Play ball! Catching up with winning collections

In recent months, I've received a number of strong collections that celebrate the diversity of modern music, a specific genre or even a particular subject on a single disc. I want to highlight some of my favorite new collections with this post.

Artist: The Baseball Project
Title: Volume 2: High and Inside
Tell Me More: Rock 'n' roll and baseball might seem like strange bedfellows, but don't tell that to the four members of The Baseball Project. The band's 2008’s Vol. 1: Frozen Ropes & Dying Quails debut was such an out-of-the-park success, the sonic team is back with more real life-minded tales involving Mark "The Bird" Fidrych (the pop rocker "1976"), slugger Reggie Jackson (the melodic sing-a-long "The Straw That Stirs the Drink") and other greats.
Those under the illusion that a baseball-centered disc might not mine the deepest of emotions should step into the batter's box to hear the Steve Wynn-penned "Twilight Of My Career," a powerful song that explores mortality with the power of a Roger Clemens fastball.
The starting line-up of The Baseball Project features the aforementioned Wynn (The Miracle 3, The Dream Syndicate), Scott McCaughey (The Minus 5, Young Fresh Fellows, R.E.M.), Linda Pitmon (The Miracle 3, Golden Smog) and Peter Buck (R.E.M.); coming off the bench to pinch hit are guest players Craig Finn (The Hold Steady), Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie), Steve Berlin (Los Lobos), Chris Funk and John Moen (The Decemberists) and Ira Kaplan (Yo La Tengo).
After discovering this wonderful collection honoring the world's greatest game, I hope the members of the Baseball Project team take the field for a third season soon.
For more information on the release, visit www.Redeyeusa.com.


Artist: The Thrill Building
Title: The Greatest Game in the World
Tell Me More: Just as there is more than enough room for several great teams in the Major Leagues (heck, even multiple squads in New York and Chicago), The Baseball Project isn't alone on the musical field of play. The Thrill Building is set to issue The Greatest Game in the World, an aptly-titled 22-track tribute to, well, the greatest game in the world. The album is set to be released on March 29, 2011, just in time for the 2011 Major League season!
From the power pop title track and celebratory "Baseball's Coming Back" to the more hard-rocking "The Longest Lineup" and soulful "Uniform," Nashville-based producer-singer and multi-instrumentalist Fran Kowalski has assembled his own team to craft songs around the countless legendary elements that make baseball so special to its followers.
Whether singing songs about the stadium vendor or the exec in the front office or a favorite public address announcer, The Greatest Game in the World really will help the listener connect their own memories of days spent at the ballpark with the melodic gems on this collection.
For more information, visit www.greatestgamemusic.com.


Artist: Keane, Jónsi, Mumford & Sons, Rosanne Cash & more
Title: FUV Live 13
Tell Me More: Released as part of public radio station WFUV (90.7 FM, wfuv.org) membership drive in September 2010, FUV Live 13 is a compilation that may be difficult to track down but is worth the energy adding to your music collection.
While the wide range of artists who stopped by Studio A of WFUV is almost enough by itself to get you to get the collection, it are the recordings that are the real prize. A raw acoustic version of Brandi Carlile belting out "Dreams," Josh Ritter's poignant "Change of Time," Keane's acoustic version of its U2-flavored "Is It Any Wonder?" and Jónsi's joyous "Boy Lilikoi" all reveal emotional and sonic shades via these intimate performances that contrast with the original studio recordings by the respective artists.
Other highlights include Ozomatli's "45," Rosanne Cash's "Long Black Veil" and Mumford & Sons' "White Blank Page."

Artist: The Grascals & Friends
Title: Country Classics With A Bluegrass Spin
Tell Me More: Because the majority of bluegrass fans have long since picked up The Grascals & Friends' Country Classics With A Bluegrass Spin since its release in January 2011, this review is to get the word out that lovers of traditional country music and Americana will also find plenty to enjoy across the 13-track disc.
Indeed, the Grascals (the reigning 2010 Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America Bluegrass Band of the year) joined forces with eight of their celebrated friends to blend their sound with the likes of Dolly Parton (notably on the inspired "I Am Strong"), Charlie Daniels (on a fiery "The Devil Went Down To Georgia")and the Oak Ridge Boys (on the wonderfully-arranged "Leavin' Louisiana In Broad Daylight"). Other guests include Dierks Bentley, Brad Paisley and Darryl Worley.
Although the CD was issued as part of the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store's exclusive music program, there are copies available on the Amazon.com.
Tracks on The Grascals & Friends - Country Classics With A Bluegrass Spin:
1. Tiger By The Tail (with Brad Paisley)
2. Folsom Prison Blues (with Dierks Bentley)
3. Pain of Lovin’ You (with Dolly Parton)
4. I Am Strong (with Dolly Parton)
5. Louisiana Saturday Night
6. The Year That Clayton Delaney Died (with Tom T. Hall)
7. White Lightning (with Darryl Worley)
8. The Devil Went Down To Georgia (with Charlie Daniels)
9. Leavin’ Louisiana In Broad Daylight (with The Oak Ridge Boys)
10. Mr. Bojangles (with Joe Nichols)
11. Born To Boogie / All My Rowdy Friends Are Comin’ Over Tonight (Hank Williams Jr. Medley)
12. Cracker Barrel Swing (Instrumental)
13. I Am Strong (Bonus Track) Featuring guest appearances by Dolly Parton, The Oak Ridge Boys, Darryl Worley, Charlie Daniels, Terri Clark, Randy Owen, Steven Seagal, Tom T. Hall, Joe Nichols and Ansley McLaurin

Future releases: Journey, Jeff Healey Band, Owl City, Michael Grimm

In recent weeks, there have been a number of welcome announcements about artists who rose to fame in the 1970s and '80s set to release new albums in 2011. Previously-announced discs from the Steve Miller Band, the Smithereens and the Cars immediately come to mind.

Now comes word, as evidenced by my flooded inbox, that Journey and a number of other emerging artists are getting into the act. In addition, an exciting release from the Jeff Healey Band is finally set to arrive in the U.S. Read on music friends...

JOURNEY'S 'ECLIPSE' SET FOR RELEASE MAY 24 IN THE U.S. AND CANADA
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JOURNEY AND SPECIAL GUEST FOREIGNER LAUNCH
THE "ECLIPSE TOUR" JULY 21 IN SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
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Tickets on sale beginning March 11

JOURNEY, one of the most popular American rock bands of all time, is gearing up to unleash their latest album of brand new material, Eclipse. The album will be released in the U.S. and Canada on May 24, 2011 exclusively at Walmart and beginning June 3 in Europe on Frontiers Records. To follow the release of Eclipse, Journey will launch the "Eclipse Tour" with Foreigner, and special guest Night Ranger, beginning July 21 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Salt Lake City, UT. Fans can expect to hear new songs from Eclipse as well as classics such as Don't Stop Believin', Any Way You Want It, Faithfully, Lights, Separate Ways, Wheel In The Sky, and many more. The "Eclipse Tour" dates are listed below.

"I'm in love with this record, which I haven't said about one of our albums for a long time," says founding member and lead guitarist, Neal Schon. "It's a rock record and it sounds amazing." Commenting on the upcoming tour, Schon continued, "We've got a lot of hits to play and there's plenty of time to do some new stuff too, so we're gonna mix it up. We haven't toured with Foreigner for over 10 years, so we're really looking forward to this run."

Tickets for "The Eclipse Tour" go on sale beginning Friday March 11, at all the usual online, phone and physical retail outlets, including select Walmart Ticketmaster locations across the country. Check www.journeymusic.com for complete ticket onsale information.

Journey has once again teamed up with iloveallaccess.com to offer their fans a variety of VIP ticket packages. For more details go to www.journeymusic.com.

In an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, keyboardist Jonathan Cain recently described Eclipse as "a concept record with some spiritual themes to it...pretty tough, hard-hitting stuff." Jonathan continued, "We just felt like it was time to send a message to the world about how we feel about life in general."

Journey toured the world for two years in support of their 2008 release, Revelation. More than a million fans attended the shows, and welcomed new lead singer Arnel Pineda. Completing the Journey lineup is Schon (guitars, backing vocals), Cain (keyboards, backing vocals), Ross Valory (bass, backing vocals) and Deen Castronovo (drums, percussion, backing vocals). Revelation marked the band's biggest first week's sales in more than a decade, debuting at #5 on the Billboard 200 in June 2008 and taking the top spot on the Independent Albums chart. Revelation earned the band their 11th Platinum album certification to date, leading The New York Times to declare that "the band...feels alive."

Since its formation in 1973, Journey has earned 19 Top 40 singles and 25 gold and platinum albums. The band's Greatest Hits album is certified 15 times platinum, bringing Journey into the elite club of Diamond-certified album holders. The group also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2005.

For more information, visit www.journeymusic.com.

