Exclusive Premiere: Hear Steve Earle’s Moving Rendition of “Sister Angelina” from the Forthcoming David Olney Tribute Album

Last month, New West Records announced Can’t Steal My Fire: The Songs of David Olney. The tribute collection features the late singer/songwriter‘s songs as interpreted by a laundry list of great country and Americana artists. Along with the announcement, the label shared two singles—“Illegal Cargo” recorded by Townes Van Zandt, and “If My Eyes Were Blind” recorded by the Steeldrivers. Today, American Songwriter is proud to premiere the next sample from the collection. Hear Steve Earle’s take on “Sister Angelina” below.

Can’t Steal My Fire will drop on October 18. The 17-track collection will be available across digital platforms as well as a variety of physical media. It will be available on CD and a 2-LP vinyl pressing housed in a gatefold cover. All physical copies are available for pre-order now via New West Records.

[RELATED: New West Records Announces David Olney Tribute Album Featuring Townes Van Zandt, Lucinda Williams, More]

Steve Earle on “Sister Angelina”

Steve Earle isn’t just an artist that the label tapped to record one of Olney’s songs. He has been a fan of the late singer/songwriter for years. Additionally, Earle co-wrote the liner notes for Can’t Steal My Fire. In those notes, he revealed his connection to the song “Sister Angelina.”

“…I became positively evangelical about the songs of David Olney and I preached the gospel to anyone who would listen,” Earle wrote of the songsmith. About his recording of “Sister Angelina,” Earle said “I’ve played it literally hundreds of times… and I’ll continue to play it whenever I need to be reminded of where I come from as an artist and why the bar for my contemporaries and myself is so high. Because David Olney was the best of us.”

Can’t Steal My Fire Tracklist

1. “Deeper Well”—Lucinda Williams
2. “Sister Angelina”—Steve Earle
3. “Voices on the Water”—The McCrary Sisters
4. “Jerusalem Tomorrow”—Buddy Miller
5. “If My Eyes Were Blind”—The Steeldrivers
6. “Women Cross the River”—Willis Alan Ramsey
7. “1917”—Mary Gauthier
8. “Always the Stranger”—R.B. Morris
9. “If It Wasn’t for the Wind”—Jimmy Dale Gilmore
10. “Running From Love”—Anana Kaye
11. “That’s My Story”—Greg Brown
12. “Sonnet #40”—David Olney
13. “Titanic”—Afton Wolfe
14. “Steal My Thunder”—Dave Alvin & the Rick Holmstrom Trio
15. “Delta Blue”—Jim Lauderdale
16. “She’s Alone Tonight”—Janis Ian
17. “Illegal Cargo”—Townes Van Zandt

Featured Image by Danny Clinch