Gillian Welch writes a song for Solomon Burke

[BlueChair]

Burke In A Country Mood On New Album
April 17, 2006, 10:50 AM ET

Katie Hasty, N.Y.
Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Gillian Welch and Patty Griffin have contributed to Solomon Burke's upcoming album, his first full-length country effort. The as-yet untitled set is due September 26 via Shout! Factory.

The veteran soul artist teamed with producer Buddy Miller to record 16 tracks at Miller's Nashville home, 12 of which will make the final cut.

"I've always wanted to do a country album, even since the '60s, so this is kind of like turning back the hands of time," Burke tells Billboard.com "I didn't want to do a record like this in L.A., I wanted to come [to Nashville] and find the real deal."

While the disc will touch on some traditional country covers, there will be "a few" originals, including a track penned by Welch.

"I feel like I've been at the university of country music," Burke says. "I'm just so proud and so grateful for what we've done here and all the guests helping out have been so good to me. This is the most exciting thing I've done in the 51-year history of my career."

Burke hopes both the medium and message will reach out to new listeners as well as his existing fanbase. "We're in the middle of wars. We go through hurricanes and the minds of our country's leadership have to be turned around," he says. "It's time we face a new life and new time, to understand the precious moments of love and tenderness. We're losing our world and I've got a message. Plus, it's just plain fun."

Burke plans on incorporating more country songs into his live shows, which often feature as many as 14 musicians on stage. "We're going to back the horns down a bit, maybe do a little square dancing," he jokes.

[El Vez]

Dang, beat me to it! Of course, my subject heading was going to read "Further Proof That Gillian Welch is The Shizznit" but that's neither here nor there. Seriously, this will be great, especially with Buddy Miller at the helm.

[BlueChair]

More details about Burke's upcoming record:

Burke Belts It Out In 'Nashville'

June 29, 2006, 11:00 AM ET

Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
Solomon Burke's upcoming album of country music has been appropriately christened "Nashville." As previously reported, the 14-track project is due Sept. 26 via Shout! Factory and was recorded with producer Buddy Miller at his Nashville studio.

Beyond previously announced duets with Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Patty Loveless, "Nashville" finds Burke trying his hand at Bruce Springsteen's "Ain't Got You," Don Williams' "Atta Way To Go" and Jim Lauderdale's "Seems Like You're Gonna Take Me Back."

Burke and Parton team up for her "Tomorrow Is Forever," while the soul legend pairs with Harris on George Jones' "We're Gonna Hold On" and Loveless on "You're the Kind of Trouble."

"I feel like I've been at the university of country music," Burke told Billboard.com in April. "I'm just so proud and so grateful for what we've done here and all the guests helping out have been so good to me. This is the most exciting thing I've done in the 51-year history of my career."

[BlueChair]

The new album is out now and has been getting great reviews. Here's one from the Toronto weekly Now:

SOLOMON BURKE Nashville (Shout! Factory/Sony BMG) Rating: NNNNN

The undisputed king of rock 'n' soul has made some questionable recording choices in recent years, but Solomon Burke's decision to go to Music City to record a roots country session helmed by Buddy Miller proves a stroke of genius. The song selection -- including Tom T. Hall's That's How I Got To Memphis, George Jones's We're Gonna Hold On and Jim Lauderdale's Seems Like You're Gonna Take Me Back -- is perfectly suited to Burke's singing style and storytelling aesthetic. Special guests Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Gillian Welch and Patty Loveless have been invited for their vocal compatibility rather than their star power, and the songs themselves are the focal point here. Miller, with his impeccably tasteful touch, brings it all home with the easygoing swing of an afternoon front porch session. Like nothing you'll ever hear on country radio.

Tim Perlich
NOW | SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 4, 2006 | VOL. 26 NO. 4

[johnfoyle]

Good news for GW fans -

http://www.gillianwelch.com/pub/49/