yum Yum Man"), an exquisite Continental European-flavored ballad ("Le Soleil"), psychedelic-tinged rock ("Reno"), Laurel Canyon country pop ("Western Wisconsin," "Roll Home Cheyenne") and lounge pop ("Lorelei," "Flying To Morning"), all of it delivered with a creative and independent spirit that infuses both the lyrics and music making. The bonus material bolsters the set, with the previously-unreleased "Mercury Of Fools" a progressive delight. Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com.


Robert Kinsler

Kasey Chambers' new acclaimed double album "Dragonfly" out today (June 2, 2017)

If it's Friday, that means new music. Chief among anticipated albums today is the new double album 'Dragonfly' from Australia singer-songwriter Kasey Chambers...

KASEY CHAMBERS’ CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED DOUBLE ALBUM DRAGONFLY OUT NOW ON ESSENCE/MGM

Adds North American dates to Summer 2017 Tour

 “This mature phase of her career was heralded by her terrific 2014 album…
but the real payoff comes on her new grandly ambitious, two-CD album, Dragonfly…”
—The Washington Post

“The release features an all-star cast of collaborators...But it’s Chambers 
whodemands the attention with her sweet, roots-influenced songs
and candid storytelling.”—San Francisco Chronicle

 “Kasey Chambers, like an Australian Lucinda Williams, has also reinvented herself…
with a new ferocity.”—Paste

 “…songwriting excellence and passion in performance that is so hard to find these days, except, perhaps…by her very few peers in this field, including Gillian Welch, Patty Griffin and, of course, the great Lucinda Williams.”—Huffington Post

 “A towering songbook, wordy and resigned, Dragonfly is the opus of Australia’s foremost progenitor of, and innovator in, the country-roots fold. It’s the masterwork
of a heart laid bare in song.”—Rolling Stone Australia

Kasey Chambers / Photo credit: Penny Lane

Australian singer-songwriter Kasey Chambers’ new double album Dragonfly is out now on Essence/MGM. In support of this, her eleventh studio album, Chambers has added new North American dates to continue her international tour with stops in New York, Chicago,Seattle, Denver and more. See below for the full U.S. tour itinerary.

The record debuted in Australia at #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart as well as being #1 on the ARIA Top 50 digital albums, Top 40 Country Albums, Top 20 Australian Artist Albums and Top 20 Australian Artist Country Albums.

Dragonfly, the follow up to 2014’s Bittersweet, features special guests Keith Urban, Ed Sheeran, Paul Kelly, Grizzlee Train, Harry Hookey, Vika and Linda Bull, and Foy Vance. The first disc of Dragonfly was produced by ARIA Hall of Famer Paul Kelly at The Sing Sing Sessions, while the second was produced by Chambers’ brother Nash Chambers at The Foggy Mountain Sessions. 

Of the new recording, Chambers reflects, “Working with Paul Kelly as my producer on one side of the double album Dragonfly was a dream come true. Paul brought out a whole new side of me, but then I also got to enjoy the comforts of recording with the person who knows and has shaped my original sound better than anyone, my brother Nash, along with my live touring band who have become a huge part on my sound. This double album shows who I am as much as any piece of work I have ever done.”

Acclaimed artist David Bromley created a portrait of Chambers for the album’s cover art (seen here). He explains, “In painting Kasey I first endeavored to find her, instead I found many different dimensions and aspects. This portrait combines them all because she is at once uncomplicated and also a mysterious individual—this combination is very alluring.”

Chambers has received 11 ARIA Awards (Australia’s Grammy equivalent), 22 CMAA Golden Guitar Awards, 2 Americana Music Award Nominations and 10 APRA Awards to her name. She also holds the record for the most decorated solo APRA Songwriter in Australia (APRA is Australia’s ASCAP/BMI equivalent).

Chambers has previously topped the ARIA Albums Chart with Barricades & Brickwalls (2002), Wayward Angel (2004), Carnival (2006) and Rattlin’ Bones, her 2008 collaboration with Shane Nicholson.

