Guitar Legend Juan Carlos Quintero releases new album “Desserts”

One of my earliest music-related assignments back when I was a contributing writer for The Orange County Register was covering rising guitar virtuoso Juan Carlos Quintero. I was excited to learn today that the Columbia native is back with a new album titled Desserts. Read the media release below on his new album Desserts. And at the bottom of this post, you can revisit my August 1990 article that was published in The Orange County Register about Quintero...Robert Kinsler 

Guitar Legend Juan Carlos Quintero Releases New Album “Desserts”

As with all good meals, the sweets are the most memorable!

It’s no wonder that guitar legend Juan Carlos Quintero’s critically acclaimed chart-topping 2022 release, “Table For Five,” segues so effortlessly to the sequel – the new album, “Desserts”…

Quintero’s new album expands the music menu producing tasty treats while skillfully blending authentic grooves – originating from South American & Caribbean regions – culminating in a thread of meaningful performances honoring the beauty and breadth of Latin-Jazz traditions! Enticing gems include “The Gift,” “All or Nothing At All,” “How Insensitive,” “Tangerine,” “A Night in Tunisia,” “Along Came Betty” & crowd favorite, Van Morrison’s “Moondance”!

Says Juan, “For me, the experience producing this music brought me closer to my parents in so many ways…It’s been 10 years since we lost dad and I think of him daily…looking back, I can remember him playing the piano and working out the hit melodies of the time…little did I know then I would be doing the same years later…the message is check out your parents, remember them and preserve their melodies…”

The album features music from the early 1960s and focuses on traditional Latin rhythms to serve as the foundation for all the arrangements performed. As with the last album, the music features Quintero’s electric jazz guitar along with the backing by his extraordinary band: Eddie Resto (upright bass), Aaron Serfaty (drums), Joey DeLeon (Percussion), Joe Rotondi (piano). The album was recorded and mixed by Talley Sherwood and mastered by Peter Doell.

This seasoned Quintet never disappoints as it navigates an array of well-crafted classics re-imagined with newly fine-tuned arrangements! Led by JCQ’s signature guitar voice, the music transcends protocols merging stylish overtures in company with traditions of romance, charm & melody.

This party is seated and sticking around for more! Now serving desserts… A seamless follow up that converts to a staggered double-album experience prompted by “Table For Five” – It’s the final course topping off a delicious five-star feast! Bon appétit!

Here’s what the press has said about Juan Carlos Quintero:

“A comfortable middle ground between authentic Latin roots, and contemporary, polished tones” – Jazz Times

“By virtue of imagination as well as style, Quintero clearly out classes many of his modern Latin guitar-strumming contemporaries… Quintero sets high standards with cross-cultural sound… One of the best” – Los Angeles Times

“By tracing his heritage back to Colombia, Quintero has forged ahead with personality and style.” – JAZZIZ Magazine

“JCQ’s brand of world beat, Latin flavored pop/jazz provides a highly rhythmic, passionate guitar voice that captures the energy and excitement of his live performances” – Latin Style Magazine

To Purchase: https://lnk.to/juancarlosquintero_desserts

For more information: www.juancarlosquintero.com

New Music: Albums shine a light on diverse sounds

Several outstanding reissues and a terrific new album are worth exploring this week.

Artist: The Go-Go's

Title: God Bless The Go-Go's (Eagle Records)

You might like if you enjoy: The Go-Go's, Belinda Carlisle

Tell me more: God Bless the Go-Go's, the Los Angeles' quintet's 2001 reunion album has just been released as a must-own deluxe edition. Celebrated in connection with its 20th anniversary, God Bless the Go-Go's has been reissued on CD, vinyl and digital formats via Eagle Records. This is the first time the original album version of the album is available on LP (pressed on 140-gram, blue colored vinyl). The deluxe CD and digital versions feature new cover art and both include two bonus tracks. The album fully captures the power and magic of the Go-Go's' groundbreaking 1981 debut Beauty and the Beat. The driving "Unforgiven" (featuring guest Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day), "Stuck In My Car" and "Automatic Rainy Day" display a flair for melody and power pop without abandoning the group's punk roots. Equally potent are the tuneful mid-tempo confessionals "Apology," "Vision of Nowness" and "Insincere" as well as the shimmering ballad "Here You Are." The two winning bonus tracks – the straightforward rocker "I Think I Need Sleep" and melodic "King of Confusion" – definitely make this collection worth adding to your collection. Here is one fan happy to hear that singer Belinda Carlisle, lead guitarist Charlotte Caffey, singer-guitarist Jane Wiedlin, bassist Kathy Valentine and drummer Gina Schock are set to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's class of 2021 on Oct. 30. Information: gogos.com.