Initial Eclipse Tour dates:

Thurs. Jul 21 Salt Lake City, UT Rio Tinto Stadium
Sat. Jul 23 Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Sun. Jul 24 Phoenix, AZ Desert Sky Pavilion
Wed. Jul 27 Maryland Heights, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Sat. Jul 30 Tinley Park, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
Sun. Jul. 31 Clarkston, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre
Tues. Aug 02 Cuyahoga Falls, OH Blossom Music Center
Wed. Aug 03 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
Fri. Aug 05 Columbus, OH Crew Stadium, Ohio State Fair
Sat. Aug 06 Noblesville, IN Verizon Wireless Music Center
Wed. Aug 10 Darien Center, NY Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
Sat. Aug 13 Camden, NJ Susquehanna Bank Center
Tues. Aug 16 Hartford, CT Comcast Theatre
Wed. Aug 17 Wantagh, NY Nikon at Jones Beach Theater
Fri. Aug 19 Virginia Beach, VA Virginia Beach Amphitheater
Sat. Aug 20 Raleigh, NC Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek
Sun. Aug 21 Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Charlotte
Wed. Aug 24 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
Sat. Aug 27 Burgettstown, PA First Niagara Pavilion
Tues. Aug 30 Syracuse, NY New York State Fair
Wed. Aug 31 Allentown, PA The Great Allentown Fair
Fri. Sept 02 Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Sat. Sept 10 New Orleans, LA New Orleans Arena
Fri. Sept 16 Atlanta, GA Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood
Sat. Sept 17 Tampa, FL 1-800 Ask-Gary Amphitheatre
Sun. Sept 18 West Palm Beach, FL Cruzan Amphitheatre
Sat. Sept 24 Dallas, TX Gexa Energy Pavilion
Sun. Sept 25 The Woodlands, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Wed. Sept 28 Kansas City, MO Starlight Theatre
Sat. Oct 01 Englewood, CO Comfort Dental Amphitheatre
Fri. Oct 07 Chula Vista, CA Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
Fri. Oct 14 Wheatland, CA Sleep Train Amphitheatre
Sat. Oct 15 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
Wed. Oct 19 Portland, OR Rose Garden Arena
Fri. Oct 21 Seattle, WA KeyArena


Eagle Rock to Issue Stateside Release of THE JEFF HEALEY BAND's 'GET ME SOME' on Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Originally released internationally in 2000, Get Me Some, the fifth studio album from the phenomenal Jeff Healey Band is finally making its way stateside, courtesy of Eagle Rock Entertainment. This CD hits shelves March 29, 2011. [MSRP $13.98]

A master guitarist and vocalist, Canadian-born singer-songwriter Jeff Healey formed his band in 1985, with drummer Tom Stephen and bassist Joe Rockman. Known for playing the guitar flat on his lap, Healey perfected a unique, vibrato-infused resonance that solidified the band’s signature sound. The trio’s blend of jazz, rock, and blues scored them platinum sales, and hit singles like “Angel Eyes.”

Get Me Some continues to thrive in this versatile style, packed with 13 tracks of electrified boogie and blues-rock. The dynamic quality of these musicians is evident on tracks like “Which One,” “My Life Story,” and “Rachel’s Song.” Topped with supreme fret work, stylistic solos, and memorable hooks, Get Me Some proves it was definitely worth the 10-year wait for American fans.

A multi-faceted musician, who also pursued old-time jazz and played clarinet and trumpet, Healey passed away in 2008, at the age of 41.

Track Listing:
1.) Which One
2.) Hey Hey
3.) Love Is The Answer
4.) My Life Story
5.) I Tried
6.) The Damage Is Done
7.) Feel Better
8.) Holding On
9.) I Should Have Told You
10.) Macon Georgia Blue
11.) House Is Burning Down
12.) Runaway Heart
13.) Rachel’s Song



Owl City Emerges from the Cold Winter With new Full-Length Studio Album – All Things Bright And Beautiful – out May 17th on Universal Republic ;

Follow-Up to Platinum Debut 'Ocean Eyes'


Also Announces Headlining Tour of the World Kicking Off in North America on June 13, 2011 at the Historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville , TN

Owl City is back after a long cold winter with a new full-length studio album – All Things Bright And Beautiful – due out May 17th Worldwide on Universal Republic . Produced by Owl City’s Adam Young and recorded at Sky Harbor Studios in Owatonna, MN, All Things Bright And Beautiful features twelve new songs and was mixed by Young along with Grammy Award-winning engineer and producer Jack Joseph Puig whose credits include Beck, Mary J. Blige, Green Day and John Mayer to name a few.



All Things Bright And Beautiful is the follow-up full-length studio album to Owl City ’s platinum-selling debut Ocean Eyes. Released in July 2009, Ocean Eyes was certified platinum in just eight short months and earned Owl City a slew of critical acclaim (New York Times, Rolling Stone, People, Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, etc.). Ocean Eyes’ sales were led by the runaway single “Fireflies” which is currently quadruple platinum in the US . “Fireflies” hit #1 on the Hot 100 twice and found its’ way to the #1 spot in 24 countries around the world – making this a huge International hit song and leading to several sold out worldwide tours – keeping Owl City on the road for over a year and a half.



In support of the new album – All Things Bright And Beautiful – Owl City will be kicking off a headlining tour of the World in North America on June 13th at the historic Ryman Auditorium – confirmed dates below. For the most up-to-date information, please visit www.owlcitymusic.com.



June 13 Ryman Auditorium Nashville , TN

14 Tabernacle Atlanta , GA

16 House of Blues Orlando , FL

17 Fillmore Charlotte , NC

18 Pier Six Baltimore , MD

20 Olympia Montreal , QC

21 Kool Haus Toronto , QC

23 Roseland Ballroom New York , NY

25 The Mann Philadelphia , PA

26 House of Blues Boston , MA

28 Egyptian Room Indianapolis , IN

29 Fillmore Detroit , MI

30 Summerfest Milwaukee , WI

July 1 LC Pavilion Columbus , OH

11 Uptown Theatre Kansas City, MO

12 Fillmore Denver, CO

13 MacKay Event Center Salt Lake City , UT

15 Paramount Theatre Seattle , WA

16 The Center Vancouver , BC

17 Roseland Ballroom Portland , OR

19 Warfield Theatre San Francisco , CA

21 Club Nokia Los Angeles , CA

23 Fox Theatre Pomona , CA

25 Verizon Theatre Houston , TX

26 Verizon Theatre Dallas , TX

27 ACL Live Austin , TX

29 Aragon Ballroom Chicago, IL

30 Roy Wilkins Auditorium Minneapolis , MN


MICHAEL GRIMM, WINNER OF NBC’S AMERICA’S GOT TALENT, TO RELEASE SELF-TITLED ALBUM ON EPIC RECORDS MAY 17th


New Album Features Legendary Talent


Prize Money Used to Build Home Destroyed in Hurricane Katrina for Grandparents

New York, NY – March 10, 2011 – The attributes that led Michael Grimm to win season five of NBC’s America’s Got Talent (AGT), including his sincere humility and undeniable talent has earned him a devoted fanbase of millions eagerly anticipating the release of his first major label debut with Epic Records due out on May 17th. The southern crooner goes back to his roots for his self-titled album, working with Grammy-award winning producer Don Was, (The Rolling Stones, Elton John and Bonnie Raitt among others) staying true to his Americana meets blue-eyed soul sound, creating carefully crafted rock songs with a mature soulful delivery.



“I became aware of Michael Grimm several years ago and jumped at the chance to work with him after he won AGT,” says producer Don Was. “Michael is one of the greatest vocalists I have ever had the privilege to record. He is a world class singer with a level of professionalism that is extremely rare.”



There is no denying the talent of Michael Grimm since winning AGT with a record number of votes, this album will feature both original music written by Grimm as well as some classic covers and sounds that earned him the title of fan favorite on AGT. Lending their legendary talents to Grimm’s record include Ann Wilson (Heart), Ian McLagan (Faces and work with Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, John Mayer), Davey Faragher (Elvis Costello, Cracker) and Greg Leisz (Avenged Sevenfold, The Eagles). Also, having played on over 30 Grammy-nominated albums, Kenny Aronoff provides drums on the album and the famous Waddy Wachtel, best know for his work with Keith Richards, Stevie Nicks and James Taylor, on guitar.


“It’s me,” describes Michael Grimm of his self-titled album. “I am extremely proud of this album, it really showcases my love for different genres of music from country to soul R&B to rock, the classic Americana that I grew up with.”



Self described as “just a boy from Mississippi ,” Grimm has close ties to his southern roots. His decision to audition for America ’s Got Talent came from having grandparents who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina, Grimm has said he is committed to using a portion of his prize money to give them a new home which was lost in the storm. Grimm was raised by his grandparents who encouraged his musical talents from an early age. By the time Grimm was 12 years old, he was performing locally with his grandmother applauding him at every show. At 15 Grimm was writing and playing his own music when he began to blend the two genres of country and soul. In years since, he has moved to Las Vegas , where he has maintained a busy performance schedule, perfecting his soulful sound and remains committed to creating real music.


