Keeping the Blues Alive RecordsRock ‘n’ roll and doo-wop legend Dion DiMucci has recruited a star-packed lineup of artists to collaborate with him on a new album titled Blues with Friends, which will be released on June 5.
The album, which features 14 original blues tunes co-written by Dion, features contributions from Bruce Springsteen and wife Patti Scialfa, Paul Simon, Van Morrison, Jeff Beck, ZZ Top‘s Billy Gibbons, Stray Cats‘ Brian Setzer, E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt and more.
“I wanted an album of songs that were strong and memorable and told stories that were worth telling,” Dion says of Blues with Friends. He adds that to accomplish his goal, “I needed to round up the best guitarists and musicians alive and pick them from every generation, every variation of blues.”
The album features liner notes by Bob Dylan, who writes, “Dion knows how to sing, and he knows just the right way to craft these songs, these blues songs. He’s got some friends here to help him out, some true luminaries. But in the end, it’s Dion by himself alone, and that masterful voice of his that will keep you returning to share these Blues songs with him.”
Other artists who lent their talents to Blues with Friend include the respected blues musicians Joe Bonamassa, John Hammond, Joe Louis Walker, Sonny Landreth and Rory Block.
In the weeks leading up to the record’s June 5 arrival, Dion will release one new track each Friday, digitally and via streaming services. The first song, which arrived today, is the album’s lead track, “Blues Comin’ On,” featuring a guest appearance from Bonamassa.
Blues with Friends can be pre-ordered now, and is available on CD, as a two-LP vinyl set and digitally.
Here’s the album’s full track list:
“Blues Comin’ On” — featuring Joe Bonamassa
“Kickin’ Child” — featuring Joe Menza
“Uptown Number 7” — featuring Brian Setzer
“Can’t Start Over Again” — featuring Jeff Beck
“My Baby Loves to Boogie” — featuring John Hammond
“I Got Nothin'” — featuring Van Morrison & Joe Louis Walker
“Stumbling Blues” — featuring Jimmy & Jerry Vivino
“Bam Bang Boom” — featuring Billy Gibbons
“I Got the Cure” — featuring Sonny Landreth
“Song for Sam Cooke (Here in America)” — featuring Paul Simon
“What If I Told You” — featuring Samantha Fish
“Told You Once in August” — featuring John Hammond & Rory Block
“Way Down (I Won’t Cry No More)” — featuring Stevie Van Zandt
“Hymn to Him” — featuring Patti Scialfa & Bruce Springsteen
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