Son Volt (the band that Wilco could have been) have a new album ‘Day Of The Doug’, coming out June 16th via Transmit Sound/Thirty Tigers. It’s a themed album of carefully chosen covers celebrating the musical genius of Doug Sahm. As Jay Farrar explains, it doesn’t go for all the obvious choices: “My mode of picking the songs was primarily to celebrate the ones that I thought were overlooked.”
Farrar had a personal connection with Sahm, both as a friend and mentor. Sahm sang with Farrar on the final Uncle Tupelo album, ‘Anodyne’ (1993), as they recorded an exceptional rendition of his classic song ‘Give Back the Key to My Heart.‘ Day Of The Doug opens and closes with personal messages left by Sahm on the Son Volt leader’s answering machine. “It’s like reconnecting with a hero,” says Farrar. “And getting back to the same kind of perspective I had when I was starting out as a younger musician. I think it’s just important to step back from what you normally do. Take stock. Take inspiration. And see where it leads from there.”
Son Volt will be touring later this year playing songs from this album as well as ‘Trace‘ in full – to celebrate the 28th year since its release. It’s a big tour, but it’s all in the States, more’s the pity.
By the time the 70s arrived, Doug Sahm already had several careers behind him. The original Texas cosmic cowboy, Sahm was a child prodigy (allegedly appearing on stage with Hank Williams aged just 11, back in 1952), proficient on guitar, fiddle and mandolin and he parlayed this talent into a…
Doug Sahm, AKA Sir Douglas, AKA Doug Saldana, AKA Wayne Douglas, a man of many names and one of the prime movers in concocting what we nowadays call Americana. The embodiment of Texas music, a child prodigy, Sahm made his debut stage appearance, aged 11, when he appeared with Hank…
Good interview here which muses what Woody Guthrie would think about world events unfurling today. Rolling Stone Country reports: ""The title is obviously a nod to the blues, which ended up becoming the framework of this entire record," states singer-guitarist Jay Farrar about Son Volt's adventurous new album Notes of Blue.…
Sure, I could climb high in a tree, or go to Skye on my holiday. I could be happy. All I really want is the excitement of first hearing The Byrds, the amazement of decades of Dylan's music, or the thrill of seeing a band like The Long Ryders live. That's not much to ask, is it?