Judge Piers Morgan insisted Grimm's victory was well deserved: "Michael's genuine, he's sincere, he's very talented…He'll have a huge career. I think he's like a young Van Morrison."

http://www.michaelgrimmmusic.com/

The High Kings on Regis & Kelly for St. Patrick's Day

Fans of modern-day Irish music are likely already familiar with The High Kings. The Irish folk ensemble, which features Finbarr Clancy, Brian Dunphy, Martin Furey and Darren Holden, offers up stunning folk-flavored Celtic classics that showcase their wonderful voices and winning skills as virtuoso multi-instrumentalists. I've had a chance to listen to a stream of the band's just-released 'Memory Lane' and it's fantastic. From the beautiful and haunting "The Fields of Athenry" to the galloping sing-a-long "On the One Road" and deservedly-popular "Whiskey in a Jar," no need to wait until St. Patrick's Day to play this fine collection.


THE HIGH KINGS TO CELEBRATE ST. PATRICK’S DAY WITH A PERFORMANCE ON 'LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY'

US TOUR CONTINUES AMIDST APPEARANCES ON MULTIPLE NPR SHOWS

New Album 'Memory Lane' arrived in stores on Tuesday, March 8


New York, NY (March 8, 2011) --- Young, vibrant Irish band The High Kings, voted Ireland's Best Folk Band, are back in the US on a rousing 'folk n roll' tour in support of their new album Memory Lane (available March 8). The Irish balladeers will celebrate St. Patrick's Day on Live with Regis and Kelly with a performance of the classic "Finnegan's Wake” - an exclusive Amazon Mp3 album bonus track.

While on tour, The High Kings are being profiled on a number of NPR programs including national radio show “Here & Now,” “Performance Place” and “Around Cincinnati,” among others. They will also perform live on the FoxNews.com’s Strategy Room, tape an interview with PBS television show “On Canvas,” and stop by the XM Sirius studios in NYC for interviews with several programs.


The High Kings have been delighting audiences around the world since their award-winning 2008 self-titled debut, which reached #2 on Billboard magazine’s world music chart. Embraced by the likes of NPR and PBS here in the states, the band’s incredible live performances feature as many as 13 instruments alongside flawless harmonies.

RONNIE JAMES DIO STAND UP & SHOUT CANCER FUND TEAMS WITH ASIAN ELEPHANT ART PROJECT TO RAISE FUNDS AND AWARENESS

Jaab paints an ESP guitar at the Elephant Art & Conservation Project in Chiang Mai, Thailand (Photo by Mark Weiss)


The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up & Shout Cancer Fund has teamed with The Asian Elephant Art & Conservation Project (AEACP) to create one-of-a-kind guitars painted by the project's elephants in Thailand to raise money and awareness for both organizations. Wendy Dio, president and founder of Stand Up & Shout, board chair Gloria Butler and medical director Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, along with legendary Black Sabbath/Heaven and Hell bassist Geezer Butler and world-renowned photographer Mark Weiss, are currently in Chiang Mai, Thailand, home to the AEACP, where the guitars are being painted.

The talented elephants of the Asian Elephant Art & Conservation Project, whose paintings are now exhibited and sold in museums and galleries around the world and have been featured in National Geographic, are painting guitars graciously donated by The ESP Guitar Company. These painted guitars will be auctioned off with half of the proceeds going to AEACP and the other half going to SUAS.

The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund is a privately funded nonprofit organization dedicated to cancer prevention, research and education. It was founded in memory of the late singer who died in 2010. The organization is collecting additional guitars donated by celebrated musicians for a larger fund-raising auction later this year.

The AEACP is dedicated to saving the diminishing number of Asian Elephants and to raise public awareness of the plight of Asian Elephants. National Thai Elephant Day annually celebrates the importance of elephants a part of Thai culture and as part of their environment. Currently, there are between 3,000 and 4,000 elephants living in Thailand, half of which are domesticated.

For additional information on the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund, please visit: http://www.ronniejamesdio.com/

For more information on the Elephant Art & Conservation Project, please visit: www.elephantart.com

Third wave of Jimi Hendrix-centric recordings coming on April 12

EXPERIENCE HENDRIX LLC & LEGACY RECORDINGS LAUNCHING THIRD WAVE OF RELEASES IN MONUMENTAL JIMI HENDRIX CATALOG PROJECT WITH NEW CD EDITION OF POWER OF SOUL: A TRIBUTE TO JIMI HENDRIX, DEFINITIVE VERSIONS OF SOUTH SATURN DELTA AND GRAMMY WINNING JIMI HENDRIX: BAND OF GYPSYS (LIVE AT FILLMORE EAST), LIMITED EDITION "FIRE"/"TOUCH YOU" SINGLE & MORE

Available Everywhere Tuesday, April 12

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Experience Hendrix LLC and Legacy Recordings proudly announce the third wave of releases in the monumental Jimi Hendrix Catalog Project, available everywhere Tuesday, April 12, 2011.
The next round of titles from the artist Rolling Stone magazine called "the greatest guitarist of all time" will include the first Legacy edition of Power Of Soul: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix, an all-star celebration bringing together 16 high octane performances of best-loved tracks from the Hendrix songbook performed by a who's who of classic and contemporary musicians.

The third wave of Legacy Hendrix reissues offers the definitive edition of the career-spanning posthumous album South Saturn Delta; a deluxe DVD edition of Jimi Hendrix: Band of Gypsys (Live at Fillmore East), winner of the 1999 Best Long Form Music Video Grammy; and "Fire" coupled with "Touch You" a limited edition single available on 7" vinyl and CD (with a third unreleased track), struck in celebration of nationwide Record Store Day on Saturday, April 16.

"Fire" c/w "Touch You" (7" vinyl single and CD single)
The limited edition Jimi Hendrix Experience 7" vinyl single includes an unreleased alternate recording of "Fire" (taken from the West Coast Seattle Boy box set) coupled with "Touch You," a previously unreleased track recorded at London's Olympic Studios on December 20, 1967. The CD version of the single includes a third rare track, "Cat Talking To Me," recorded in June 1967.

Power Of Soul: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix (CD)
The first Hendrix tribute album to be curated under the auspices of Experience Hendrix LLC, Power Of Soul includes interpretations of the master by Musiq Soulchild ("Are You Experienced?"), Santana ("Spanish Castle Magic"), Prince ("Purple House"), Sting ("The Wind Cries Mary"), Earth, Wind & Fire ("Voodoo Child (Slight Return)"), Bootsy Collins ("Power Of Soul"), Eric Clapton ("Burning of the Midnight Lamp"), Lenny Kravitz ("Have You Ever Been To (Electric Ladyland)"), Devoted Spirits ("Who Knows"), Robert Randolph ("Purple Haze"), Chaka Khan & Kenny Olson ("Little Wing"), Sounds of Blackness ("Castles Made of Sand"), Eric Gales ("May This Be Love"), Cee Lo Green ("Foxey Lady"), John Lee Hooker ("Red House") and Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble ("Little Wing/3rd Stone From The Sun" (live)).
A special CD single comprised of three tracks -- "Foxey Lady" (Cee Lo Green) and "Spanish Castle Magic" (Carlos Santana) from the Legacy Recordings release Power of Soul: A Tribute To Jimi Hendrix, coupled with a previously unreleased version of “Purple Haze” by Robert Randolph & The Slide Brothers recorded live at Atlanta’s Fox Theater during last year’s Experience Hendrix tour -- will also be available April 12 in conjunction with Record Store Day.

South Saturn Delta (CD and 12" vinyl)
Originally released in 1997, South Saturn Delta is a collection encompassing every incarnation of Jimi Hendrix's recording career -- including both versions of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, his expanded Woodstock ensemble Gypsy Sun & Rainbows, and the Band of Gypsys. The album brings together 15 distinct studio performances, 65 minutes of rare and previously unreleased music.
Alongside lost gems as "Tax Free," "Look Over Yonder," and "Pali Gap" stand previously unreleased recordings including "Here He Comes (Lover Man)," "Message To The Universe" and "Midnight Lightning." From demo recordings to finished masters, the guitarist’s wide embrace of blues, ballads, rock R&B and jazz is celebrated throughout the album which includes a 24 page full color booklet with rare photos, credits and comprehensive liner notes.
Providing new insights into Hendrix’s creative process and unique approach to recording, South Saturn Delta showcases the development of signature songs like "Little Wing," "All Along The Watchtower" and "Angel" while "Power of Soul" and the jazz-influenced title track, among others, represent the guitarist’s tantalizing first forays beyond the frontiers of jazz and funk.
South Saturn Delta will be available in a limited double 12" vinyl edition.
Jimi Hendrix: Band of Gypsys (Live At Fillmore East) (DVD)
Winner of the Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video (1999), the Jimi Hendrix: Band of Gypsys (Live At Fillmore East) DVD includes an 83 minute documentary tracing the revolutionary impact Hendrix's Band Of Gypsys had on rock, R&B and funk. The story of this groundbreaking music is told in interviews with Jimi and, for the first time, all four of his band mates: Mitch Mitchell, Noel Redding, Billy Cox and Buddy Miles. Also contributing are Lenny Kravitz, Vernon Reid and Slash.
Jimi Hendrix: Band Of Gypsys (Live At Fillmore East) features the only known footage of the group in concert, including Jimi's stunning and devastating performance of "Machine Gun". In addition to the documentary footage, the new Legacy edition premieres exclusive bonus material not found on previous versions including black & white video footage as well as stereo and 5.1 surround sound mixes of the group's historic Fillmore East performance on New Year's Day 1970. The bonus footage includes a killer "Foxey Lady" and rarely performed live versions of "Power Of Soul," "Stepping Stone" and "Who Knows."
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This year's edition of the Experience Hendrix concert tour, presented by Fender guitars, launches in May with an all-star lineup of musical greats paying homage to the abiding genius of Jimi Hendrix. This year's tour will include performances by Billy Cox, Steve Vai, Robert Randolph, Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, David Hidalgo & Cesar Rosas [Los Lobos], Keb' Mo, Eric Johnson, North Mississippi All Stars, Brad Whitford [Aerosmith], Living Colour, Ernie Isley, Chris Layton [SRV & Double Trouble], Indigenous and many additional special guests to be announced.
Initial 2011 Experience Hendrix tour dates include:
5/20 Las Vegas, NV Hilton Theater
5/22 Dana Point, CA Doheny Blues Festival
5/23 Mesa, AZ Mesa Arts Center
5/24 Tucson, Arizona Anselmo Valencia Amphitheatre
5/26 Santa Rosa, CA Wells Fargo Center for the Arts
5/27 Reno, NV Grand Sierra Resort
5/28 Santa Cruz, CA Santa Cruz Blues Festival
5/29 San Luis Obispo, CA Avila Beach Blues Festival

