Robert Francis Talks About ‘Strangers In The First Place’ Coming May 22nd!
ROBERT FRANCIS TALKS ABOUT
STRANGERS IN THE FIRST PLACE
NEW ALBUM AVAILABLE ON MAY 22ND
RECORD RELEASE SHOW AT THE LEGENDARY
TROUBADOUR IN LOS ANGELES ON MAY 23RD
Robert Francis’ new release – Strangers in the First Place – will be available on May 22nd but in the EPK below you can listen to Francis talk about the thematic core of the record, the origin of the title and one of his inspirations – poetry.
“I was becoming frustrated with the idea of writing a traditional song,” he says. “At that point I started reading a lot of poetry—Stanley Kunitz, Conrad Aiken, W.H. Auden—and I was trying to work with different meters. There’s a Yale Series of Younger Poets, and I wanted to compile enough work to submit my poems into their competition. Going about it as poetry opened up my mind and released me from the pressure to come up with choruses and melodies.”
“Heroin Lovers’” the first single debuted at #11 on the KKBB Alternative Singles chart and #22 on the FMQB SubModern Singles chart. The song has already received airplay at WTMD/Baltimore, KCSN/Los Angeles, WXPN/Philadelphia, 91x/San Diego, KFAI/Minneapolis, WEXT & WEQX in Albany, WNCW/Charlotte-Asheville, NC, WBRU/Providence, Music Choice/national, and more. Click here to see the full band perform live at the legendary Village Studios in Los Angeles.
Francis will be celebrating the album release with a special performance at The Troubadour in Los Angeles on May 23rd and at the Bonaroo Music Festival in June.
RODNEY CROWELL AND BESTSELLING MEMOIRIST MARY KARR TALK ABOUT THE MAKING OF ‘KIN’
RODNEY CROWELL AND BESTSELLING MEMOIRIST MARY KARR
TALK ABOUT THE MAKING OF
‘KIN’ SONGS BY MARY KARR AND RODNEY CROWELL
TO BE RELEASED ON JUNE 5TH
GRAMMY Award-winner Rodney Crowell and New York Times Best Selling author Mary Karr recently took some time out to talk about the making of their upcoming release ‘KIN’ Songs by Mary Karr and Rodney Crowell. In the enclosed video, Mary and Rodney discuss the fabulous artists who contributed to this recording and offer soundbites of each of the tracks. Also featured in the EPK are Kris Kristofferson, Emmylou Harris and Vince Gill. Click here to take a look.
‘KIN’available on June 5th is produced by Joe Henry and marks the first time collaboration between two celebrated storytellers. In support of this release, the KIN – Rodney Crowell and Mary Karr Tour, featuring special guest Steuart Smith – kicks off on May 31st in Chicago and wraps up on June18th in Seattle making stops in New York City (June 5th) and Los Angeles (June 15th). The one-of-a-kind show will treat audiences to an evening filled with music from their forthcoming album, as well as poetry, readings and storytelling at its finest. Full list of tour dates below.
Karr is an award-winning poet, bestselling memoirist and an unstoppable force in the literary world. Her works have been embraced with an avalanche of rave reviews from nearly every major newspaper in the country. Her memoirs Lit, Cherryand The Liar’s Clubwere all best sellers. The latter spent over a year on the New York Times Bestsellers list and kick-started the memoir craze. Karr has taught at Harvard and Syracuse University, where she still holds a chair in literature. She is the recipient of numerous fellowships and awards, including a Guggenheim, a Radcliffe Bunting Fellowship, The Whiting Writer's Award, and a Pushcart Prize. Karr adds yet another title, songwriter, to her pedigree with the release of KIN.
Long known as a poet among songwriters, Crowell is a masterful storyteller and hit generator. The multi-GRAMMY-Award –winning singer/songwriter/producer was the first artist to chart five consecutive number one hits with his release Diamonds and Dirt. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame and has become best known for the critically acclaimed masterpieces The Houston Kid, Fates Right Handand Sex And Gasoline. He has penned songs recorded by Johnny Cash, Rosanne Cash, Bob Seger, Grateful Dead, Norah Jones, Van Morrison, Etta James, Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Band Of Horses and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band among others. Last year, Crowell made his debut as a memoirist with the release of Chinaberry Sidewalkson Knopf/Random House. The memoir received glowing reviews in The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco ChronicleandThe New York Timesin which his storytelling and ways with the written word were compared to that of Mark Twain.
