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‘Nina’s Back’, the 1985 album from Nina Simone, was released digitally on Monday, with new artwork, for the first time, on Verve Records. Recorded after a break from recording and time spent living in Barbados and Liberia, ‘Nina’s Back’ features a rejuvenated Nina Simone reaching out to a wider musical audience. And yes, the cover shows a photo of Nina’s back!

In honor of Lou Reed’s birthday, Keith Richards has recorded a cover of “I’m Waiting for the Man.” The digital single is featured on the upcoming album The Power of the Heart: A Tribute to Lou Reed, which includes newly recorded covers from Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Rufus Wainwright, Lucinda Williams, Maxim Ludwig & Angel Olsen, Rickie Lee Jones, Mary Gauthier, Bobby Rush, Automatic, The Afghan Whigs, and Rosanne Cash. This special collection will be released on Record Store Day (4/20). “To me, Lou stood out. The real deal! Something important to American music and to ALL MUSIC! I miss him and his dog.” - Keith Richards

Arranged by Jack Nitzsche, produced by Mick Jagger. This was released as a single in 1968. The B-side was "Sister Morphine". The song, with Charlie Watts' introduction, appears on the 1968 The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus video.

‘Fusing country and música Mexicana, two genres that are more similar than different (for starters both center on storytelling and live instruments), this regional/country collaboration works. Says León about Brown, “He’s the link for our genre and country music to happen.” Brown says, “I’ve always been the outcast in country music and I feel that my song with Carin will open more doors.”

A posthumous duet between Hope Sandoval and Glen Campbell that reimagines his song “The Long Walk Home” has been released as the latest preview of the upcoming album Glen Campbell Duets – Ghost on the Canvas Sessions, which arrives on April 19th. It also features contributions from Brian Wilson, Carole King, Dolly Parton, Elton John, Dave Stewart and a host of others. This song was written about the late singer’s battle with Alzheimer’s.

First solo album by Grace. Quicksilver Messenger Services' David Freiberg co-wrote this with her. That’s Craig Chaquico playing that fiery lead guitar. A reviewer says of this album, it’s a ‘striking picture of Grace Slick as the debutante turned hippy being as musically radical as possible.’

They call themselves a ‘red dirt country band from Austin’. Their 4th album is named after the northern winds that blow across Texas during the winter. Per a reviewer at Glide mag: "This is heady stuff with a band that takes plenty of chances...they are now poised to reap the rewards of their signature mix of country, Americana, Southern rock, folk, flat-out rock, and whatever else you want to mix into their stew." They’ll be featured on CBS Saturday Morning on March 30th.

Klezgrass. This one word may best describe the vast musical world of Asheville, NC duo Natalya Zoe Weinstein and John Cloyd Miller, who go by their middle names, Zoe & Cloyd. Says Zoe, ‘These two unnamed tunes from my grandfather’s notebook (they were labeled simply Hora and Bulgar) highlight the syncopated “klezmer clave” rhythm. The clave rhythm is fundamental to many styles of Latin music, particularly Cuban music, and this rhythm is also common in klezmer music. Incidentally, my grandfather spent several years playing music in Argentina before being allowed entry to the US, so he likely picked up some Latin influences.’

Jarosz’s 7th full-length album, she began writing the album after she relocated from New York City to Nashville. “I never like to think about genre,” she says. “It’s too claustrophobic to think about music in that way.” Sarah will be at the Sinclair in Cambridge on May 3.

The debut solo album by the singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Recorded at Olympic Sound, London, September 1969. ‘With Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts holding down the rhythm section on the appropriately titled "Roll Away the Stone," Leon ends with the sound of pure gospel rock.' Steve Winwood on keyboards. Engineered and mixed by Glyn Johns.

Giddens’ first album of all original songs, written over the course of her career. An ’inclusive spirit channels through all of her work.’ She is accompanied here by the band I saw her perform with last week here in Worcester: Italian multi-instrumentalist Francesco Turrisi plus American fiddler Dirk Powell, bassist Jason Sypher, and Congolese guitarist Niwel Tsumbu.

