From:
http://levonhelm.com/dfm/index.htm
Levon Helm's first record in more than a decade, Dirt Farmer, will be
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' 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 musician****p 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."
The CD will be available to the general public on October 30. But to
mark this milestone in his career, Levon will offer his longtime
sup****ters and fans the op****tunity to purchase it six weeks early
through a limited edition offer at the LHS website. The $300 package
will include one of 1,000 numbered, autographed Dirt Farmer CDs, a
Dirt Farmer T-****rt, and two Midnight Ramble tickets good for any show
at Levon Helm Studios in 2007 or 2008. The CDs will be ****pped on
September 15. When you receive your order, check our website for
Ramble dates, then call (845-679-2744) or email Geanine,
(Geanine@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
) when you're ready to schedule.
If you have already been a guest at the Barn, make plans to come back!
And if you haven't experienced a Ramble yet, this may be the golden
op****tunity.
--
jh
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