Artist: The Palace Guard

Title: All Night Long: An Anthology, 1965-1967 (Omnivore Recordings)

You might like if you enjoy: The Animals, 1960s rock, the Kingsmen

Tell me more: The explosive sound of '60s garage rock is captured across the outstanding new compilation All Night Long: An Anthology, 1965-1967 featuring the Palace Guard. Although poor management ultimately dimmed The Palace Guard's prospects for widespread acclaim, the Hawthorne, CA-based troupe did have enough regional success in Southern California to record enough great material to fill a disc. There are rousing rockers – notably the opener "All Night Long" along with "Falling Sugar," "Oh Blue (The Way I Feel Tonight)," "Saturday's Child" and "Party Lights" – which collectively capture the spirit of the era. Just as impressive are the wistful mid-tempo rock cuts showcasing the band's wonderful vocals ("Playgirl," "A Girl You Can Depend On," "If You Need Me" and more). The psychedelia-styled "Greed" is another true gem on the set. The Palace Guard featured brothers Don, John and David Beaudoin, their roommate Mike Conley, drummer Emitt Rhodes (who subsequently enjoyed success with Merry Go Round and a solo career), bass guitarist Rick Moser and lead guitarist Chuck McClung; Terry Rae replaced Rhodes in 1966 while Teddy Rooney replaced Moser in early 1967. Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com.

Artist: Weezer

Title: Van Weezer (Atlantic / Crush)

You might like if you enjoy: Weezer, 1970s and '80s hard rock

Tell me more: Weezer explores their adolescent influences along with an appreciation of the electric guitar on their fifteenth album Van Weezer which has its obvious roots in the band's early love affair with melodic hard rock of the 1970s and '80s. Weezer (singer-songwriter-guitarist Rivers Cuomo, guitarist Brian Bell, drummer Pat Wilson and bassist Scott Shriner) conjures up the days of Van Halen, Ozzy Osbourne and Whitesnake to deliver a batch of instantly-likable tracks. Take "Blue Dream" – which sonically echoes Osbourne's 1980 classic "Crazy Train" – Weezer blend their signature melodic sheen with plenty of guitar-anchored hard rock attack. "The End of the Game" with its hammering guitar intro and in-the-pocket crunchy verses evokes hits by Whitesnake and 38 Special. Even while cranking up the guitars the band's melodic sense rules the day; the head-banging "1 More Hit" is bolstered by a vocals-heavy chorus and a wicked mid-song heavy metal break while "I Need Some of That" is equally strong with an undeniable chorus and tuneful guitar lines. Elsewhere, Weezer's own distinctive style is showcased on several of the disc's best cuts; "All the Good Ones" recalls the sound of their 2005 favorite "Beverly Hills" while "Sheila Can Do It" mirrors Weezer's mid-90s power pop-meets-indie rock approach. Always eager to surprise, Weezer closes with the gentle acoustic ballad "Precious Metal Girl." Information: Weezer.com.

Artists: Steve Goodman

Title: It Sure Looked Good on Paper: The Steve Goodman Demos (Omnivore Recordings)

You might like if you enjoy: Steve Goodman, John Denver, Don McLean

Tell me more: Blessed with a terrific voice and equally impressive talents as a top-tier songwriter and acoustic guitar player, Steve Goodman sadly lost his battle with leukemia at the age of 36 in 1984 – before the Chicago native could be acknowledged beyond the small and dedicated group of artists and fans who recognized his greatness during his lifetime. Los Angeles' Omnivore Recordings has gone a long way over the past several years to reintroduce Goodman to a wider audience of discerning followers; the newly-issued It Sure Looked Good on Paper: The Steve Goodman Demos is packed with 20 previously-unissued recordings that include both solo acoustic and band demos. The range and depth of the material is truly impressive; an uptempo run through his beloved original "City Of New Orleans," winning Gram Parsons-flavored decree "Eight Ball Blues," romantic "Would You Like To Learn To Dance" and "Yellow Coat," countrified standout "You Never Even Call Me By My Name" co-written with John Prine (and a 1975 hit for David Allan Coe), melancholic "Song For David" and lovely closer "The Water Is Wide." The collection features restoration and mastering by Grammy Award-winning engineer Michael Graves, who has again teamed up with Grammy-winning producer Cheryl Pawelski (who compiled this 20-track collection) to add another important chapter in celebrating the work of Goodman's legacy. Available via audio CD and gatefold double LP, the release features new liner notes by Lee Zimmerman and photos from the Goodman family archive. Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com. 