KASEY CHAMBERS TOUR DATES

June 8—Seattle, WA—Tractor Tavern

June 9—Portland, OR—Aladdin Theater

June 11—Salt Lake City, UT—The State Room

June 13—Denver, CO—The Bluebird Theater

June 14—Boulder, CO—Fox Theatre

June 15—Fort Collins, CO—The Armory

June 16—Kansas City, MO—Knuckleheads Saloon

June 17 –Iowa City, IA — The Englert Theatre

June 19—St. Louis, MO—Off Broadway

June 21—Bloomington, IN—The Bluebird

June 22—Chicago, IL—Thalia Hall

June 23—Ann Arbor, MI—The Ark

June 24—Columbus, OH—Rumba Cafe

June 25—Cleveland, OH—Music Box

July 5—Philadelphia, PA—World Cafe Live

July 6—Pawling, NY—Daryl’s House

July 7—New York, NY—City Winery

July 8—Norfolk, CT—Infinity Hall

July 12 – Northampton, MA – Iron Horse Music Hall

July 13—Alexandria, VA—The Birchmere

July 14 - Carrboro, NC – Cats Cradle

July 16 – Charlotte, NC– Neighborhood Theatre

July 18 – Chattanooga, TN – Revelry Room

July 19 – Knoxville, TN – Bijou Theatre
J

July 20—Greenville, SC – The Peace Center


July 22—Atlanta, GA—City Winery 

For Tickets: kaseychambers.com or venue websites

Album reviews: Supersuckers, Peter Case, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Danielle Nicole, Ted Hawkins tribute

American music is front and center on the latest albums from indie alt-country rockers Supersuckers, singer-songwriter Peter Case, Southern rock giants Lynyrd Skynyrd and songstress Danielle Nicole. There is also an outstanding tribute titled Cold and Bitter Tears: The Songs of Ted Hawkins that features a number of great Americana artists.


Artist: Supersuckers
Title: Holdin' The Bag (Acetate Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Old 97's, Steve Earle, Johnny Cash
Tell me more: Irreverent and honest, Supersuckers are an American treasure. Having released more than 20 albums over the past 25 years, singer Eddie Spaghetti and company are on the top of their game on the newly-released "Holdin' The Bag." The band's characteristic freewheeling approach works wonder on a batch of songs that are as melodic as they are lyrically sharp. The delightful country-styled "High and Outside," cow punk "Man On A Mission" and a lovely reworked sing-along cover of Hank Williams Jr. cover "All My Rowdy Friends (Have Settled Down)"  are among the standouts here. Information: Acetate.com.

Buy 'Holdin' The Bag' today



Artist: Peter Case
Title: Hwy 62 (Omnivore Recordings)
You might like if you enjoy: Bob Dylan, Peter Case's previous albums
Tell me more: Acclaimed singer-songwriter Peter Case has long been a leading voice on the music scene, dating back to the mid 1970s when he was a member of indie melodic rockers the Nerves before finding more acclaim as the leader of the Plimsouls and his subsequent solo career. His new album, Hwy 62, marks his first album release since 2010's "Wig!" and this disc finds Case seemingly building on a wide range of themes inspired by the highway that runs from Juarez, Mexico to Niagara Falls on the Canada-U.S. border. Having grown up one block away from U.S. Route 62 in Hamburg, New York, highlights include the tenderhearted "Water From A Stone," textured folk tale "If I Go Crazy," the sparse acoustic title track and a stellar acoustic cover of Bob Dylan's "Long Time Gone." Guitarist Ben Harper and drummer D.J. Bonebrake are among the notables who lend their talents to the tracking on "Hwy 62." Information: petercase.com.

