Lucinda Williams’ triumphant new album “Stories From A Rock n Roll Heart” out June 30, 2023 - New Single “New York Comeback” out now

Check out the fantastic new advance single from Lucinda Williams' forthcoming album 'Stories From A Rock n Roll Heart.' The song ("New York Comeback") features guests Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa...Robert Kinsler

Lucinda Williams / Photo credit: Daryl Weisser

LUCINDA WILLIAMS RETURNS WITH TRIUMPHANT NEW ALBUM STORIES FROM A ROCK N ROLL HEART OUT JUNE 30TH ON HIGHWAY 20 RECORDS/THIRTY TIGERS INSPIRING NEW SINGLE  “NEW YORK COMEBACK” RELEASED, WITH BACKING VOCALS BY PATTI SCIALFA AND BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN LISTEN HERE SPECIAL GUESTS INCLUDE JEREMY IVEY, JESSE MALIN, BUDDY MILLER, ANGEL OLSEN, MARGO PRICE, TOMMY STINSON AND MORE

Nashville, TN – Three-time Grammy Award winner Lucinda Williams will release her highly anticipated new album Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart on June 30th (Highway 20 Records/Thirty Tigers). 2023 will be a special year for Williams: she turned 70 in January and on April 25th will release her long-awaited memoir Don’t Tell Anybody The Secrets I Told You (Crown, a division of Penguin Random House LLC). The last couple years have been challenging for Williams. In 2020, a tornado damaged her new home in Nashville, followed two weeks later by the beginning of the COVID lockdown. Later that November, Williams suffered a stroke that partially impaired some of her motor skills on the left side of her body, forcing her to learn to walk again and taking away her ability to play the guitar. Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart marks a triumphant return from one of our most revered artists and songwriters. Williams is in great form as heard on her new single “New York Comeback,” written by Williams, Tom Overby and Jesse Malin, with Patti Scialfa and Bruce Springsteen on backing vocals. Listen HERE.   Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart was produced by Williams, Overby and Ray Kennedy, who also engineered. The album includes guest backing vocals by Jeremy Ivey, Jesse Malin, Buddy Miller, Angel Olsen, Margo Price and Tommy Stinson (see track listing below). Since the beginning of her celebrated four-decade career, Williams has always written her songs using the guitar. With that capability halted, she had to alter her songwriting process and lean on those close to her for help fulfilling her vision. She began writing collaborations with her husband/manager Overby, which was first documented on her twice Grammy nominated 2020 album Good Souls Better Angels. On Stories from a Rock N Roll Heart, Williams teamed up with singer/songwriter and dear friend Jessie Malin, who co-wrote three tracks on the album and helped her flush out some of the melodies on guitar. Williams also looked to her longtime road manager, Travis Stephens, a veteran guitarist and songwriter, to bring her ideas to life as he co-wrote six songs on the album. The result is a melodic 10-song rock offering that is an inspiring testament to Williams’ fortitude and perseverance to continue to create under any circumstances. Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart kicks off with the gritty “Let’s Get The Band Back Together,” launching a musical journey that includes edgy rockers such as “Rock N Roll Heart” and “This Is Not My Town.” Williams pays tribute to rock legends Tom Petty (“Stolen Moments”) and Replacements’ co-founder Bob Stinson (“Hum’s Liquor”), to whom who she dedicates the album. It would not be a Lucinda Williams album without pulling on the heartstrings. The moving “Last Call for the Truth,” the nostalgic and beautiful “Jukebox,” and the poignant album closer “Never Gonna Fade Away” are Williams at her classic best. A true highlight of Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart is the epic “Where the Song Will Find Me,” a hauntingly beautiful piece, orchestrated and arranged by Lawrence Rothman. Throughout the song, Williams expresses that despite everything she has been through, she will never stop seeking, and we are all the better for it.

Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart Track Listing (w/Guests) 1. Let’s Get The Band Back Together (Backing vocals: Margo Price, Jeremy Ivey, Siobhan Maher Kennedy, Buddy Miller, Sophie Gault) 2. New York Comeback (BV: Bruce Springsteen & Patti Scialfa) 3. Last Call For The Truth 4. Jukebox (BV: Angel Olsen) 5. Stolen Moments 6. Rock N Roll Heart (BV: Bruce Springsteen & Patti Scialfa) 7. This Is Not My Town (BV: Margo Price) 8. Hum’s Liquor (BV: Tommy Stinson) 9. Where The Song Will Find Me 10. Never Gonna Fade Away

New music: The Staple Singers, Larkin Poe, Dion

The brilliant artistry of The Staple Singers is featured on a series of essential reissues, while new releases from Southern duo Larkin Poe and New York City-spawned Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend Dion are among the great titles of the first half of 2020.

Artist: The Staple Singers
Titles: Let's Do It Again: Soundtrack; Pass It On; Family Tree; Unlock Your Mind (Omnivore Recordings)
You might like if you enjoy: Mavis Staples, Betty LaVette, soul music
Tell me more: Omnivore Recordings' four new Staple Singers reissues are an important and outstanding way for music fans to discover the joyful sounds of the acclaimed ensemble. Having earned accolades as Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipients as well as inductees in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Gospel Hall of Fame, the Chicago-spawned family group's legacy is showcased powerfully via Let's Do It Again (1975), Pass It On (1976), Family Tree (1977) and Unlock Your Mind (1978). During the 1970s, the Staple Singers had 13 singles on the U.S. Pop chart and 20 on the U.S. R&B chart. Many of those singles are included here, as well as other outstanding cuts that captured the magic of Roebuck "Pops," Mavis, Cleotha and Yvonne Staples blending funk, gospel and R&B. "Let's Do It Again" was the soundtrack for the Sidney Poitier-directed film, with the music produced by Curtis Mayfield. The range of material includes the spirited title track featuring Mavis' signature vocals, grooving "Funky Love" and lovely "A Whole Lot of Love." 

Mayfield also produced Pass It On, a set highlighted by jazz-meets-funk vibe of "The Real Thing Inside of Me/Party," immersive "Love Me, Love Me, Love Me" and funky "Pass It On."  Family Tree found the quartet including other styles in their sound; the exhilarating "What You Doing Tonight," "Hang Loose" and "Let's Go to the Disco" found a way to convincingly mix their soulful voices with disco stylings; Mavis Staples is heard in one of her all-time great vocal performances on a poignant cover of "I Honestly Love You." Rounding out the handful of new reissues is Unlock Your Mind, a fantastic set of inspired tracks ranging from soul-funk romp "Chica Boom" and scorching "Don't Burn Me" to a magical dance-minded cover of the ELO hit "Showdown, a rockabilly-styled take on the 1953 classic "Mystery Train" and the dazzling gospel explosion "God Can."  Each of the reissues is bolstered by bonus tracks and has been lovingly remastered by Grammy winners Cheryl Pawelski and Michael Graves, with a wealth of historic photos and ephemera in colorful multi-page booklets. The four new Staples editions feature liner notes from Grammy Award winning writer (and Stax musicologist) Rob Bowman. Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com.

Artist: Larkin Poe
Title: Self Made Man (Tricki-Woo Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Larkin Poe, Samantha Fish, The Record Company
Tell me more: Larkin Poe – sisters Rebecca Lovell and Megan Lovell – reach new heights on their stellar new LP Self Made Man. The hard-hitting material on their fifth studio album is ideally suited for the Nashville-based duo's freewheeling approach with heavy Southern blues rockers "She's A Self Made Man" and "Holy Ghost Fire," the vocals-heavy "Keep Diggin'," inspired "Back Down South" and Delta blues dive "Danger Angel" fully celebrating the sisters' Southern roots with a decidedly contemporary sonic edge. Megan's soulful soprano shines across the disc, as evidenced by her amazing vocals on "God Moves On The Water," the soulful ballad "Every Bird That Flies" and lush "Tears Of Blue To Gold." Everywhere, Megan Lovell's artful and dazzling work lap steel guitar work and backing vocals lend welcome power and depth to the material. One of this summer's most exciting and welcome new releases. Information: LarkinPoe.com.