KIN – Rodney Crowell and Mary Karr Tour:
May 31 Chicago, IL Old Town School of Folk Music
June 3 Alexandria, VA The Birchmere
June 5 New York, NY Joe’s Pub
June 6 Boston, MA Café 939
June 13 Berkeley, CA Freight And Salvage
June 14 Santa Cruz, CA Rio Theatre
June 15 Los Angeles, CA McCabe’s (2 shows)
June 16 Santa Barbera, CA Lobero Theatre
June 17 Portland, OR Aladdin Theatre
June 18 Seattle, WA Triple Door
Chris Isaak Live! Beyond the Sun PBS Special in June!
CHRIS ISAAK LIVE! BEYOND THE SUN
June 2012 (check local listings)
– The Singer’s Most Popular Hits in a Personal Tribute to the Legendary
Sun Studio in Memphis –
Photo Credit: Scott Newton
This new PBS special showcases Chris Isaak in a personal tribute to the glory days of the legendary producer Sam Phillips and his Sun Studio in Memphis and the music created by his heroes (Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison and others). Isaak recaptures the spirit of the original songs with his own brilliant band of stellar musicians, while revealing the heart and soul of his own deeply rooted musical identity. CHRIS ISAAK LIVE! BEYOND THE SUN is part of special programming premiering on PBS stations beginning June 2, 2012 (check local listings).
CHRIS ISAAK LIVE! BEYOND THE SUN was taped on February 13, 2012, before a live audience of music fans on the soundstage of Austin City Limits, the home of the legendary PBS music series. The three-act program begins with some of Isaak’s most popular hits, moves on to his tribute to Sun Records and then wraps up with a combination of both. All in all, it’s a celebration of Isaak’s own stellar career with some of his best-known and favorite recordings. Chris Isaak's ‘Live Beyond the Sun’ tour will continue through the end of 2012. To learn more visit chrisisaak.com.
Joining Isaak for this special evening is Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer and “The Queen of Rockabilly”, Wanda Jackson.
CHRIS ISAAK LIVE! BEYOND THE SUN features these performances:
- “I Want Your Love”
- “Somebody’s Crying”
- “Wicked Game”
- “Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing”
- “I’ll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin’)”
- “Ring of Fire”
- more -
- “Trying to Get to You” (with Wanda Jackson)
- “It’s Now or Never”
- “Crazy Arms”
- “Your True Love”
- “Miss Pearl”
- “Great Balls of Fire”
- “Blue Hotel”
- “Fujiyama Mama” (with Wanda Jackson)
- “Oh, Pretty Woman”
- “Can’t Help Falling in Love”
- “Big Wide Wonderful World”
PBS special programming invites viewers to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; hear diverse viewpoints; and take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. Viewer contributions are an important source of funding, making PBS programs possible. PBS and public television stations offer all Americans from every walk of life the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content.
Greg Laswell’s “Come Back Down” is iTunes Single of the Week!
Greg Laswell’s “Come Back Down” Featuring Sara Bareilles Is
iTunes Single Of The Week!!
New Release Landline available today on Vanguard Records
Watch Laswell’s Music Video for “Back To You”
U.S. Headline Tour Begins May 15
Tour Supporting Ingrid Michaelson This Summer
Greg Laswell’s “Come Back Down,” the first single from his new release Landline is this week’s Single of the Week on iTunes! The song features Sara Bareilles on backing vocals, and you can download it free at the link below:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/landline-bonus-track-version/id510415119
Laswell’s new album, Landline, is available today on Vanguard Records! Landline is his first album since 2010’s Take A Bow, and his fourth full-length. Laswell, a talented producer and musician in his own right, self-produced the record.
Landline’s 11 new tracks were recorded by Laswell in a church-turned-house in a small lobstering town in down-east Maine. His nomadic tendencies caused him to relocate from Los Angeles to New York City, eventually ending up at the church-turned-house that is owned by his wife’s parents. The album’s title was inspired by the fact that the home-recording-studio had no cell-phone reception, forcing Laswell to use landlines for all of his calls.
The album features collaborations with a number of well-known female singers, including Ingrid Michaelson, Sia, Elizabeth Ziman (of Elizabeth and the Catapult) and Sara Bareilles (on the album’s lead single ‘Come Back Down’). Inspired by hip-hop records that he was listening to while writing and recording the album, Laswell decided he wanted to work with and feature female vocals alongside his own. Each singer brings a new element and personality to the songs, whether it’s Bareilles’ energy that caused Laswell to re-record his vocals, or the fact that he co-wrote the album’s title track with Ingrid Michaelson when the power went out one night.
