LEVON HELM RETURNS WITH ELECTRIC DIRT
ON
JUNE 30, 2009
THIS NEW CD IS A FOLLOW UP TO THE GRAMMY-WINNING RELEASE DIRT FARMER
ORDER NOW!!
"Electric Dirt" has received a Grammy Nomination for
Best Americana Album of 2009.
Electric Dirt
again finds Levon steeped in tradition, in his connection to the land and those
who live by it. At the same time, he paints a broader musical canvas by
incorporating gospel, blues and soul into a wide range of original compositions
and eclectic cover songs. “Our objective here was to take the honesty, innocence
and purity of the Dirt Farmer record, which represents a true element of
what Levon is all about, but also expand on that and explore deeper the gold
mine of Levon’s musical artistry,” said Campbell.
Electric Dirt
starts with a rousing rendition of The Grateful Dead’s “Tennessee Jed,” moving
on to a beautiful, stripped-down version of Happy Traum’s “Golden Bird.”
“Growing Trade,” written by Levon Helm and Larry Campbell, tells a heartfelt
story of a farmer’s struggle to preserve his livelihood. The rousing horn
arrangements by Allen Toussaint and the Levon Helm Band on “Kingfish,” written
by Randy Newman, brings the swagger of New Orleans to the forefront.
In 2007, after overcoming seemingly
insurmountable odds, Levon released Dirt Farmer, his first solo recording
in twenty five years, which went on to win a Grammy for “Best Traditional Folk
Album.” The San Francisco Chronicle said, “This album is nothing less
than a return to form by one of the most soulful vocalists in rock history.”
Rolling Stone went on further to hail Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble as
“2008’s Best Jam Session” and the same year, Levon received the “Artist of the
Year” award from the Americana Music Association.
Management: Barbara O’Brien
Track Listing:
1) Tennessee Jed
2) Move Along Train
3) Growing Trade
4) Golden Bird
5) Stuff You Gotta Watch
6) White Dove
7) Kingfish
8) You Can’t Lose What You Ain’t Never Had
9) When I Go Away
10) Heaven’s Pearls
11) I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel To Be Free
Levon Helm’s first solo, studio recording in 25 years,
Grammy Award Winning,
Dirt Farmer, was released to the public on October 30, through Dirt Farmer Music LLC in
conjunction with Vanguard Records. Levon sings and plays drums, guitar and
mandolin on the CD, accompanied by Larry Campbell on guitars and fiddle, and the
voices of Amy Helm and Teresa Williams. The record explores songs Levon learned
as a boy in Arkansas and others in that style.
“Growing up on a cotton farm in the Arkansas Delta, Dirt Farmer rings true to
home,” Levon said. “Amy encouraged me to go all the way back and try to record
some of the family songs from home that we always loved best.”
The record reveals the essential beauty of traditional songs like “Little Birds”
and the Stanley Brothers’ “False Hearted Lover Blues,” and takes a new look at
Paul Kennerley’s “A Train Robbery,” Buddy and Julie Miller’s “Wide River To
Cross” and another sentimental favorite, Lauralyn Dossett’s “Anna Lee.”
Levon said: “‘The Girl I Left Behind’ was one of the first songs my parents
taught me as a child, along with ‘Little Birds’and ‘Blind Child.’ ‘The Poor Old
Dirt Farmer’ by Tracy Schwarz, is a song that my wood-carver musician friend Michael Copus and I
learned together when we worked with Jane Fonda on The Dollmaker down in
Tennessee. ‘Single Girl, Married Girl’ is one of my favorite songs of the whole
session. It gave us the chance to address a traditional standard with the entire
rhythm section using non-electric instruments and a full set of drums. It also
gave us the chance to monkey up the rhythm of a traditional country beat.”
The tracks are elevated by the musicianship of Brian Mitchell on piano and
accordion, Byron Isaacs on bass, Glenn Patscha on pump organ and George Receli’s
percussion. Buddy and Julie Miller contribute backing vocals on Steve Earle’s
“The Mountain.”
A short film inspired by and featuring music from Levon Helm's GRAMMY Award winning album Dirt Farmer. Features: "Calvary" (Byron Isaacs); (BMI) "Poor Old Dirt Farmer" (Tracy Schwarz); Traditon Music Co., (ASCAP) "False Hearted Lover Blues" (Trad, arrangement by Levon Helm, Larry Campbell); Dirt Farmer Music, Talkhouse Music (BMI) "Got Me a Woman" (Paul Kennerley); Irving Music (BMI)
Dirt Farmer
The music video for "Poor Old
Dirt Farmer," from the album DIRT FARMER, in stores now.
"Poor Old Dirt Farmer"
(Tracy Schwartz); Traditon Music Co., (ASCAP)
