August 9, 2007

bettye lavette ft. drive-by truckers

In September (25) Anti Records is releasing a new album by Bettye LaVette. She is a soul legend who scored her first hit in 1962. In 1972 she recorded an album at my Dad's old studio that featured The Muscle Shoals Sound Rhythm Section. The album was supposed to come out on Atlantic Records and everyone seemed to think that it was going to be her long-awaited breakthrough. Instead the album was shelved for over 30 years, stalling her career and causing her much personal and professional anguish. When the album was finally released a few years ago, it was received as a lost soul classic and led to her current great fortunes and record deal with Anti (who also have released great albums by Tom Waits, Merle Haggard, Nick Cave, Mavis Staples and Porter Wagoner). Bettye LaVette's new album is called "The Scene of the Crime" and it was co-produced by David Barbe, myself and Bettye. For this record we took her back to Muscle Shoals (hence the title) where she was backed up by members of Drive-By Truckers along with my dad (David Hood) and legendary keyboardist Spooner Oldham. Work on this album led directly to Spooner's current involvement with DBT. We recorded it at the legendary FAME Studios there (where we had recorded much of The Dirty South). I am extremely proud of this album and can't wait for it to come out. -patterson hood
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i've been pretty excited about this collaboration since i first heard about it a couple months ago, & thought if the album sounds anything like former trucker jason isbell's recent (patterson hood produced) sirens of the ditch, i won't be disappointed...well, look's like i won't be...grabbed this don henley cover off stereogum a few days ago & it's fantastic...if you're interested in more bettye lavette, check out her excellent 2005 comeback album, i've got my own hell to raise & see her at the metro on sept. 22 as part of the estrojam festival...drive-by truckers are about 2/3 of the way through their next album & will be playing an acoustic show at the park west on oct. 22.
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related: another soul legend who's teamed up with a new producer is al green, currently working on a duets album with the root's questlove...according to green, "it's turning out to be like fresh cream, man, like fresh milk from the cow's titty, baby."...amazing.
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1 comment:

dg said...

that picture continues to creep me out