Laswell also recently made a music video for album track “Back To You,” which he filmed himself. You can watch Laswell’s stop-motion video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBLS5b3VCgM
Laswell will also begin touring in May and June to support Landline. The tour begins on May 15 on the East Coast before heading out across North America to the West Coast and circling back around to the East Coast, ending with three shows in New York City, Washington DC, and Philadelphia. Along the way he will play shows in Los Angeles and Chicago, and many more markets. Not only will Laswell play these headlining shows, but he will follow them up with a number of dates supporting Ingrid Michaelson as well. For a full list of complete dates, please see below.
Greg Laswell Headlining Tour Dates
May 15 – Charlotte, NC @ Casbah @ Tremont Music Hall
May 16 – Charleston, SC @ The Pour House
May 18 – Louisville, KY @ Headliner's Music Hall
May 19 – Nashville, TN @ 3rd & Lindsley
May 21 – Atlanta, GA @ Vinyl
May 22 – Birmingham, AL @ Work Play Theatre
May 24 – Houston, TX @ Dosey Doe
May 25 – Dallas, TX @ The Prophet bar
May 26 – Austin, TX @ The Parish
May 28 – Tuscon, AZ @ Club Congress
May 29 – San Diego, CA @ Belly Up Tavern
May 31 – Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre
June 01 – San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of The Hill
June 02 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
June 03 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern
June 05 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The State Room
June 06 – Denver, CO @ The Walnut Room
June 08 – Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock
June 09 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas Tavern
June 10 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas Tavern
June 11 – St. Louis, MO @ Old Rock House
June 14 – Indianapolis, IN @ Radio Radio
June 15 – Columbus, OH @ Rumba CafeJune 16 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern
June 19 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
June 20 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
June 21 – Washington, DC @ Rock N Roll Hotel
June 22 – Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live
Supporting Ingrid Michaelson
July 11 – Omaha, NE @ Slowdown
July 12 – Des Moines, IA @ Simon Estes Amphitheater
July 20 – Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom
July 21 – Rochester, NY @ Water Street Music Hall
July 23 – South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
July 26 – New Haven, CT @ Toad’s Place
July 27 – Providence, RI @ Lupo’s Heartbreak HotelJuly 28 – Portland, ME @ State Theatre
July 31 – Lancaster, PA @ Chameleon
August 02 – Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
August 03 – Red Bank, NJ @ Count Basie Theatre
August 04 – Amagansett, NY @ Stephen Talkhouse
Levon Helm 1940 – 2012
Levon – It is an honor and a privilege to have been a part of your brilliant career and to be able to share your music with the world. It gives us enormous pride that we worked alongside such a legend as you won your Grammy Awards and were recognized as a true music icon. The intensity of joy you radiated was only matched by your unending smile. Thank you for being the back beat in musical history for so many. Thank you for being the backbone of positivity for everyone who crossed your path. That’s always been a testament to what you've inspired over the course of decades through your music and integrity. When we've witnessed a Midnight Ramble, you were gracious and kind—and always brimming with music. You hold a special place not just in our hearts, but in the hearts of millions of others. Thank you for your music. Thank you for your friendship. Thank you for your joy and generosity. We are forever grateful that you joined our family.
With our love – Vanguard Records/Welk Music Group
Legendary John Fogerty to Release New Album on Vanguard Records in the Fall!
JOHN FOGERTY TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM
"WROTE A SONG FOR EVERYONE"
IN THE FALL
FEATURES NEWLY RECORDED CLASSICS FROM HIS TIMELESS CATALOG AS WELL AS BRAND NEW SONGS, PERFORMED ALONGSIDE TODAY’S BIGGEST SUPERSTARS
AWARD-WINNING ARTISTS SET TO TEAM WITH FOGERTY INCLUDE:
FOO FIGHTERS, BOB SEGER, KEITH URBAN,
BRAD PAISLEY, MY MORNING JACKET,
ALAN JACKSON, MIRANDA LAMBERT AND MORE
ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTORS TO BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY
Legendary rocker John Fogerty has announced that he will be releasing a new record, titled "WROTE A SONG FOR EVERYONE" in the fall – his first on Vanguard Records. The album is a celebration of Fogerty’s iconic songbook -- it is a collection of classics and deep tracks from his remarkable canon of hits as well as some brand new songs, performed alongside an array of today’s biggest superstars, including Foo Fighters (“Fortunate Son”), Bob Seger (“Who’ll Stop The Rain”), Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, My Morning Jacket, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert and more. In addition, besides as-yet-unannounced contributors from the upper echelons of the country, pop and rock worlds, the album will also see Fogerty teaming with acclaimed new bands like Dawes, all of whom are eager to acknowledge the groundbreaking songwriter/guitarist’s titanic influence. "WROTE A SONG FOR EVERYONE" will be released on Vanguard Records in the fall. Full details, including a complete artist list and tracklisting, will be announced shortly.
