Seasoned singer/songwriter Jim Lauderdale and bluegrass outfit the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys are set to release a new collaborative record. The Long and Lonesome Letting Go, due out September 15, melds the talents of two acts dedicated to preserving the genre’s roots.
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“Po’ Ramblin’ Boys just really speak to and resonate with me. I hear so much of the great traditional bluegrass sound in them, and it makes me so happy to see a younger band of their generation carrying the style forward so well,” Lauderdale says in a statement. “They’re all so great in what they all do, both individually and as a performing band. I’ve always been blown away by them, so I was just very excited that they were interested in collaborating with me.”
The project features 12 tracks penned by Lauderdale with a variety of co-writers, including Po’ Ramblin’ Boys guitarist Josh Rinkel, Joe Newberry, Logan Ledger, and Becky Buller. The Long and Lonesome Letting Go is Lauderdale’s first full-length project of 2023, following his thirty-fifth studio album, Game Changer.
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Fans can preview what’s to come by listening to the record’s lead single and title track, which features guest vocals from bluegrass pioneer Del McCoury. The energizing, plucky tune juxtaposes the artists’ incredible musicianship with mournful lyrics that meditate on heartbreak.
“I felt like that song ought to kick off the record, and somebody in Po’ Ramblin’ Boys said, ‘You know, Del would sound great on this,'” adds Lauderdale. “Of course! So we reached out, and luckily, he was available. It didn’t feel right to just have him on the chorus, so he and I switch off a few lines in the verses. I’d never gotten to record with Del before, so that was a real treat.”
Listen to Jim Lauderdale and the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys’ new single “Long and Lonesome Letting Go” featuring Del McCoury below:
The Long and Lonesome Letting Go Track List:
1. “Long and Lonesome Letting Go” (featuring Del McCoury)
2. “She’s on a Different Train”
3. “I’m Only So Good at Being Good”
4. “You Fell Off the Face of the Earth”
5. “Last Resort”
6. “Ghost of a Rose”
7. “Darkness Is the Other Side of Light”
8. “If I Could Only Get My Heart to See”
9. “That Was When We Were Together”
10. “A Better Place”
11. “She’s the Light”
12. “Drop the Hammer Down”
Photo by Scott Simontacchi,/ IVPR