Artist: John Linnell

Title: State Songs (Craft Recordings)

You might like if you enjoy: They Might Be Giants, Fountains of Wayne

Tell me more: An expanded digital edition of John Linnell's 1999 cult classic State Songs has just been released via Craft Recordings. One half of groundbreaking outfit They Might Be Giants (along with John Flansburgh), Linnell introduced "State Songs" via a five-song EP issued in 1994; five years late a full-length album was released on audio CD by Zoë/Rounder Records. More than two decades after its creation, "State Songs" remains a fun and fascinating listen with a vast array of far-flung instruments, wide-ranging musical styles and smart lyrics fused together into something special. The instrumental carousel-flavored "Illinois," power-pop gem "The Songs of the Fifty States," sly "West Virginia," buoyant "South Carolina,"glorious "Montana" and Americana art damage cut "Pennsylvania" are among the early standouts on the timeless collection. Just as inviting are the genre-defying "Utah," lovely "Arkansas," swirling "Maine" and the catchy bonus track "Louisiana" (the latter initially released as a B-side on the 1999 vinyl single of "Montana" - a collectible die-cut record in the shape of the USA). For those who love "State Songs" the additional good news is that Linnell is readying his next solo release, "Roman Songs"; that forthcoming EP is reportedly made up of songs written entirely in Latin. Information: CraftRecordings.com.

Robert Kinsler

New Music: Lisa Gerrard and Jules Maxwell, Alan Jackson, Amy Winehouse, 'Winston-Salem Sound'

Four must-hear titles are featured in my column this week.

Artist: Lisa Gerrard and Jules Maxwell

Title: Burn (Atlantic Curve)

You might like if you enjoy: Dead Can Dance, Sigur Rós, Howard Shore's "Lord of the Rings" soundtracks, Moby

Tell me more: The new full-length collaboration from Dead Can Dance's Lisa Gerrard and Jules Maxwell titled Burn is a beautiful listen, seamlessly blending sounds spanning the globe and time itself. Gerrard – one of the world's great singers – has joined forces with Maxwell and English producer James Chapman (also known by his moniker "Maps") to craft seven intoxicating compositions that truly immerse the listener. Choral, symphonic and electronica soundscapes converge on the marvelous opener "Heleali (The Sea Will Rise)," with several layers of Gerrard's vocals layered around her primary vocal track. The driving "Aldavyeem (A Time To Dance)" recalls the art rock of Radiohead, while the soaring "Orion (The Weary Huntsman)" somehow spans opera and Neo-classical on its magnificent trajectory. On the title track Gerrard and Maxwell both sing, their triumphant tandem voices artfully dueling with another line sung by Gerrard alone. This is a opulent and sumptuous listening experience from start to finish. Information: https://orcd.co/lisajulesburn.

Artist: Alan Jackson

Title: Where Have You Gone? (UMG Nashville)

You might like if you enjoy: Alan Jackson, Merle Haggard, George Jones

Tell me more: Armed with one of country music's best voices, Alan Jackson brings his signature vocals to the expansive 21-track collection Where Have You Gone? – an album collectively celebrating authentic country music with a master's touch. Indeed, on the opening cut "Where Have You Gone," Jackson sings: "Sweet country music, where have you gone? / Sweet country music, please come back home" with emotional authenticity and a timely aim. Elsewhere his rich baritone mines love (the tender "I Can Be That Something," joyful fiddle- and piano-adorned "Where the Cottonwood Grows," the rowdy "Livin' On Empty"), drinking ("Wishful Drinkin'," "Beer:10") and a fusion of those matters (the lovely "Way Down In My Whiskey," literate "The Boot," touching "So Late So Soon" and "I Was Tequila"). On "Things On Matter," he addresses the fragility of life with a particularly affecting touch, while a father's love is expressed on the beautiful "You'll Always Be My Baby." Other great tracks on the collection include the rip-roaring "Back," bonus track "That's The Way Love Goes (A Tribute to Merle Haggard)" and confessional "The Older I Get." Information: AlanJackson.com.