Massively popular with fans and critics alike, the 2010 Experience Hendrix tour inspired Larry Rodgers of the Arizona Republic to rave, "It was encouraging to see fans of all ages, from teens to baby boomers who witnessed Hendrix's career launch firsthand, in the Mesa crowd. The show and that crowd made it clear that Hendrix's magical music will never die."
Dan Durchholz, covering the tour for the St. Louis Post Dispatch marveled at how "...the Experience Hendrix tour showed just how pervasive (Hendrix's) influence continues to be. The three-hour show featured an all-star lineup from a variety of musical traditions, united by a collective debt to the iconic artist's songs, showmanship and trailblazing technique. Despite its creator's demise decades ago, Hendrix's music is still alive and well.”
Experience Hendrix bassist Billy Cox -- who first befriended Hendrix in the 101st Airborne Division of U.S. Army, played in both the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Band of Gypsys and performed with Hendrix at such landmark festivals as Woodstock and the Isle of Wight -- is delighted to play a part in the current tour saying, "It's a thrill for me to play Jimi's music for audiences now as it was in the 1960s."
For more information, visit www.jimihendrix.com
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PBS will air a broadcast version of the concert film, "Jimi Hendrix Live at Woodstock," during March Pledge Week. Originally released on VHS in 1994, "Jimi Hendrix Live at Woodstock" was reissued last year in a special two-disc DVD package featuring all of the existing film footage from Jimi's unforgettable August 1969 Woodstock concert newly re-edited and presented uninterrupted and in its original performance sequence. Please check your local listings for more information on the PBS Pledge Week schedule.
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Legacy's first round of Jimi Hendrix releases opened with the release of Valleys of Neptune, a long-awaited album of previously unavailable Jimi Hendrix studio recordings, which debuted on the Billboard 200 best-selling albums chart at #4 while four additional Hendrix catalog titles -- Are You Experienced (#44), Electric Ladyland (#60), First Rays of the New Rising Sun (#63), and Axis: Bold As Love (#67) -- rocketed back into the Billboard 200 four decades after their original release dates. A testimony to the enduring vitality and importance of the trailblazing artist-guitarist-performer, Jimi Hendrix had five albums in America's Top 100 in March 2010.

The second wave of 2010 Jimi Hendrix titles culminated in the long awaited release of West Coast Seattle Boy: The Jimi Hendrix Anthology, a definitive career-spanning four CD box set tracking Hendrix’s remarkable journey from R&B sideman to international stardom. The deluxe set is filled with previously unreleased Jimi Hendrix Experience recordings plus demos, alternate takes and more. The newly curated and assembled Jimi Hendrix anthology will include a new Hendrix documentary directed by the Grammy award winning Bob Smeaton (Beatles Anthology, Festival Express, Beatles: The Studio Recordings).
More than 1,000,000 Jimi Hendrix albums were sold in 2010 alone.

* * * * *
About Legacy Recordings
The multiple Grammy-winning Legacy Recordings, Sony Music Entertainment's catalog division, produces and maintains the world's foremost catalog of historic reissues, an unparalleled compendium of thousands of digitally re-mastered archival titles representing virtually every musical genre including popular, rock, jazz, blues, R&B, folk, country, gospel, Broadway musicals, movie soundtracks, ethnic, world music, classical, comedy and more.

About Experience Hendrix L.L.C.
Founded by James 'Al' Hendrix, Jimi's father, in 1995, Experience Hendrix, has been managed since its inception by the family members handpicked by Al during his tenure as Chairman. It is the official family company charged with managing the music, name, image and likeness of Jimi Hendrix. As a part of their daily operations, Experience Hendrix and Authentic Hendrix oversee Jimi's timeless legacy on a worldwide basis.

R.E.M. rolls out 'Collapse Into Now' album, film project

Photo courtesy of R.E.M.


Thanks to NPR's "First Listen" online feature, I spent much of the weekend listening to the forthcoming R.E.M. album "Collapse Into Now." My first impression is the album is another great one and worthy follow-up to 2008's "Accelerate." I already love several of the songs, and in particular, the emotive ballad "Überlin" with its haunting melody in the verses and deeply-affecting chorus. The acoustic guitar-anchored "Me, Marlon Brando, Marlon Brando and I" boasts a similarly-powerful impact with its Neil Young-styled dreamy Americana soundscape, while "All the Best" finds the band tearing it up with the fiery passion of the group's early '80s material. Below is a press release I received last week with all kinds of details about a film project related to the wonderful songs that fill "Collapse Into Now. Read on!


R.E.M. ROLL OUT COLLAPSE INTO NOW FILM PROJECT WITH MUSIC FILMS FOR EACH SONG ON UPCOMING NEW ALBUM

DIRECTORS INCLUDE JAMES FRANCO, SAM TAYLOR-WOOD, ALBERT MAYSLES AND
MICHAEL STIPE

R.E.M. is gearing up to roll out the Collapse Into Now Film Project, a selection of films accompanying each song on the band¹s upcoming album, directed by notable artists and filmmakers and personally curated by singer Michael Stipe. The list of directors includes Oscar-nominated actor James Franco, filmmaker, photographer, and conceptual artist Sam Taylor-Wood, and Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker Albert Maysles. See a full list of directors below.

The films will be unveiled for viewing at broadcast and web outlets over
the course of the next several weeks, so please stay tuned to remhq.com
for schedule and details.

In its four-star review, Rolling Stone calls Collapse Into Now ³a portrait
of full-grown artists who reached the top long ago but decided to stick
together and ride out the decades. You can hear a lot of shared history in
the music, but you can also hear conflict, confusion, doubt ‹ exactly the
kind of recipe that R.E.M. thrive on.² Spin finds the band ³refreshed and
refueled for a new alt-rock reckoning.²

Collapse Into Now will be released by Warner Bros. Records on March 8, 2011.
"It Happened Today" is currently available on iTunes as an Instant Download track for those who pre-order the Deluxe Version. Visit R.E.M.¹s YouTube channel for lyric videos for several tracks on Collapse Into Now at http://www.youtube.com/user/remhq.

R.E.M. Collapse Into Now Film Project
Directors

1) DISCOVERER
Directors: Michael Stipe and
Lynda Stipe

2) ALL THE BEST
Director: James Herbert

3) ÜBERLIN
Director: Sam Taylor-Wood

4) OH MY HEART
Director: Jem Cohen

5) IT HAPPENED TODAY
Director: Tom Gilroy

6) EVERY DAY IS YOURS TO
WIN
Directors: Jim McKay, Chris Moukarbel
and Valerie Veatch

7) MINE SMELL LIKE HONEY
Director: Dominic DeJoseph

8) WALK IT BACK
Director: Sophie Calle

9) ALLIGATOR_AVIATOR_AUTOPILOT_ANTIMATTER
Director: Lance Bangs

10) THAT SOMEONE IS YOU
Director: James Franco

11) ME, MARLON BRANDO,
MARLON BRANDO AND I
Director: Albert Maysles
& Bradley Kaplan

12) BLUE
Director: James Franco

www.remhq.com

THE SMITHEREENS CONFIRM FIRST ALBUM OF NEW MATERIAL IN 12 YEARS, 'SMITHEREENS 2011,' OUT APRIL 5

The Smithereens, from left, features lead guitarist Jim Babjak, bassist Severo "The Thrilla" Jornacion, drummer Dennis Diken and lead singer-guitarist Pat DiNizio.


THE SMITHEREENS CONFIRM FIRST ALBUM OF NEW MATERIAL IN 12 YEARS, 'SMITHEREENS 2011,' OUT APRIL 5

The Smithereens have confirmed the April 5 release of 'Smithereens 2011' (eOne Music), their first album of new material in 12 years. Produced by Don Dixon (who helmed Especially For You, the group's breakout debut), Smithereens 2011 features 13 new tracks and finds the seminal New Jersey rockers picking up right where they left off: with irresistibly catchy hooks and rapturously fuzzed-out guitars. Pulsing with the same raw energy and vitality the band first conveyed 25 years ago, the album easily ranks with the best work The Smithereens have ever recorded.

