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To mark the 25th anniversary of both Tom Waits’ Mule Variations and the record label Anti, an unreleased “Spiritual” rendition of the standout “Get Behind the Mule” has been unearthed for the first time.

While the album version of “Get Behind the Mule” features a lineup of all-star musicians like guitarist Smokey Hormel, bassist Larry Taylor, harpist Charlie Musselwhite and percussionist Stephen Hodges, the “Spiritual” rendition — a variation on Variations, if you will — features Waits alone with his Wurlitzer electric piano, putting additional emphasis on the murder ballad lyrics penned...

(New York, New York – October 24, 2023) – Today, Grammy-award winning singer/songwriter/arranger/producer Yebba returns with the long-awaited beautifully-arranged new single bundle, ‘Waterfall (I Adore You),’ which had even hip-hop’s biggest star, Drake, requesting its release. The bundle also includes an alternate version featuring Sweata, all via RCA Records.

The 19-year-old church and New York-bred musician and R&b artist, producer & songwriter Sweata lends his soulful “boom bap infused” touch to the single, written by Yebba and co-penned with James Francies, Justin Tyson, Burniss Travis, Charles Myers and Malachi Mabson. This track is the first of new music to come since her live five-song EP, full of powerful recordings of songs from Yebba’s critically acclaimed, unbarred and honest debut album Dawn.

Her last EP saw her work with her band leader, James Francies on a cover of John Mayer’s “The Age of Worry.” With the critically lauded Mark Ronson producing the album,...

Eagles bassist Timothy B. Schmit has released a new song, “Cross That Line,” that addresses the MeToo Movement along with the narcissism of President Trump.

The first verse addresses a Harvey Weinstein-like “movie king” that uses his position to take advantage of young actresses. “He made promises of money and fame,” Schmit sings. “As he pulled down that blind/Then it finally happened, he met his match and he crossed that line.” The song then moves onto Trump. “He’s got a giant ego that barely fits,” he sings.

Bettye Lavette has released her bluesy new ballad “One More Song,” the latest single from the Blues Hall of Fame singer’s upcoming album Blackbirds.

“One More Song” was penned by long-time Leonard Cohen collaborator Sharon Robinson and features all-star session musicians like guitarist Smokey Hormel, keyboardist Leon Pendarvis, drummer Steve Jordan and bassist Tom Barney.

In June, Lavette released her cover of the Billie Holiday standard “Strange Fruit” in solidarity with the George Floyd protests and the Black Lives Matter movement.

“It really is horrifying that nearly 80 years later,...

“I know he doesn’t like this version,” Patti Smith said, with a grin, of Van Morrison before launching into her iconic transformation of “Gloria” for the finale of Thursday’s Carnegie Hall tribute to the Belfast singer. “But I’m thanking him anyway.”

The same could probably be said of many of the standout performances at this year’s edition of promoter Michael Dorf’s annual benefit tribute concert, which raised money to provide music education to underprivileged youth and gathered a wide, multi-generational group of artists — lifelong soul men,...

R.L. Burnside first recorded at age 40, remained obscure until 65, and was a legend at 75. Born on November 23, 1926 in Oxford, Mississippi, he spent most of his life in his rural native area, where he worked as a sharecropper as late as 1979, though he lived in Chicago and Memphis for short periods. His appearance in the Robert Mugge/Robert Palmer 1992 documentary movie and soundtrack album Deep Blues and his acclaimed 1994 Fat Possum album Too Bad Jim seemed to come out of nowhere to catch the attention of not only blues fans but also the underground rock crowd. But R.L. (pronounced "Rule" by his friends) had been on an Arhoolie compilation LP in 1967, and as his fame rose, several pre-Deep Blues albums reappeared with wider distribution.

Where did Burnside's striking style come from? The decline of the Mississippi sharecropping system and the region's subsequent economic slump led to many railroad lines being discontinued.