“St. James Infirmary”, also known as "Gambler's Blues", that emerged, like many others, from folk traditions. Rube Bloom was a self-taught pianist and in 1919 found work as an accompanist for vaudeville shows. He played for dance bands and jazz groups, and was a significant novelty ragtime composer and pianist. He recorded with many performers. His own group, the Bayou Boys, included Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, and Adrian Rollini. This was recorded in 1930. Roy Evans did the vocal.

The album’s been described as ‘a character-driven song cycle built around two women having a love affair in 1940s New York City’, ‘a sonic work of historical fiction about forbidden love set against war-torn, socially-staid 1940’s America.’

describes the inner life and outer reality of a border guard. Said Rolling Stone of this song, it’s "more humanist than political, but no less tragic because of it."

Thanks to Alex Salcedo of MassBike for coming in to share info on the new opportunity to get an e-bike. Applications accepted thru 3/31/24. www.massbike.org/ebikeworcester.

Hat Check Girl is the collaboration between Annie Gallup and Peter Gallway. They’ve been working together for the past 14 years.

Recorded in Dallas, 1927 for the Columbia label. The exact nature of the instruments he played is uncertain, being identified only as "novelty accompaniment" on the label. But these unusual instruments were made by Phillips himself from broken discarded ones. Phillips' name for these instruments was a "manzarene".

Inspired by the earth Mother, who births us, sustains us, and to which we all return. This is the first track ever co-produced by Elexa Dawson and Stanley Hotel. Originally recorded in 2018, it was included with this collection as the original inspiration for the animistic themes the group continued to pursue, eventually culminating in Wanderlust. Stanley Hotel is Adam Stanley, Isaac Nelson, and Doug Swindell, all Oklahomans, as is Elexa. They all descended on Remote Records, a wonderfully weird compound in Oklahoma’s red dirt country, for this album.

Described as a ‘Northern Canadian roots-rocker-with-heart’, Sutherland is from Attawapiskat First Nation, an isolated Cree First Nation located in Kenora District in northern Ontario. He has become an inspiration for Indigenous communities across Canada. Recorded in the heart of Nashville, “Precious Diamonds” is a collaborative effort between Sutherland and Grammy-winning producer Colin Linden. The album reminds us of the power of art to heal, unite, and inspire change.

Slide guitar by Sister Bonnie Raitt. "A trip to Memphis Minnie's grave site in Walls, Mississippi inspired this project, ‘Richland Woman Blues’. Maria Muldaur celebrates one of the most profound inspirations of American music - the early blues of the 1920's and 30's. On this self-produced album, she collaborates with many of her contemporaries, all of whom she considers 'keepers of the flame'.”

One of those classic call-and-response style duets made famous by Dolly and Kenny and George and Tammy. Sam Beam, the song’s writer, says of Fiona’s contribution, “Her voice is a miracle that sounds like both a sacrifice and a weapon at the same time.” Iron & Wine will be at the Roadrunner in Boston on Aug. 11.

The Boxcar Lilies combine ‘3-part harmony and savvy songwriting’. This track is a call-to-action to fight the injustice of mountain top removal coal-mining.

R.L. Burnside’s grandson, carrying on the Hill Country Blues tradition. When Cedric prepared to record this album, he set up shop in a former legal office located in a row of structures in the seat of Tippah County, a town with 5,000 residents that’s known as the birthplace of the Hill Country Blues style. “That building was actually going to be my juke joint. Everything was made out of wood, which made the sound resonate like a big wooden box,” said Burnside. He called up producer Luther Dickinson (co-founder of the North Mississippi Allstars and the son of legendary Memphis producer/musician Jim Dickinson), who brought recording equipment into the empty space. “We recorded in the middle of a bunch of rubbish – wood everywhere and garbage cans,” Burnside says. “We just laid everything out the way and recorded the album right there.”

1965 single

Marianne Faithfull and band in rehearsal for upcoming Bottomline shows in 1995. Recorded for the WFUV Radio Show, Vin Scelsa's "Idiot's Delight".

From the “Mad Dogs & Englishmen tour”, 1970. More than 30 musicians, including pianist and bandleader Leon Russell, three drummers, and backing vocalists Rita Coolidge and Claudia Lennear. The band was christened "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" by Denny Cordell after the Noël Coward song of the same name.