Artist: Dion
Title: Blues With Friends (KTBA Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Dion, Joe Bonamassa, Bruce Springsteen
Tell me more: Listening to the great songs that fill Dion's Blues With Friends it's no wonder that the album has been greeted by universal acclaim. A who's who of classic rock favorites and blues heroes join Dion, now 80, on this top-tier return. Among the many highlights on the collection are the super-charged opener "Blues Comin' On" (with guitar master Joe Bonamassa), the playful "Bam Bang Boom" (featuring ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons on lead guitar), the gospel-minded LP closer "Hymn To Him" (with guests Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa). On the Chicago blues gem "I Got Nothin'," Van Morrison and Joe Louis Walker add their firepower to the evocative tale; Jeff Beck's stately fret work enhances the gorgeous Memphis blues ballad "Can't Start Over Again." Stray Cat Brian Setzer adds his fiery guitar work on the rockabilly-flavored "Uptown Number 7." My favorite track is "Song For Sam Cooke (Here In America)," an autobiographical song detailing Dion's experiences touring with the late soul music legend in the early 1960s (Paul Simon lends his vocal harmonies). Elsewhere, Dion is joined by the likes of slide great Sonny Landreth, blues guitarist Samantha Fish and Steven Van Zandt. And just for the record, Dion sounds fantastic across the album. Information: DionDiMucci.com.



Robert Kinsler

Bruce Springsteen's 'Western Stars' coming on June 14

Here's the big news for the day...

Bruce Springsteen’s Western Stars, New Studio Album out on Columbia Records on Friday, June 14, 2019

Bruce Springsteen’s first new studio album in five years takes his music to a new place, drawing inspiration in part from the Southern California pop records of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. The album was recorded primarily at Springsteen’s home studio in New Jersey, with additional recording in California and New York. Columbia Records will release Springsteen’s 19th studio album on June 14. Western Stars will be available for pre-order on Friday, April 26.

“This record is a return to my solo recordings featuring character driven songs and sweeping, cinematic orchestral arrangements," says Springsteen. "It's a jewel box of a record."

The 13 tracks of Western Stars encompass a sweeping range of American themes, of highways and desert spaces, of isolation and community and the permanence of home and hope.

The song "Hello Sunshine" and a video will be released just after midnight ET tonight. 

Ron Aniello produced the album with Springsteen and plays bass, keyboard, and other instruments. Patti Scialfa provides vocals and contributes vocal arrangements on four tracks. The musical arrangements include strings, horns, pedal steel and contributions from more than 20 other players including Jon Brion (who plays celeste, Moog, and farfisa), as well as guest appearances by David Sancious, Charlie Giordano, and Soozie Tyrell. The album was mixed by Tom Elmhirst.

Bruce Springsteen’s recording career spans over 40 years, beginning with 1973's ‘Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ’ (Columbia Records). He has garnered 20 Grammys, won an Oscar and a Tony, been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, received a Kennedy Center Honor, and was MusiCares’ 2013 Person of the Year. Springsteen’s memoir ‘Born to Run’ (Simon & Schuster) and its companion album ‘Chapter and Verse’ were released in September 2016, and he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in November 2016. His historic 236-show run of ‘Springsteen on Broadway’ at Jujamcyn’s Walter Kerr Theatre from October 2017 to December 2018 also yielded an accompanying soundtrack album and Netflix special.

Western Stars Song Titles

1. Hitch Hikin’

2. The Wayfarer

3. Tucson Train

4. Western Stars

5. Sleepy Joe’s Café

6. Drive Fast (The Stuntman)

7. Chasin’ Wild Horses

8. Sundown

9. Somewhere North of Nashville

10. Stones

11. There Goes My Miracle

12. Hello Sunshine

13. Moonlight Motel

All songs written by Bruce Springsteen