Artist: Amy Winehouse

Title: At The BBC (Island/UMe)

You might like if you enjoy: Amy Winehouse, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings

Tell me more: Featuring the late British singer Amy Winehouse at the height of her vocal powers, the three-disc At The BBC (available on audio CD and vinyl) features more than three dozen tracks recorded between 2003 and 2007. The soulful "Stronger Than Me" (captured on a Jools Holland TV appearance in 2003) kicks off the far-flung set. That powerhouse performance proves to be the first of many with Winehouse's signature contralto impressing on each track of the collection. The dynamic "Take The Box" (from 2004's Mercury Prize Awards) with her vocals spanning from the lower to higher reaches of her vocal register, jazzy "Teach Me Tonight" (from a 2004 appearance on Jools Holland) and blues-styled "Rehab" (from a 2006 performance) are early high marks. The magic displayed on the essential collection continues courtesy on the buoyant jazz offering "Tears Dry On Their Own," a bewitching cover of the '60s Motown standard "I Heard It Through The Grapevine," "Don't Go To Strangers" (a duet with Paul Weller), the rhythm and blues foray "October Song," reggae-tinged "Just Friends" and lavish "Love Is a Losing Hand" and "I Should Care." Sadly, Winehouse joined the so-called "27 Club" with her death of alcohol poisoning on July 23, 2011. "At The BBC" is an amazing salute to her remarkable talent. Information: AmyWinehouse.com.

Artists: Chris Stamey, Mitch Easter, Don Dixon, Peter Holsapple, more

Title: Yesterday's Tomorrow: Celebrating the Winston-Salem Sound (Omnivore Recordings)

You might like if you enjoy: Let's Active, early R.E.M., dB's

Tell me more: It's great when an album immediately reminds you how much fun rock and roll can be. A new titled Yesterday's Tomorrow: Celebrating the Winston-Salem Sound does just that. The album was recorded live at the Ramkat on May 12, 2018 and documents a one-time celebration of a relatively small city in North Carolina and its tremendous impact on indie rock. To be sure the performances by indie heroes Chris Stamey (the dB's), Mitch Easter (Let's Active), Don Dixon, Peter Holsapple (the dB's), Will Rigby (the dB's), Lynn Blakey and many others on the disc are inspired and will lead listeners to pursue more exploration of under-the-radar acts such as Sacred Irony, Rittenhouse Square, Little Diesel and Sneakers. But this album is no mere stepping stone; it bristles and shines with nearly two dozen stellar performances. The propulsive rocker "Hot Smoke & Sassafras" dazzles with its garage rock attack and Baroque instrumental guitar break; "Reptilian Disaster" is just as powerful with Easter unleashing a creative flurry of lead guitar work. Just listen to the fiery "Yesterday's Tomorrow" (amazing with its mix of incredible lead guitar, strong lead vocals from Doug Davis and rollicking attack from the rhythm section). Various styles are highlighted on the disc, albeit with a decidedly indie approach; hard rock ("Black Death"), jangly power pop ("S'il Vous Plait," "Condition Red," "Ruby"), indie alt-rock ("Every Word Means No," "Kissy Boys"), blues ("Think") and classic rock (takes on the Beatles' "Got to Get You Into My Life" and Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed," both featuring Dixon) are all magnificent. The package contains detailed liner notes by Stamey and a 24-page color history booklet with rare photos and details about the 2018 event and artists celebrated on the wonderful title. Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com. 

Robert Kinsler

Van Morrison shares new song; new album out May 7, 2021

Listen to the infectious, great new song from Van Morrison's forthcoming double album coming out this spring! 

