Steve Earle : Townes
Steve Earle is set to release Townes, his highly anticipated follow up to the Grammy Award winning album Washington Square Serenade, on May 12th via New West Records. The 15-song set is comprised of songs written by Earle s friend and mentor, the late singer-songwriter, Townes Van Zandt. Townes will also be available as a deluxe two-CD set, as well as double Limited Edition 180 gram vinyl. The album was produced by Earle at his home in Greenwich Village, at Sound Emporium and Room and Board in Nashville, TN and The Nest in Hollywood, CA. The track Lungs, was produced and mixed by the Dust Brothers John King and features Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine/The Nightwatchman on electric guitar. Earle s wife, the acclaimed singer-songwriter Allison Moorer, is featured on backing vocals on Loretta and To Live Is To Fly. Three songs cut in Nashville, White Freightliner Blues, Delta Momma Blues, and Don t Take It Too Bad feature a bluegrass band consisting of Dennis Crouch, Tim O Brien, Darrel Scott and Shad Cobb. On Townes, Earle and his son, singer-songwriter Justin Townes Earle (named after Van Zandt) trade verses on the tune, a song the two of them have been playing together since Justin was a teenager.
The songs selected for Townes were the ones that meant the most to Earle and the ones he personally connected to. Some of the selections chosen were songs that Earle has played his entire career ( Pancho and Lefty, Lungs, White Freightliner Blues ) and others he had to learn specifically for recording. He learned the song (Quicksilver Daydreams of) Maria directly from Van Zandt, and taught himself Marie and Rake specifically for the album s recording. Once a song he played during his live show, Earle relearned Colorado Girl in the original Open D tuning that Van Zandt played it in. Earle recorded the New York sessions solo and then added the other instruments later on in order to preserve the spirit of Van Zandt s original solo performances to the best of his recollection.
Song List:| DISC 1: | | 1. | Pancho and Lefty | | | 2. | White Freightliner Blues | | | 3. | Colorado Girl | | | 4. | Where I Lead Me | | | 5. | Lungs 2:18 | | | 6. | No Place To Fall | | | 7. | Loretta | | | 8. | Brand New Companion | | | 9. | Rake | | | 10. | Delta Momma Blues | | | DISC 2: | | 1. | Pancho and Lefty | | | 2. | Where I Lead Me | | | 3. | Lungs | | | 4. | No Place To Fall | | | 5. | Loretta | | | 6. | Brand New Companion | | | 7. | Rake | | | 8. | Marie | | | 9. | Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold | | | 10. | (Quicksilver Daydreams of) Maria | |
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