Buy 'HWY 62' here



Artist: Lynyrd Skynyrd
Title: Pronounced 'L h-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd and Second Helping - Live From Jacksonville at the Florida Theatre (Eagle Vision)
You might like if you enjoy: Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Outlaws
Tell me more: Few bands have persevered through challenge as strongly as Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Lynyrd Skynyrd. From the 1977 plane crash that took the lives of three of its members to the death of original drummer Bob Burns earlier this year and original guitarist Gary Rossington's heart attack on Oct. 8, 2015, the Florida-spawned band brings that undercurrent of survival to the stage whenever they perform. The aptly-titled "'L h-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd and Second Helping" features the rockers covering their first two studio albums in their entirety; recorded at the Florida Theatre in the band's hometown of Jacksonville, Florida, the performance is powerful and ultimately as triumphant as Lynyrd Skynyrd itself. "'L h-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd and Second Helping" is available as a DVD + 2 CD physical set exclusively at Walmart. The collection is also available on standard DVD, Blu-ray and digital formats. Information: eagle-rock.com.

Get 'Pronouced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd & Second Helping Live [Blu-ray]' here 


Artist: Danielle Nicole
Title: Wolf Den (Concord Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Trampled Under Foot, Marcia Ball, Shemekia Copeland
Tell me more: New Orleans R&B, gospel and Memphis soul inform the sound of singer-bassist Danielle Nicole (formerly of Trampled Under Foot) on her winning new solo debut "Wolf Den." A young singer of remarkable power and artistry, Nicole's vocals immerse the listener in the slow-burning Louisiana blues of "How You Gonna Do Me Like That," the solid kiss-off blues rocker "You Only Need Me When You're Down" and a smooth cover of the R&B favorite "Breaking Up Somebody's Home," the latter featuring guest guitarist Luther Dickinson of North Mississippi Allstars fame. Information: ConcordMusicGroup.com.

Get 'Wolf Den' here 

 
Artists: James McMurtry, Kasey Chambers & Bill Chambers, Tim Easton, more
Title: Cold and Bitter Tears: The Songs of Ted Hawkins (Eight 30 Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Ted Hawkins, James McMurtry, Kasey Chambers, Michael Ubaldini
Tell me more: Time has a way of celebrating the greats, even if it takes awhile. The Mississippi native who became a Venice Beach, California street performer, Ted Hawkins suffered a stroke and died Jan. 1, 1995 just as he was gaining widespread acclaim for his masterful songs and big voice. Hawkins was only 58. Now more than a dozen contemporary Americana and roots music champions have banded together to contribute versions of Hawkins' material on Cold and Bitter Tears: The Songs of Ted Hawkins. Hawkins' style was rooted in blues, but the material here clearly spans from that style to authentic country folk and rootsy storytelling. Highlights on "Cold and Bitter Tears" include the Appalachia-soaked ballad "Big Things" courtesy of James McMurtry, the beautiful traditional country "Cold and Bitter Tears" from Aussie songstress Kasey Chambers (with her father Bill Chambers), and the lovely "Happy Hour" from singer Sunny Sweeney. Information: eight30records.com.

Buy 'Cold & Bitter Tears: Songs of Ted Hawkins' here 

Robert Kinsler

Weekend preview: The Zombies and Blur concerts; Don Henley comes to 'Austin City Limits'; Ted Hawkins tribute out today

The Zombies perform two shows in California this
weekend. Photo credit: Andrew Eccles

This promises to be a great weekend for music fans. If you are in California, you should already have your tickets for The Zombies' performance at Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills on Saturday or Crest Theatre in Sacramento on Sunday. The show will feature the entire original line-up of the band performing their 1968 masterwork Odessey & Oracle in its entirety, and then the modern-day line-up (which also features original singer Colin Blunstone and keyboardist Rod Argent) performing other material including songs from 2015's outstanding Still Got That Hunger. Visit the band's official Web site here to get information on music and tour news and details.

Also, if you are in or near New York City, don't miss Blur when they perform at Madison Square Garden tonight (Friday, Oct. 23). I caught the British band's amazing performance at the Hollywood Bowl on Tuesday and it ranks as one of the best concerts I've seen this year (and I go to plenty!). Here is my review of Blur's headlining performance, as well as impressive opener Courtney Barnett (who also open's tonight's concert in the Big Apple). 