Van Morrison shares new song from forthcoming album  'Latest Record Project: Volume 1' out May 7, 2021

Photo Credit: Bradley Quinn

Van Morrison has shared the lead single from his soon-to-be-released 42nd album, Latest Record Project: Volume 1. In keeping with the album's sonic thread, "Only A Song" channels Morrison’s love of blues, R&B, jazz, and soul into a sound that’s dynamic and utterly contemporary. It shows that he continues to be an artist of integrity and distinction. The rhythm section immediately hits an irresistible tight swinging groove that’s equal parts rhythm and blues and rock ‘n’ roll. Their sound-bed is embellished with an enlivening cocktail of organic live instrumentation, with call-and-response vocals and flourishes of saxophone. Both "Only A Song" and the recently released title track are provided as instant downloads to fans who pre-order the album. Latest Record Project: Volume 1 will be released May 7 via Exile/BMG on double-CD, deluxe-CD, triple-vinyl, and digital formats. LISTEN TO "ONLY A SONG" LISTEN TO "LATEST RECORD PROJECT" WATCH "LATEST RECORD PROJECT" PRE-ORDER LATEST RECORD PROJECT: VOLUME 1 Other highlights on Latest Record Project: Volume 1, range from the saxophone-led R&B gem "Jealousy"to the joyful, country-tinged "A Few Bars Early" via the spirited Them-style garage rock of the self-explanatory "Stop Bitching, Do Something."   While the album touches upon the romantic sentiment and late-night warmth that people love him for, the overriding theme is a straight-talking commentary on contemporary life. It’s a stance that informs "Dead Beat Saturday Night" as it addresses lockdown life in matter-of-fact style: “No life, no gigs, no choice, no voice.” It also surfaces in the barroom rock’n’roll of "Where Have All The Rebels Gone," which bemoans the lack of real independent thought, so often replaced in the modern age by mere posturing. And as for Morrison’s views on social media? They are summed up on "Why Are You On Facebook?"   Two songs, "Love Should Come With A Warning" and "Mistaken Identity," feature lyrics that were written with the great Don Black. Morrison met Black after hearing something in his 1969 pop ballad "On Days Like These", as sung by Matt Monro for the soundtrack to The Italian Job, which reminded him of his own style. It led to Black writing "Mistaken Identity," which, paradoxically, is the most autobiographical song on the album.   What Latest Record Project: Volume 1 most clearly demonstrates is this: if you want to really appreciate Van Morrison’s art, listen to what he’s doing now, because he never stops. Visit www.vanmorrison.com for the latest updates and ticket details for live performances.

Van Morrison announces new album out May 7, shares first song

Van the Man has just announced an ambitious album coming May 7. Here is the official media release...Robert Kinsler

Van Morrison announces new double-album, 'Latest Record Project: Volume 1,' coming May 7, 2021  THE TITLE TRACK PREMIERES TODAY

Photo Credit: Bradley Quinn

Van Morrison will release Latest Record Project: Volume 1 on May 7 via Exile/BMG. His 42nd record and most dynamic and contemporary album in years, Latest Record Project: Volume 1 is a 28-track delve into his ongoing love of blues, R&B, jazz and soul. However much you may love his classic albums, this new project proves that he’s living in the present, and remains an artist of integrity and distinction.   “I’m getting away from the perceived same songs, same albums all the time,” says Morrison. “This guy’s done 500 songs, maybe more, so hello? Why do you keep promoting the same 10? I’m trying to get out of the box.”   Latest Record Project: Volume 1 is the result of our enforced period of isolation. Unable to tour, Morrison remained busy with constant songwriting, starting ideas on piano, guitar or saxophone. What emerged is a wealth of new material, which shimmers with a directness and vibrancy that comes from working with a rhythm section with whom he shares an immediate, spontaneous connection.   Morrison today launches the project by releasing the title track audio and lyric video. The king of Celtic soul’s one in a million, straight-to-the-heart baritone sits in the pocket of a warm organ hum, accompanied by sha-la-la doo wop backing vocal harmonies. Other highlights emerge at every juncture, from the saxophone-led R&B gem "Jealousy" to the joyful, country-tinged "A Few Bars Early" via the spirited Them-style garage rock of the self-explanatory "Stop Bitching, Do Something." Latest Record Project: Volume 1 will be released on double-CD, deluxe-CD, triple-vinyl and digital formats. Pre-orders are available now, with the song "Latest Record Project" provided to fans as an instant download. LISTEN TO "LATEST RECORD PROJECT" WATCH "LATEST RECORD PROJECT" PRE-ORDER LATEST RECORD PROJECT: VOLUME 1   While the album touches upon the romantic sentiment and late-night warmth that people love him for, the overriding theme is a straight-talking commentary on contemporary life. It’s a stance that informs "Dead Beat Saturday Night" as it addresses lockdown life in matter-of-fact style: “No life, no gigs, no choice, no voice.” It also surfaces in the barroom rock’n’roll of "Where Have All The Rebels Gone," which bemoans the lack of real independent thought, so often replaced in the modern age by mere posturing. And as for Morrison’s views on social media? They are summed up on "Why Are You On Facebook?."   Two songs, "Love Should Come With A Warning" and "Mistaken Identity," feature lyrics that were written with the great Don Black. Morrison approached Black after hearing something in his 1969 pop ballad "On Days Like These," as sung by Matt Monro for the soundtrack to The Italian Job, which reminded him of his own style. It led to Black writing "Mistaken Identity," which, paradoxically, is the most autobiographical song on the album.   What Latest Record Project: Volume 1 most clearly demonstrates is this: if you want to really appreciate Van Morrison’s art, listen to what he’s doing now, because he never stops.   Visit www.vanmorrison.com for the latest updates and ticket details for live performances.