Eschewing extensive pre-production, the band--lead singer/guitarist Pat DiNizio, guitarist Jim Babjak, drummer Dennis Diken, and bassist Severo "The Thrilla" Jornacion--cut a raw and electric album in the best tradition of Cheap Trick or Big Star that just begs you to roll down the windows and crank up the volume. "We cut our teeth on albums that were carefully crafted to take you someplace," says Dixon, who's been dubbed "The Fifth Smithereen" by the band and also co-produced REM's early records. "That's all we ever want to do. Take you someplace better."

The Smithereens first came to national prominence in 1986 with their debut album Especially for You, which was propelled by the instant classic single "Blood and Roses." The band earned a devoted legion of fans through relentless touring and multiple Top 40 hits, including "A Girl Like You" and "Too Much Passion." Twenty-five years into their career, the band's enduring sound remains as relevant today as ever, with their influence on everyone from Nirvana to Weezer playing a major role in shaping the past two decades of alternative rock. Since their last original album, 1999's God Save The Smithereens, the band has toured steadily and released tributes to The Beatles and The Who, and each member has garnered critical acclaim with their own respective solo projects.

'Smithereens 2011' Tracklisting:
1. Sorry
2. One Look At You
3. A World of Our Own
4. Keep On Running
5. Rings On Her Fingers
6. As Long As You Are Near Me
7. Bring Back The One I Love
8. Nobody Lives Forever
9. Goodnight Goodbye
10. All The Same
11. Viennese Hangover
12. Turn It Around
13. What Went Wrong

The Smithereens On the Web:
http://www.officialsmithereens.com

Go to AOL Spinner to stream the album single "Sorry" - http://aol.it/gg15so

New releases round-up: Queen, Ron Sexsmith, Eisley

I still have grand memories of seeing Queen back in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In fact, the first band I ever reviewed for my high school newspaper was Queen!

That said, check out the latest news on the legendary band's 40th anniversary celebration.

QUEEN’S 40TH Anniversary Celebration Kicks Off with Deluxe Reissues

QUEEN’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION KICKS OFF WITH DELUXE REISSUE OF FIRST FIVE STUDIO ALBUMS, PLUS GREATEST HITS II, “STORMTROOPERS IN STILETTOS” GALLERY EXHIBITION AND MORE

Queen’s 40th anniversary is now upon us, and the band plans to pull out all the stops to celebrate this historic occasion. “2011 is an important year for Queen,” said Brian May “and there will be a lot of activity.” Adds Roger Taylor, "I can’t believe it’s been that long and that we are still around in such a big way. I’m amazed and grateful!” This yearlong event will be marked by a series of releases, re-releases, special limited-edition items and events around the world.



It was in March 1971 that bassist John Deacon joined May and Taylor’s buzzed-about London group, which had changed its name from Smile to Queen nine months earlier, following the addition of multitalented singer/pianist Freddie Mercury, thus completing the classic lineup. The four simpatico musicians proceeded to take the world by storm. The band has released a total of 18 chart-topping albums and 18 #1 singles, while selling more than 300 million albums worldwide, making them one of the biggest rock acts of all time. They’ve received seven Ivor Novello awards in the U.K., were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003, the UK Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, and even received their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in October 2002.



As live artists, Queen literally conquered the world. Acknowledged as one of the greatest stadium bands of all time, Queen performed over 700 concerts, reaching into every corner of the world. They achieved rock history by being the first band to open up South America and the Eastern Bloc, with world record- breaking concerts in Argentina, Brazil and Hungary.



This is a timeless band whose music retains such immediacy and undiminished power that new fans continue to discover and embrace it, along the way inspiring a host of diverse artists from Lady Gaga (who took her name from Queen’s “Radio Ga Ga”), and Katy Perry, through to the Foo Fighters. It’s worth noting that Queen’s videos have collectively generated well north of 300 million views online—a remarkable figure that figures to expand exponentially with the launch of a dedicated Vevo channel this spring, in yet another iteration of the anniversary rollout.



As the centerpiece in the 40th anniversary celebration, Queen’s entire 15-album studio catalog is being reissued in a series of deluxe editions. Every note is being tweaked, every piece of artwork is being cleaned, freshened up and resourced, wherever necessary, with the legendary Bob Ludwig doing the remastering, working from the original source material. The albums will be released in three waves, staggered over the next year, with the first wave—comprising the first five LPs—coming this May.



Each studio album will be released in a new two-CD edition, the first containing the updated, remastered original LP, the second disc packed with rarities—and we don’t use the term lightly. Some of these gems have never before seen the light of day, even in crappy bootleg form. To cite a particularly fascinating example, five first-album demos recorded at London’s De Lane Lea Studios in December 1971 were pulled from the only existing copy on the planet—an acetate from May’s personal archives. Not even his bandmates had a copy.



“A huge amount of work has already been put in behind the scenes to unleash a completely newly mastered set of the original Queen LPs and CDs,” May noted. “I know our fans will appreciate the attention to detail, bringing the early albums closer than ever to the magic of the vinyl originals, but with the benefit of up-to-the-minute quality technology.”



In other anniversary activity, the gallery exhibition “Stormtroopers in Stilettos” opens in London on Feb. 25, with plans in place to tour the exhibit around the world. According to May, this unprecedented event “will highlight in some innovative ways the growth of the ‘Early Queen.’” On April 12, Hollywood will reissue Queen’s debut single, “Keep Yourself Alive” b/w “Son and Daughter,” on seven-inch vinyl in a limited edition coinciding with Record Store Day. And on April 19, the label will issue the band’s Greatest Hits II for the first time in North America. This classic collection includes the rock standards “Under Pressure” and “Radio Ga Ga,” plus many other classics from the second half of Queen’s run, including the worldwide smashes “I Want It All” & “Innuendo.” Additionally, the “Queen on Vinyl” reissue program will be completed this year with the release of the final five studio albums.



In the UK, Queen’s Greatest Hits 1 holds the record of being the biggest selling album of all time ahead of albums by The Beatles, Oasis, Dire Straits, and Abba.



This is just the beginning of what promises to be a treasure trove of must-have pieces for Queen fans. More will be revealed in the coming months, so stay tuned.







Bonus Tracks on the First Five Studio Albums:



QUEEN (1973)

1. Keep Yourself Alive (De Lane Lea Demo, December 1971)

2. Great King Rat (De Lane Lea Demo, December 1971)

3. Jesus (De Lane Lea Demo, December 1971)

4. Liar (De Lane Lea Demo, December 1971)

5. The Night Comes Down (De Lane Lea Demo, December 1971)

6. Mad The Swine (June 1972)



QUEEN II (1974)

1. White Queen (Live at Hammersmith Odeon, December 1975)

2. See What A Fool I’ve Been (BBC Session, July 1973 - 2011 Remix)

3. Seven Seas Of Rhye (Instrumental)

4. See What A Fool I’ve Been (B-side Version, February 1974)

5. Nevermore (BBC Session, April 1974)



SHEER HEART ATTACK (1974)

1. Now I’m Here (Live at Hammersmith Odeon, December 1975)

2. Flick Of The Wrist (BBC Session, October 1974)

3. Tenement Funster (BBC Session, October 1974)

4. Bring Back That Leroy Brown (A Cappella Plus)

5. In The Lap Of The Gods… Revisited (Live at Wembley Stadium, July 1986)



A NIGHT AT THE OPERA (1975)

1. Keep Yourself Alive (Long-Lost Retake, June 1975)

2. Bohemian Rhapsody (Operatic Section A Cappella)

3. I’m In Love With My Car (Guitar & Vocal Version)

4. You’re My Best Friend (Backing Track)

5. ‘39 (Live at Earl’s Court, June 1977) TBC

6. Love Of My Life (Live Single Version, June 1979)



A DAY AT THE RACES (1976)

1. Tie Your Mother Down (Backing Track)

2. Somebody To Love (Live at Milton Keynes, June 1982)

3. You Take My Breath Away (Live in Hyde Park, September 1976)

4. Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy (Top Of The Pops, July 1977)

5. Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together) (HD mix)



For more information, visit:

www.queenonline.com

www.facebook.com/queen


Today being Tuesday, there are several new releases out today. One I want to highlight is the new album from Canadian singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith. I've been listening to the stream on AOL Music for several days and this album is terrific - already one of my favorites of 2011.

Here is some information on the two new discs. Happy listening everybody.

When Ron Sexsmith headed into the studio with legendary Metallica producer Bob Rock to record his outstanding new album, Long Player Late Bloomer, the collaboration seemed unlikely but instantly blossomed into a supportive, creative partnership. "Bob got me out of my comfort zone," says Sexsmith. "I've made all these Lars von Trier records," he laughs; "I see this record as my action movie!"

Prior to recording the album, Ron knew Bob Rock by his reputation as a hard rock producer - and from his role as the voice of reason in 'Some Kind of Monster,' the rockumentary that chronicled Metallica in a tumultuous period - and was skeptical about partnering with him. "I only saw Bob as a hard rock producer," he says.

