Jim Lauderdale With Elvis Costello On Austin City Limits, On New Willie Nelson CD, George Strait Single

Jim Lauderdale continues his role as a featured member of Elvis Costello's Sugarcanes band, performing in the current episode of Austin City Limits, airing now. Watch a song from the show here. Jim is featured on Elvis' latest CD, Secret, Profane & Sugarcane, and toured with him this last summer. Jim is also currently in the studio working with Willie Nelson on his upcoming CD which is being produced by T Bone Burnett. And George Strait's version of "Twang", co-written by Jim, is the title song of Strait's new CD and is climbing the charts. Catch Jim live on stage, please see Tour Dates >>

Duke Robillard and Sunny Crownover will release a new CD, Tales From The Tiki Lounge, on November 17, 2009.  Conceived as a tribute to Les Paul and Mary Ford, it is also a concept lounge music CD.  It encompasses blues to standards, vintage tunes from movies to South American pop from the 40s and 50s, all recorded in the sprit of Les Paul, featuring Duke's orchestral approach to his guitar tracks and the wonderfully warm vocals of Sunny Crownover.  This release is Duke's third collaboration with Sunny this year.  Duke says of the new CD: "I want to transport people to an age when music had beautiful melodies and a genuine feel-good quality."  See Duke live on stage, including the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise in January, please see Tour Dates >>

Bettye LaVette & Allen Toussaint Featured In Tributes To Jerry Wexler, Janis Joplin

Bettye LaVette and Allen Toussaint were featured performers in a memorial tribute to Jerry Wexler in New York City on October 30, 2009. Wexler, who coined the term "rhythm and blues," was a legendary producer and executive at Atlantic Records who signed Bettye in 1962 when she was 16. She performed a searing take on Ray Charles' "Drown In My Own Tears." Allen Toussaint performed his composition "With You in Mind," with Bonnie Raitt providing vocal support.

Bettye will also be featured performing at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame event, Kozmic Blues: The Life and Music of Janis Joplin on November 14, 2009 in Cleveland, OH. The tribute will be a reflection on the career of Janis Joplin and her impact on rock and roll. Susan Tedeschi, Lucinda Williams, Nona Hendryx, Guy Clark, Ray Benson and more are also featured.

Catch Bettye and Allen live on stage, please see Tour Dates - Bettye Lavette >>  Allen Toussaint >>

Pieta Brown's "You're My Lover Now" To Be Featured On KCRW Wednesday 11/4/09

Pieta Brown's "You're My Lover Now" will be the featured KCRW Today's Top Tune on Wednesday 11/4/09.  The song will be available for download and podcast on the KCRW website. "You're My Lover Now" closes Pieta's new album Shimmer (out 11/10/09), which was produced by Don Was (Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Rolling Stones).  Don Was calls Pieta "a great singer/songwriter who possesses major star power magnetism." His vision was to record Pieta with her songs and voice, "unadorned" and full center.  Catch Pieta on tour throughout 2009 and into 2010 - please see Tour Dates >>