Sights and Sounds: Royal Blood, Don McLean, Van Morrison, 'McCartney III' preview

 Music news aplenty going into the weekend including updates on Royal Blood (whose set blew away at Coachella back in 2015), Don McLean, and Paul McCartney's forthcoming album...Robert Kinsler

Royal Blood share new video for hit single "Trouble's Coming”

WATCH HERE

Royal Blood is Mike Kerr (vocals, keys, bass, piano)
and Ben Thatcher (drums).

October 23, 2020 (Los Angeles, CA) - Royal Blood are back. The taut rhythms and electrifying riffs that burst from their current hit single “Trouble’s Coming” herald a bold evolution in their sound as they stride confidently towards next year’s release of their highly anticipated third album. Click here to view and share the video. Click here to stream the track.

Just weeks after its release, it’s already approaching 6 million streams. The duo landed on the cover of ROCK THIS, Spotify’s flagship global rock playlist, while breaking the Top 20 at the Alternative and Active Rock formats in the US. Add support from alternative radio everywhere, plus global media attention spanning Rolling Stone, NME, Spin, Clash and much more. Royal Blood are set to make the biggest impact of an all-conquering career.

Today, Royal Blood share the official video for “Trouble’s Coming.” Their granite-heavy bass and drums attack is now flavored by insistent grooves inspired by Daft Punk, Justice and Phillipe Zdar. The video was directed by Dir. LX, best known for his work on U.K. rap and grime icons such as Dave, Bugzy Malone and Kojo Funds, and takes his cues from Mike Kerr’s ominous lyrics to create a video that pulsates with foreboding atmospherics and cinematic, neo-noir flair.

“Trouble’s Coming” proved to be the turning point in the creative process. It concisely tees up what to expect from the record: a very organic infusion of their visceral hard rock sting with a dance-tinged rhythm that grooves rather than pummels.

In the space of just two albums, Royal Blood have ascended to become one of the world’s biggest and most vital rock bands. The Brighton, England duo have scored two U.K. #1 albums - their self-titled double-Platinum, self-titled debut from 2014 and 2017’s How Did We Get So Dark? – in the process of selling 2 million albums worldwide. Their acclaim has included the BRIT Award for Best British Groupplus further accolades at the NME and Kerrang! Awards as well as a Mercury Prize nomination. What’s more, they’ve made a major international impact, hitting the Top 10 in a further seven territories and peaking at #2 on the U.S. Alternative Album chart. Further U.S. success has included three #1 hits at Rock Radio, plus four Top 20 records at Alternative Radio.

A huge draw in the live arena, Royal Blood’s most recent full-scale U.K. and Ireland headline tour saw them perform in front of 100,000 people, including 30,000 over three sold-out nights at London’s cavernous Alexandra Palace. Key festivals have included Coachella, Lollapalooza, Glastonbury (where they famously discovered, mid-set, that their second album had debuted at #1), Reading and Leeds Festivals. Highlights of their extensive international touring include huge North American tours with Queens of the Stone Age and Foo Fighters, plus headline shows as far afield as Los Angeles, Tokyo and Sydney.