Check out the band's official Web site for more information.

Here are a couple of media releases highlighting music coming our way this Rocktober weekend...

AUSTIN CITY LIMITS PRESENTS A SPECIAL HOUR WITH MUSIC LEGEND DON HENLEY

Joined By Special Guests Ashley Monroe, Martina McBride, Trisha Yearwood, Jamey Johnson, and Emily Robison Strayer & Martie Maguire

New Episode Airs October 24th on PBS

Capitol recording artist Don Henley makes his first-ever appearance on Austin City Limits (ACL) showcasing Cass County, Henley’s first solo release in fifteen years and first No. 1 album of his 33-year solo career.  The iconic singer-songwriter and founding member of the Eagles performs a mix of solo hits and future classics in a special hour, joined by many of the all-star guest vocalists featured on this acclaimed record. The episode premieres Saturday, October 24th at 8pm CT/9pm ET as part of ACL’s new Season 41 on PBS.  ACL airs weekly on PBS stations nationwide (check local listings for times) and full episodes are made available online for a limited time at http://video.pbs.org/program/austin-city-limits/ immediately following the initial broadcast.  The show's official hashtag is #acltv.

Named for the East Texas region where Henley grew up, the country-leaning Cass County debuted at No. 1 on both Billboard’s top albums and country albums charts and features new originals written by the music superstar and longtime collaborators Stan Lynch and Steuart Smith.  Rolling Stone raves in a four-star review, “Henley has made an album of quietly defiant pure-country modernism…Everything in the music serves the sting and solace in the tales.”  USA Today notes, “the emotional but unsentimental album draws on the music and the land of Henley’s youth, but it doesn't dwell there.”

Henley opens the masterful eleven-song ACL set with the radio classic “Dirty Laundry,” before taking viewers on a journey through Cass County, a musical return to his roots.  He shines in an immaculate performance filled with highlights and duet partners featuring a parade of special guests: breakout country star Ashley Monroe, chart-toppers Martina McBride and Trisha Yearwood, country rebel Jamey Johnson and sisters Emily Robison Strayerand Martie Maguire of Dixie Chicks and Court Yard Hounds fame.  Henley makes a few detours to perform select fan-favorites including “The Heart Of The Matter” before the entire cast returns to the ACL stage  for the powerfully evocative new ballad, “Praying for Rain”.  Familiar opening chords signal his smash “The Boys of Summer” as Henley and his band launch into the signature tune for a sublime set-closer.

"Don Henley has been on my wish list for 40 years, and I always knew he would come when he was ready,” says ACL executive producer Terry Lickona.  “He's one of the best songwriters of his generation, and these new songs are some of the best he's ever written. He's at the top of his game right now, and it's an honor to have him showcase his new songs and classics on the ACL stage.

Episode Setlist:
Dirty Laundry
When I Stop Dreaming (ft. Ashley Monroe)
The Cost Of Living (ft. Jamey Johnson)
That Old Flame (ft. Martina McBride)
Train In The Distance
The Heart Of The Matter
Where I Am Now (ft. Trisha Yearwood)
Take A Picture Of This
She Sang Hymns Out Of Tune (ft. Emily Robison Strayer & Martie Maguire)
Praying for Rain (ensemble)
The Boys of Summer

The complete line-up for the full 14-week season, including seven new episodes to air beginning January 2016, will be announced at a later date.  Viewers can visit acltv.com for news regarding future tapings, episode schedules and live stream updates.