But when he learned that Michael Buble had teamed up with Bob on his multiplatinum-selling album, Crazy Love, the pieces started to fall into place. Ron sent Bob some of his songs. Bob loved them. So they headed into the studio with a top-shelf ensemble of musicians - guitarist Rusty Anderson (Paul McCartney), bassist Paul Bushnell (Elton John, No Doubt), keyboardist Jamie Edwards (Aimee Mann), and drummer Josh Freese (Devo, Nine Inch Nails) - and made some magic. "He got me to try things that I normally would have scoffed at such as really belting out my vocals."

Long Player Late Bloomer is out March 1 on Ronboy Rhymes, and Sexsmith will be touring this spring.

For more information, visit http://www.ronsexsmith.com


Eisley's new album "The Valley," their first in four years, is out today on Equal Vision Records. And people are loving it:

"An uplifting yet hard record that is perfectly fitted for life's sadder moments, one that consoles and documents without self-pity. For a band that has been through the ringer on almost every conceivable level, Eisley have survived, emerging from their sea of tears with one of the best albums of 2011." -- The Big Takeover

"The tunes are imminently enjoyable and the interplay among the DuPrees' voices is always thrilling. Here, the good thing for listeners was the bad thing for band members; the breakups lend a lyrical and affective heft to the proceedings. And 'Ambulance' may well be the best breakup song of the year, equal parts fragility, grace, pain and resilience." -- Under The Radar

"'The Valley' is equally intimate and gorgeous as it is rough and realistic.... Even when I write that 'The Valley' is the band's best album yet, it still feels like a huge understatement - like I'm not giving the album enough credit. Just believe this: 'The Valley' is an album that will stick with you." -- AbsolutePunk

"Eisley comes off as more orchestrated, more mature, and more inspiring than ever.... Sherri and Stacy DuPree have ridiculously clear, angelic voices that even sound pretty when they're fuming.... This album presents proof that music can help get anyone through anything." -- Creative Loafing Tampa

"You'd have to be a hardhearted bastard not to feel the romance in the love-besotted harmonies of singers Stacy and Sherri DuPree.... There's such a palpable sadness to the DuPree sisters' vocals, they could make a rainbow of kittens sound brutal." -- Boston Phoenix

"A collection of emotive, soaring tracks that veer towards Death Cab for Cutie and Laura Veirs with their anthemic, vocal focus." -- Metromix

"It's rather easy to find someone who can belt a note or carry a tune, but when you find a creative set of minds that can form the blossoming musical bouquet as these five have, you really have something special." -- Bring On Mixed Reviews

EISLEY ALBUM RELEASE SHOW:
Tonight (Tuesday, March 1)
Good Records
1808 Lower Greenville Ave.
Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 752-4663
http://www.goodrecords.com/6:00 p.m. - free - all ages

EISLEY at SXSW 2011:
March 16: Paste magazine party @ 508 E 6th St, 7 p.m.
March 16: SXSW showcase @ Barbarella Patio, 611 Red River St, 11 p.m.
March 17: Equal Vision Records party @ Dirty Dog Bar, 505 E 6th St, 4 p.m.
March 18: PureVolume House, 504 Trinity St, 4 p.m.

INXS Listening Party on AOL Music

INXS' 'Original Sin' is streaming on AOL Music's Listening Party now through March 7

Original Sin, the new album from INXS, is streaming now through March 7, 2011 on AOL Music.

Los Angeles, CA - February 28, 2011 - Original Sin, the new album from INXS, is featured this week on AOL Music's Listening Party . The entire album, streaming all week (February 28 - March 7, 2011), features new recordings of the band's signature hits chosen by and re-imagined with some of the world's finest musicians including Ben Harper, Rob Thomas, Pat Monahan, Tricky, Nikka Costa and more. Listen now at AOL Music.



The digital album version of Original Sin is currently available for purchase exclusively on Amazon.com with pre-orders being taken now for the CD version slated for release on April 5, 2011.



An ambitious project two years in the making, Original Sin teams the band with musicians from around the globe, from superstars like Ben Harper, Train's Pat Monahan, Rob Thomas, and Nikka Costa to up and comer DJ Yaleidys of Cuba, to reinterpret and revitalize their own classics for a whole new generation. An eclectic mix of music including Thomas and Yaleidys' sultry take on "Original Sin" and trip-hop superstar Tricky's electrifying version of "Mediate" to Pat Monahans' emotional "Beautiful Girl" and French pop artist Loane's take on "Mystify" with John Mayer & Kirk Pengilly on guitar, INXS boldly embrace their past and future on one album.



One of the most notable and successful rock bands of all time, INXS has sold over 35 million albums worldwide with the group's music remaining in constant radio rotation and in DJ sets nightly across the globe. To this day, the group's multi-platinum landmark albums Listen Like Thieves, Kick, and X are all widely regarded as music collection staples. Huge chart-topping hit singles including "What You Need," "Need You Tonight," "Devil Inside," "Never Tear Us Apart," "New Sensation" and "Suicide Blonde" have been featured in numerous films, advertising campaigns and video games, earning the band countless accolades and awards around the world, including several Grammy nominations, and is the driving force behind selling over 15 million albums in the U.S. alone. With a career spanning three decades, first as the Farriss Brothers, then as INXS, brothers Tim, Jon, and Andrew Farriss, along with Kirk Pengilly and Garry Gary Beers have created some of the most enduring music in rock.



Listen to the entire Original Sin album on AOL Music: http://music.aol.com/new-releases-full-cds/ - /5


For more information, please visit the official INXS website: www.INXS.com

Social Distortion, Stan Freese to be honored at annual Orange County Music Awards

I hope to see many of you at the annual Orange County Music Awards, which are set to be held at City National Grove of Anaheim on Saturday night, March 5, 2011. Here is the latest big news related to the annual celebration of Orange County's thriving and notable music scene.

Each year OC Music Awards presents two outstanding achievement honors for Orange Country Impact and Lifetime Achievement. The Orange County Impact Award honors a renowned local band or artist for their impact on the Orange County music scene. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes those individuals who have had a significant presence in the local scene, working to further local music whether they are a musician or music industry professional.

SOCIAL DISTORTION
Each year OC Music Awards presents two outstanding achievement honors for Orange Country Impact and Lifetime Achievement. The Orange County Impact Award honors a renowned local band or artist for their impact on the Orange County music scene. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes those individuals who have had a significant presence in the local scene, working to further local music whether they are a musician or music industry professional.

STAN FREESE
Stan Freese has been directing the entertainment for the Walt Disney Company for over 40 years. His roles have spanned Director of Bands at the Walt Disney World Resort and the Disneyland Resort, Show Director for Tokyo Disneyland, Entertainment Producer for Pleasure Island and Walt Disney World, Musical Show Director for Tokyo Disney Seas and most recently Talent and Casting Director for Disneyland, Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney. Stan is also a world-renowned tuba soloist with an expansive and versatile career, from performing on the Great Wall of China to a command performance for the President of the United State at the White House. He has received multiple musical honors, and achievements and shared stages with the likes of iconic artists Chuck Berry, Joe Walsh and A Perfect Circle to name a few. Among his numerous lifetime achievements he managed to start a family during his full career and raise two sons, Josh and Jason Freese, who developed extremely successful musical careers of their own.

For more information on the Orange County Music Awards, check out www.ocmusicawards.com

UMG NASHVILLE HONORS JAMEY JOHNSON FOR GOLD CERTIFICATION OF THE GUITAR SONG

Photo credit: Brian Kaplan

Photo Caption: Jamey Johnson receives a plaque commemorating the gold certification of The Guitar Song, during a gathering Friday, Feb. 18, 2011 at the Palm in Nashville, TN.

Appearing in photo (left to right): Ken Levitan, Vector Management; Jamey Johnson, Mercury Nashville Recording Artist; Luke Lewis, Chairman, UMG Nashville


NASHVILLE, TN –Universal Music Group Nashville presented Jamey Johnson with a plaque commemorating the gold certification of his ambitious 25-song double album, The Guitar Song, during a gathering Friday, Feb. 18, 2011 at the Palm in Nashville.

The Guitar Song is up for Album of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards and received two Grammy nominations -- Country Album of the Year and Best Male Country Vocal performance for “Macon.”

The Nashville Scene’s 11th annual Country Music Critics’ Poll named The Guitar Song the best album of 2011 and named Johnson Artist of the Year, Best Male Vocalist and Best Songwriter. Both Rolling Stone and Spin ranked the album No. 5 on their lists of the Best Albums of 2010 and “Macon” was ranked No. 23 on Rolling Stone’s Best Singles of 2010.

UMG Nashville chairman Luke Lewis presented Johnson with the framed plaque. “I can’t be any prouder than to hand my friend Jamey Johnson a gold record,” Lewis told the crowd.

Also on hand to receive gold plaques were the album’s producers, Arlis Albritton, Dave Cobb and The Kent Hardly Playboys, and his manager, Ken Levitan.

Johnson thanked his band, producers, management and label staff for all they did to make the album a success.