Fogerty – whose latest song, “Swamp Water,” recently debuted in its role as theme to the new Fox series, The Finder – spent much of last year touring with his crack backing band, including an unprecedented two-night-stand at New York City’s famed Beacon Theatre. The sold out shows saw Fogerty performing two classic Creedence Clearwater Revival albums in their entirety, along with an electrifying bonus set spanning the incredible CCR catalog to his ongoing solo career.
Broadcast live on SiriusXM’s Classic Vinyl, the two Beacon concerts earned rapturous critical applause, with MOJO noting that “(Fogerty’s) voice sounds so vibrant and full, it could be cryogenically preserved. His guitar solos bite and quaver with finer definition than ever…(The) songs establish their endurance through the star’s canny infusion of the deepest blues emotion in the most polished pop form. That’s their genius – to raise ‘singles band’ effervescence to the level of album art.”
John Fogerty is a true American treasure, one of popular music’s all-time greatest singers, guitar players, and songwriters. His remarkable career began in his hometown of El Cerrito, California, soon earning massive popular and critical success with the one and only Creedence Clearwater Revival. As leader of CCR, Fogerty forged a distinctive, groundbreaking sound all his own, equal parts blues, country, pop, rockabilly, R&B, swamp boogie, and Southern fried rock ‘n’ roll, all united by his uniquely evocative lyrical perspective.
From 1968 to 1971, Creedence Clearwater Revival unleashed an incredible succession of hit singles and platinum certified albums that remain unparalleled in the annals of rock ‘n’ roll history. Their expansive cover of “Suzie Q” was followed by a stunning series of Fogerty-penned favorites that dominated rock and pop radio, including “Proud Mary,” “Down on the Corner,” “Born On The Bayou,” “Have You Ever Seen The Rain,” and what remains the definitive anti-war anthem, “Fortunate Son.”
“GREEN RIVER,” the second of three CCR albums released in 1969, proved their first out-and-out blockbuster. Fuelled by the smash singles, “Bad Moon Rising” and “Green River,” not to mention the immortal “Lodi,” the album spent three weeks atop the Billboard 200, confirming Fogerty’s status among American rock ‘n’ roll’s preeminent artists.
1970’s “COSMO’S FACTORY” marked Creedence Clearwater Revival’s biggest seller and greatest critical triumph. The album – currently certified 4x-platinum by the RIAA – stands tall as a veritable jukebox of iconic rock ‘n’ roll, from “Travelin’ Band” and “Who’ll Stop The Rain,” to “Run Through The Jungle” and “Up Around The Bend,” to “Lookin’ Out My Back Door” and the epic “I Heard It Through The Grapevine.”
After Creedence Clearwater Revival called it quits in 1972, Fogerty embarked on what would prove to be an equally impressive solo career. Among its many highlights are 1975’s “JOHN FOGERTY” – featuring the rollicking “Rockin’ All over the World” – and 1985’s #1 phenomenon, “CENTERFIELD.” With its trio of timeless hit singles, including “The Old Man Down The Road,” “Rock And Roll Girls,” and the irresistible title track, the multi-platinum collection marked Fogerty’s glorious return to the forefront of modern rock ‘n’ roll.
1997’s “BLUE MOON SWAMP” earned Fogerty further acclamation, as well as a Grammy Award for “Best Rock Album.” Among his many other honors are induction in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the BMI Pop Music Awards’ prestigious “BMI Icon,” and Performance Magazine’s “Theater Tour of the Year” Award. In addition, Fogerty and “Centerfield” were honored during the 2010 National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies – the first time the National Baseball Hall of Fame has immortalized a musician or song as part of the annual ceremonies.
Having made infrequent live appearances in the 90s, by 2004 he had made a full-throated return to the road, including the MoveOn.org-sponsored Vote for Change tour and his first series of European dates in more than three decades. Other live highlights include 2009’s 25th Anniversary Rock And Roll Hall of Fame Benefit Concerts at Madison Square Garden (which saw him performing alongside Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band) and a stellar main stage set at 2010’s Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee. Still going strong, Fogerty and his always electrifying backing band bring it each time they step upon a stage, performing his mind-blowing body of work to generation after generation of adoring fans.
About Vanguard Records
Vanguard Records, part of the Welk Music Group, is owned by the Welk Family and one of the world’s leading independent record labels. Its selected roster of quality artists includes Matt Nathanson, Merle Haggard, Chris Isaak, Greg Laswell, Trevor Hall, Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers, The Gourds and the legendary Levon Helm. Further expanding the roster are distributed artists such as The Indigo Girls, Chely Wright, Robert Cray Band, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and the great George Jones. www.vanguardrecords.com