COLD AND BITTER TEARS: THE SONG OF TED HAWKINS CELEBRATES LEGENDARY VENICE BEACH, CALIFORNIA STREET PERFORMER

Tribute album OUT TODAY features James McMurtry, Kasey Chambers, Mary Gauthier, Tim Easton, Shinyribs and an unheard Hawkins original hidden track

AUSTIN, TX – Cold and Bitter Tears: The Song of Ted Hawkins, due today (Friday, October 23) on Austin-based Eight 30 Records, marks the first tribute album to the soulful Venice Beach street performer, a legend overseas later in his lifetime but a songwriter largely overlooked in the States. Hawkins simply sang like songs were stamped on his heart at birth. Evidence: High watermarks on the new record such as “Big Things” (James McMurtry), “Cold and Bitter Tears” (Kasey Chambers), “Sorry You're Sick” (Mary Gauthier), “Who Got My Natural Comb” (Shinyribs) and several other classics. Hawkins himself backs the point with the album's hidden track, the moving unreleased demo “Great New Year.”

The Mississippi native, who died January 1, 1995 after a hardscrabble life and brief autumnal rise in popularity, might be gone but he's clearly not forgotten. Local Americana power trio including singer-songwriter Kevin Russell (Shinyribs, The Gourds), artist manager Jenni Finlay (James McMurtry) and writer Brian T. Atkinson (author of I'll Be Here in the Morning: The Songwriting Legacy of Townes Van Zandt) have lovingly co-produced Cold and Bitter Tearsover the past year with sessions mostly at Austin's Wire Recording. Russell has been particularly enthusiastic about the endeavor.

“Ted Hawkins' songs and his voice were infectiously uplifting to me upon first listen twenty years ago,” he says. “His unique style, both soulful and folkie, has haunted me and taught me – so much that I have been on a personal mission to tell the world about this national musical treasure. The opportunity to steward this tribute record is a 'go tell it on the mountain' moment for me that I hope can bring greater attention to the songs and recordings of Mr. Hawkins himself.”

Hawkins earned a following as a longtime busker on the Venice Beach boardwalk but his unpredictable lifestyle prevented widespread notice. He made minor critical waves with his debut Watch Your Step (1982), an album that failed commercially but earned a five-star review in Rolling Stone. Hawkins scarcely recorded between Watch Your Step and his major label debut The Next Hundred Years (1994).

Boardwalk passersby always noticed the singular singer belting his songs. They stopped cold. Listened. Amazed. “A lot of street musicians are really good, but there was something about him that was just pure presence,” says Jon Dee Graham, who witnessed Hawkins on the beachfront while recording in Los Angeles three decades ago. “Also, his songs aren't like anybody else's. He's singing in this huge, soulful voice, 'What do you want from the liquor store? Something sweet? Something sour?' What? So wholly original.” Imagine blues and country and folk having no dividing lines.

He died at 58 years old the following New Year's Day as his star finally threatened to rise. “At the time of his death, Hawkins remained the greatest singer you've never heard,” the Los Angeles Times obituary read. “Hawkins clearly was transported somewhere else as he sang, and when he ecame aware of the audience, he seemed dazed: [Everyone] applauding wildly, some in tears from the sheer, sad beauty of his songs.” “When somebody plays in a way you've never heard anybody else, that's singularity,” echoes Dave Marsh, the iconic author and rock critic. “You might be able to imitate it, but you couldn't copy it. It would be like trying to sing like Ray Charles. You can't do that.”

See below for full track listing on Cold and Bitter Tears: The Songs of Ted Hawkins.

COLD AND BITTER TEARS: THE SONGS OF TED HAWKINS

“Big Things” • James McMurtry

“Cold and Bitter Tears” • Kasey Chambers and Bill Chambers

“One Hundred Miles” • Tim Easton

“Sorry You're Sick” • Mary Gauthier

“Strange Conversation” • Jon Dee Graham

“Happy Hour” • Sunny Sweeney

“I Got What I Wanted” • Randy Weeks

“Baby” • Tina-Michelle Fowler with Elizabeth Hawkins

“I Gave Up All I Had” • Gurf Morlix

“Bad Dog” • Danny Barnes

“Bring It on Home Daddy” • The Damnations

“My Last Goodbye” • Ramsay Midwood

“Who Got My Natural Comb” • Shinyribs

“Whole Lotta Women” • Steve James

“Peace and Happiness” • Even Felker