“It’s always cool to stop what you’re doing and bring the whole team together,” he says. “These guys and gals usually don’t get to see each other on a regular basis, so it’s good that when they do, we’re celebrating an accomplishment like that. It’s something everybody worked equal parts on and holds an equal amount of responsibility for the success of it.

“Everybody in this room has earned their money,” he says with a laugh, “and I appreciate it.”

Johnson is thankful for the honors and accolades the project has received and even more delighted that he could share the spotlight with those who don’t often receive attention for their work.

“We get positive feedback from the audience every night, so that is our thank you. But the people who work behind the scenes that maybe aren’t on the road with us and don’t’ get that immediate feedback, that immediate thank-you from people, it’s real important for them to get to come out and share a night like this with everyone else.

“If it hadn’t had gone gold, we’d probably still have a party and patted each other on the back no matter what because it is a good team. It’s a great team of people working hard and getting it done. Music ain’t exactly the easiest profession to be in, but it’s one of the best, if you ask me.”

After the presentation, Johnson walked across the street to the Bridgestone Arena, where he performed as part of the Kid Rock tour.

SXSW is coming: Ron Sexsmith, World Party, Queens of the Stone Age, Henry Wolfe

Although I will not be attending the South By Southwest Music and Film Festival in March, there is lots of news relating to the event I wanted to highlight here.


'Love Shines' Music Documentary On Ron Sexsmith Offers Rare Glimpse Into Life Of Award-Winning Artist

U.S. Premiere At SXSW Film Festival In Austin, Texas March 15 and 16; A Film By Douglas Arrowsmith

Paperny Films is pleased to announce the US Premiere of Love Shines at the South By Southwest Film Festival in Austin, TX, showing on March 15 (6:15 p.m. Alamo Ritz 2) and March 16 (7 p.m. Vimeo Theater). Almost a decade in the making, the film documents the journey of lauded Canadian singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith as he attempts to transform from a respected indie balladeer to a mainstream artist. Sexsmith's new album Long Player Late Bloomer will be released March 1 on Ronboy Rhymes.

In Love Shines, Ron Sexsmith lays everything on the line to make a hit
album. The curtain is pulled back for a rare and intimate glimpse inside the studio and creative processes as Sexsmith partners with legendary hit-maker producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe) to record his forthcoming Long Player Late Bloomer, one of the artist's best albums to date. Sexsmith dreams of emerging with a commercial hit that achieves widespread radio play. Through a series of flashbacks the songwriter confronts the meaning of success, weighing the lure of stardom against the humble beginnings that sparked the birth of his songs. Punctuated by Super 8 footage chronicling the early years, an extraordinary playlist and a stellar cast featuring Elvis Costello, Steve Earle, Feist, Kiefer Sutherland and Daniel Lanois, Love Shines is a journey to the heart and soul of what songwriting is truly about.

"Director Douglas Arrowsmith has done something quite rare, and quite
remarkable: He's dedicated the last several years of his working life into following Sexsmith through the highs and lows of his career. The result is a film that delivers genuine honesty and intimacy." - David Paperny, Executive Producer, Paperny Films.

'Love Shines' was commissioned by The Movie Network and Movie Central with funding from Astral's Harold Greenberg Fund and Rogers Documentary Fund.

'Love Shines' at SXSW Film Festival:
March 15 - 6:15 p.m. - Alamo Ritz 2
March 16 - 7 p.m. - Vimeo Theater

Douglas Arrowsmith - is a Gemini award-winning director (The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television) who specialises in singer/songwriter films.

His last film Memory & Desire (2009) follows Stephen "Tin Tin" Duffy,
Duran Duran originator and Brit-pop songwriter as he journeys to reunite with his folk roots and his band The Lilac Time, following his world tour with Robbie Williams. The film was nominated for the "Sound & Vision" Award at Copenhagen's CPH:DOX Festival, and for "Best Micro-Budget Feature" at London's 17th Raindance Festival. Douglas has a Ph.D. in Social & Political Thought from York University where he began his passion for studying singer/songwriters after completing a series of interviews with famous performers.

Paperny Films Inc. - run by partners David Paperny, Audrey Mehler, and Cal Shumiatcher - is an independent, Vancouver-based production company that has garnered worldwide acclaim for its provocative, innovative, and entertaining television programming. From groundbreaking documentaries to reality television series to lifestyle programming, Paperny Films excels in capturing the essence of human stories.

http://ronsexsmith.com



WORLD PARTY CONFIRMS SXSW SHOWS AND March 22 and 28, 2011 PERFORMANCES AT JOE'S PUB IN NYC

GROUP TO CELEBRATE 25TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2011 WITH NEW MUSIC, AN ENDLESS COLLECTION OF UNRELEASED MATERIAL, AND THEIR MOST EXTENSIVE U.S. TOUR IN 5 YEARS

World Party has confirmed their return to the U.S. this spring for a string of SXSW dates - including a Friday performance at Auditorium Shores - and two performances at Joe's Pub in NYC on March 22 and 23.

Formed in 1986, essentially as the solo project of Karl Wallinger (previously of cult heroes The Waterboys), World Party celebrates its 25th anniversary this year with a flurry of activity and new projects that will give fans plenty to look forward to in 2011.

The group will release a 4-5 CD collection this spring, packed with unreleased studio gems and live recordings via Wallinger's own label, Seaview Records. Painstakingly curated, the tracks in this collection are as fresh and relevant as anything Wallinger has released in his storied career with World Party. This collection will be preceded by the launch of an all new World Party song.

World Party will also embark on its most extensive U.S. tour since 2006 later this year. A full list of dates will be announced soon.

Beloved by critics and fans, World Party has amassed a collection of hit singles over its history, including "Ship of Fools", "Message in the Box," "Way Down Now" and "Is It Like Today?". In recent years, Wallinger has taken World Party to the stages of Bonnaroo, Bumbershoot, San Francisco's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival and elsewhere.

CONFIRMED 2011 DATES:
Fri, 3/18 - Austin, TX (SXSW) @ The Speakeasy (Fontana day party)
Fri, 3/18 - Austin, TX (SXSW) @ Auditorium Shores
Sat, 3/19 - Austin, TX (SXSW) @ Cactus Café (KUT day party)
Tues, 3/22 - New York, NY @ Joe's Pub
Wed, 3/23 - New York, NY @ Joe's Pub
(all shows w/ full band)

For more information on World Party, visit www.WorldParty.net


Queens of the Stone Age to Headline Rolling Stone’s South by Southwest Showcase


Rolling Stone announced last week that Queens of the Stone Age will headline the magazine’s South by Southwest showcase on March 16, kicking off four days of events at La Zona Rosa.



Queens of the Stone Age will be re-releasing their self-titled 1998 debut album on their own label, Rekords Records, in March, and their SXSW performance will launch the band’s 2011 North American tour.



“We’re excited to be doing another year of concerts at SXSW,” said Jason Fine, Rolling Stone. “We can’t think of a better lineup to help kick it off.”



The Wednesday showcase lineup also includes The Black Angels, Mini Mansions, J Mascis and Beast Make Bomb (winner of the Converse Get Out of the Garage contest). The complete lineup for all four days of events will be announced next week.



More information on the Rolling Stone showcase is available at RollingStone.com


Dual Threat Henry Wolfe Debuts at SXSW, on the Silver Screen This Spring

The intrinsically melodic songwriter Henry Wolfe is earning his LA Times title as a "2011 Face to Watch." In addition to his "smart, immediately hummable" debut album Linda Vista (April 5, Undermountain Records), Wolfe will also make appearances in two different films this year and has a song in the Sundance competitor 'Terri.'

At SXSW, Wolfe will perform at:
--The Billions Day Party - Thursday, March 17, 4 p.m. on the indoor stage at Mohawk
--Hotel Café's showcase - Saturday, March 19, 10 p.m. at The Tap Room (at Six Lounge)

Wolfe appears in The Wait - directed by M Blanch, and starring Chloe Sevigny ('Big Love,' 'American Psycho') and Jena Malone ('Saved!', 'Into The Wild') – which he describes as a "supernatural drama" about two sisters who keep their deceased mother's body anticipating that she will come back to life.

Wolfe's plays himself in the David Zuckerman-directed 'Wolfe With an E.' An idea borne out of the recording sessions for Linda Vista, 'Wolfe With an E' follows real-life music journalist Sophie Heawood (Times of London) as she tries to track down the songwriter for an interview while contending with the age-old conundrum of trying to navigate Los Angeles without a car.

"Someone Else" from Linda Vista also made an appearance at Sundance this year, playing over the closing credits of the Azazel Jacobs-directed 'Terri.' Another song from the album "Stop the Train" was featured in 2009's 'Julie and Julia.'


For more information, visit www.HenryWolfe.com

Earth, Wind & Fire funks up Honda Center

This review was originally posted on The Orange County Register Web site on Sunday, February 20, 2011.

Watching Earth, Wind & Fire perform before a near-capacity crowd at Honda Center Saturday night (Feb. 19, 2011), it suddenly occurred to me: This is the band that should be featured at the next Super Bowl halftime show.