Don McLean releases new album 'Still Playin' Favorites'

A follow-up to his 1973 covers album 'Playin' Favorites', this new collection digs deep into the roots of American music and adds a rock and roll edge to country, folk, gospel, bluegrass, blues, jazz, and soul gems

FAIRFAX, Va. - Don McLean pays homage to American music with his new covers album, Still Playin’ Favorites, released today through Time Life. Spanning more than 100 years of songwriting, McLean assembled a treasury of music from country, folk, gospel, bluegrass, blues, jazz and soul for the album, performing them with a rock and roll twist. Don discusses several of the tracks in a new video series on his YouTube channel, including “Backwater Blues,” originally recorded by Bessie Smith in 1927. “I just love writing songs and I love hearing songs by good writers that make sense and have lyrics that say something and that are pretty simple,” Don explains about the concept behind the album. “My version is just a little bit more rock and roll, a little harder-edged, with drums and double guitars,” he goes on to say about the classic blues and jazz song, “Backwater Blues.” When it came to recording “Got The Bull By The Horns,” originally performed by Johnny Horton, “I changed a few of the words, I hope he won’t mind,” McLean admits good-naturedly. The collection also features songs made famous by Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Clyde Moody, Mel Tillis, Ray Charles, Mahalia Jackson, Elvis Presley, and more. Still Playin’ Favorites is modeled after his first album of cover songs, Playin’ Favorites, a remarkable artistic statement for a young songwriter to release on the heels of his masterworks “American Pie” and “Vincent.” The new album extends his original tribute to the great songwriters who have helped shape American music and, in turn, McLean’s work. To keep up with Don McLean and be a part of his upcoming announcements, visit his website and follow his social channels linked below. Still Playin' Favorites track listing: 01. So Doggone Lonesome (Johnny Cash) 02. Greenback Dollar (Hoyt Axton, Ken Ramsey) 03. Hide Nor Hair (Morton Craft, Percy Mayfield) 04. I Ain’t Never (Webb Pierce, Mel Tillis) 05. Little Sister (Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman) 06. I’m Going To Live The Life I Sing About in My Song (Thomas A. Dorsey) 07. Six White Horses (Clyde Moody) 08. Treat Me Nice (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) 09. Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I’ll Go Mine) (Bob Dylan) 10. Backwater Blues (Bessie Smith) 11. The Keys to the Kingdom (Jenny Lou Carson) 12. Got The Bull By The Horns (Amos E. Byrd, Billy Jones) 13. Tell Old Bill (Traditional, Arranged by Don McLean) 14. She Used To Love Me A Lot (Charles W. Quillen, Dennis Morgan, Kye Fleming)   YouTube | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Website About Don McLean: Don McLean is a Grammy award honoree, a Songwriter Hall of Fame member, a BBC Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, and his smash hit “American Pie” resides in the Library of Congress National Recording Registry and was named by the Recording Industry of America (RIAA) a top 5 song of the 20th Century. A New York native, Don McLean is one of the most revered and respected songwriters in American history. After paying his dues in the New York club scene in the late ‘60s, he went on to score mega-hits like “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night),” “Castles in the Air” and many more. His catalog of songs has been recorded by Madonna, Garth Brooks, Josh Groban, Drake, Weird “Al” Yankovic, and countless others. In 2015, one of McLean’s four handwritten manuscripts of the lyrics to “American Pie” was auctioned by Christies, selling for just over $1.2 Million. 2019 honored Don with a star on the Las Vegas Walkway of Stars and his song “And I Love You So” was the theme for Prince Harry and Megan Markle’s wedding. Now in 2020, Don signed a recording contract with Time Life to release his catalog of recordings as well as the highly anticipated new album Still Playin’ Favorites, releasing October 23rd. “American Pie” will be featured in the Avengers Black Widow and the Tom Hanks movie BIOS and much more to be announced. And when you think things are slowing down, not so for Don McLean! 2021 will mark the 50th anniversary of American Pie with a world tour to follow. Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Van Morrison shares 'No More Lockdown,' anti-lockdown original protest song

Rock Cellar magazine has a timely update and link to hear the newly-released blues-flavored track "No More Lockdown" from legendary great Van Morrison you can see HERE. The lyrics for the hard-hitting song taking a swipe at government overreach are also included on the post.

'McCartney III' update via Music Worth Buying co-host TJR

TJR has a new video preview on Paul McCartney's forthcoming album McCartney III that you can see via his YouTube channel HERE.