Blind Boys of
Alabama Guitarist Sam Butler Exults His Audience to Raise Your Hands! On
First Solo CD, Due October 16 on Severn Records
Americana
Compilation of Bluesy Spirituals Penned by Secular Artists Shines the Spotlight
on His Many Talents
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Severn Records announces an October 16
release date for Raise Your Hands!, the first solo recording from
Blind Boys of Alabama guitarist Sam Butler. Produced by Brian Brinkerhoff
(Guitar Shorty, Jazz Soul 7), the even-dozen tracks on Raise Your Hands!
showcase the splendid talents of Butler, whose guitar work has been a
staple of The Blind Boys of Alabama for over 40 years.
Sam Butler’s solo debut puts his own spin on an Americana
compilation of bluesy spirituals written by some of the most important and compelling artists and
songwriters of the last fifty years of rock and roll (Bruce Springsteen,
U2, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Johnny Cash, Tom Waits, etc.), with some
righteous results. Butler’s resume also includes work with Keith Richards,
Steely Dan’s Donald Fagan and gospel legend Clarence Fountain, and he can
currently be seen in the critically-acclaimed play, The Gospel at Colonus.
On Raise Your Hands, Butler is joined by an impressive list of
stellar musicians, including Sacred Steel virtuoso Roosevelt Collier, drummer
Marco Giovino (Robert Plant, Tom Jones) and bassist Viktor Kraus (Lyle Lovett,
Bill Frisell).
“I wanted to make a bluesy and rootsy album of spiritual
songs originally performed by traditionally secular artists,” says producer
Brian Brinkerhoff about the recording sessions. “Having been familiar with
Sam’s roots and gospel work with The Blind Boys of Alabama and Clarence
Fountain, I approached him with the idea and we quickly enlisted an A-list team
of players to join Sam on this musical adventure. Esteemed Sacred Steel player
Roosevelt Collier was an obvious choice to bring his lap steel virtuosity; and
when Nashville’s first call rhythm section of drummer Marco Giovino and bassist
Viktor Kraus became available, a dynamic three-day musical worship service of
sorts took place in Nashville, with the results being Raise Your Hands!”
You can tell a
lot by the company that one keeps. Following this logic, it’s clear that
Sam Butler is an incredibly important and dynamic artist. When legendary
Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards and his producer Steve Jordan wanted to
add some truth to Richard’s 1989 solo album, Talk Is Cheap, they
called on Sam to “moan” on a track. Steely Dan main man Donald Fagan was so
moved by Sam's soulful stirrings and guitar playing in the much-lauded play, The
Gospel at Colonus, he has been a collaborator, friend and fan of Sam’s
for more than 20 years. And of course, The Blind Boys of Alabama have enjoyed
the support of Sam’s guitar playing for more than 40 years, a position that he
apprenticed for by accompanying his father, influential guitarist Samuel Butler
Sr., on the road with The Blind Boys of Mississippi, beginning at the age of
four.
Raise Your Hands! is a 12-song celebration that runs the gamut of
energy and emotions - from the rollicking up-tempo to the quiet and
introspective - and Butler delivers the performances of a lifetime. Raise
Your Hands! will certainly make you do just that … and move your body
and shout out loud! From Sam Butler’s lips to God’s ears.
Raise Your Hands! Track List
1.
Heaven’s
Wall 3:55 (B.
Springsteen)
2.
The
Lord 2:41 (B.
Gibb, M. Gibb)
3.
Lead
Me Father 2:51
(J. Cash)
4.
Presence
of the Lord 4:21
(E. Clapton)
5.
Gospel
Train 2:52 (T.
Waits)
6.
Magnificent 3:34 (A. Clayton, B. Eno, D.
Evans, P. Hewson, D. Lanois, L. Mullen)
7.
Full
Force Gale 6:17
(V. Morrison)
8.
All
His Saints 3:50
(M. Smith)
9.
God’s
Hotel 3:47 (N.
Cave, P. Kelly)
10. Wherever You Leadeth 4:14 (C. Mayfield)
11. Long Black Cadillac 4:30 (R. Halligan)
12. Sanctuary 4:23 (E. Gilkyson)