Compared to how disposable the Black Eyed Peas were in Dallas earlier this month — not to mention how forgettable they were opening for U2 at the Rose Bowl in October 2009 — such lackluster sets don’t appear to be in EW&F’s playbook.

Celebrating its 40th anniversary as a group this year, EW&F, the Hall of Fame outfit that has inspired countless modern-day hit-makers, headlined Front & Center 2011, an annual fund-raiser held to benefit Cal State Fullerton’s President’s Scholars Program. Over the course of 90 magical minutes, the 12-member troupe demonstrated that dance music need not be routine, tender ballads need not be syrupy, and that great bands can appeal to listeners who don’t fit into a single demographic.

The performance featured a minimal amount of mindless chit-chat, save for a thank-you to the university’s talented students for offering a song-and-dance introduction to the band and, later, to introduce the full EW&F ensemble.
Instead, the night was all about the music, with singer Philip Bailey, singer-percussionist Ralph Johnson and always-in-motion bassist Verdine White (the three remaining original members) leading the sonic charge with a top-notch cast of rhythm players, a blasting horn section, keyboards and two guitarists. All of them somehow never let things escape from the pocket no matter how much dancing or dazzling lights were going on around them.

Whether performing the band’s early material rooted in more traditional R&B (“Sing a Song,” “Shining Star”) or romantic ballads featuring Bailey’s still-soaring falsetto (“Reasons,” “After the Love Has Gone”) or later hits that blended soul and jazz with disco and funk (“Boogie Wonderland”), the large ensemble always got it right.

Highlights came near the end of the concert, with forceful renditions of the haunting “Fantasy” and the more upbeat anthem “September,” offering a one-two punch that could well impress the masses at a football halftime show or anywhere else.

The master of ceremonies for this event was acclaimed baritone Jubilant Sykes, who discussed strong lessons he learned as a student at Cal State Fullerton. He also sang two winning selections to the delight of the crowd, including “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child” and “Witness,” the latter an emotive spiritual featured on his latest album, Jubilant Sykes Sings Copland and Spirituals, which he delivered a cappella, allowing him to showcase his incredible voice.

Headliners announced for 2011 Doheny Blues Festival

I took this photo of rocker John Fogerty at the Doheny Blues Festival in May 2007. The legendary singer-songwriter-guitarist is set to return to Dana Point to perform at the 14th Annual Doheny Blues Festival in May 2011.

What do John Fogerty, Walter Trout, Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Band and a tribute to the life and music of Jimi Hendrix featuring Billy Cox (Band of Gypsys), Steve Vai, Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, David Hidalgo & Cesar Rosas (Los Lobos), Living Colour, Chris Layton (Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble), Robert Randolph, Brad Whitford (Aerosmith), Ernie Isley, Mato Nanji (Indigenous) have in common?

All are scheduled to perform at the 14th Annual Doheny Blues Festival in Dana Point, May 21 and 22, 2011.

Visit the official Doheny Blues Fest Web site for more details on getting advance tickets to this exciting fest.

Or you can call Omega Events at 949-360-7800 for additional information.

The Dealers set to perform at The Coach House on Friday night

Indie rock. Alternative rock. Country rock. Hard rock. Modern rock.
Whatever happened to good old fashioned rock ‘n’ roll?

It’s alive and well, thanks to an Orange County-based quartet known as The Dealers. As showcased on the band’s recently-issued self-titled debut recorded at Custom Taylored Studios in Fountain Valley, the Dealers’ straightforward rock recalls legends such as AC/DC, the Beatles, Bad Company and Led Zeppelin.
The band, which features Kevin Thews (lead vocals, guitar, harmonica), Kyle Eckermann (lead guitar), Shawn Fox (bass) and Justin Ludwig (drums), will open for Queen Nation (a tribute to the British band Queen) at the Coach House on Feb. 18.
The Lake Forest group has issued a disc that brings classic rock into the 21st century. Songs such as “Don’t Drag Me Down,” “Rock Me” and “Big Bad Bessie” simply groove with an approach that is at odds with the over-produced, digital-fix approach of 2011.

The Dealers will perform at the Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, at 8 p.m. on Friday night, Feb. 18.
Those wanting to get an early listen to the Dealers’ commercial release can visit the band’s official Web site at www.dealersbandrock.com.
Tickets are $15 and will be available at the Coach House box office.
Information: 949-496-8930.

Blind Boys of Alabama 'Take the High Road'

BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA RECORD COUNTRY GOSPEL ALBUM

TAKE THE HIGH ROAD
CO-PRODUCED BY JAMEY JOHNSON,
FEATURES GUEST PERFORMANCES BY
VINCE GILL, WILLIE NELSON, HANK WILLIAMS JR,
LEE ANN WOMACK AND THE OAK RIDGE BOYS

DUE MAY 3, 2011
ON SAGUARO ROAD RECORDS

Five time Grammy Award and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners The Blind Boys of Alabama will release a traditional country-gospel album for the first time in their 70-year career on May 3, 2011 (Saguaro Road Records). One of country music’s most acclaimed and compelling artists, Jamey Johnson, co-produced the album and performs on it along with Vince Gill, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams Jr., Lee Ann Womack, and The Oak Ridge Boys, backed by an A-list of top Nashville studio musicians. The result is a stunning, powerful testament to the deep, historic relationship between country and gospel music.

“There wasn’t one person who didn’t bawl like a baby or bust their heart open at least once,”Johnson recounted to the New York Timesrecently, remarking on the intensity of the recording sessions. “It’s been a dream of mine to do a country gospel album and we couldn’t have found a better partner than Jamey” said Jimmy Carter, the last original Blind Boy still touring with the band. “This album beautifully combines two of the seminal roots of the American music tree, gospel and country music. The Blind Boys, Jamey and their hand-picked guests deliver this music in a searingly authentic way,” adds Mike Jason , Senior Vice President, Retail for Saguaro Road Records

The concept for the collaboration started with original Blind Boy Jimmy Carter’s longstanding love of country music and his desire to do a traditional country-tinged gospel album. Last year, his idea started to take shape when the Blind Boys were asked to curate a series of shows at the prestigious Lincoln Center Festival. One of the sold-out nights featured country artists Ralph Stanley, Ray Benson (Asleep At The Wheel) and Allison Moorer. Soon after, they met Jamey Johnson and asked him to join them in singing the traditional song “Down By The Riverside” at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Their mutual respect and shared passion for old-time gospel music made for a powerful performance, and that magical moment led to the Blind Boys asking Jamey to produce their next CD. The band had already been planning to make a country record with their Grammy-winning production collaborator Chris Goldsmith, who had enlisted the help of veteran Nashville drummer Chad Cromwell (Neil Young, Mark Knopfler). Jamey then brought in bassist Kevin ‘Swine’ Grantt (Brad Paisley, Daryl Worley) and additional top-notch Music City players, including legends such as guitarist Reggie Young, to join them in the studio. A fantastic array of guest vocalists – Vince Gill, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams Jr, Lee Ann Womack and The Oak Ridge Boys – added to the recording sessions while new friendships were quickly formed and soulful sounds were crafted out of a shared love of real and authentic spiritual music.

The result is a remarkable album, which mines the profound connections between traditional country and gospel music. The amazing spirit and soul of the Blind Boys is celebrated through the songs, some time-tested like Hank Jr.’s energetic re-working of his father’s “I Saw the Light,” and some more recent chestnuts like Danny Flower’s underground classic “I Was a Burden.” Recorded live in just a few days at Ben Folds’ Javelina Studio, the album has the soulful feel of an old-school country classic. In fact, the word got out during the session that something special was going on at the old RCA soundstage, and guests like George Jones, Bill Anderson, and Bobby Bare dropped by just to observe the proceedings. All of them were visibly touched by what they experienced.

This record follows in the renowned Blind Boys tradition of reaching across musical boundaries to collaborate with other artists (from Peter Gabriel and Lou Reed to Anthony Hamilton, Ben Harper and Third Day) to create music that is appreciated as heart-warming, innovative, and inspirational by people from all walks of life.

The Blind Boys of Alabama continue to tour the world, performing over 150 concerts each year. Honored by both the Grammys and The National Endowment for the Arts with Lifetime Achievement Awards, inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and winners of five Grammy® Awards, The Blind Boys have attained the highest levels of recognition in a career that spans over 70 years and shows no signs of diminishing. Longevity and major awards aside, The Blind Boys have earned praise for their remarkable interpretations of everything from traditional gospel favorites to contemporary spiritual material, and now country, by acclaimed songwriters such as Curtis Mayfield, Prince and Tom Waits. Their performances have been experienced by millions on “The Tonight Show,” “Late Night with David Letterman,” the Grammy® Awards telecast, “60 Minutes II,” and on their own holiday PBS Special. The Blind Boys' live shows are roof- raising musical events that appeal to audiences of all cultures, as evidenced by an international itinerary that has taken them to almost every continent. In 2007, they released the Grammy winning album, Down in New Orleans, their first for Saguaro Road Records, which was followed in 2008 by a companion DVD, Live in New Orleans. In 2009, they released Duets, a collection of songs recorded with artists including Bonnie Raitt, Ben Harper and Randy Travis.