69 corvette

Jonathan Wilson announces Dixie Blur

Posted on by danielle

Today, Jonathan Wilson announces his new album Dixie Blur, released 6th march via Bella Union in the UK / Europe (BMG in North America) and available to preorder here. The critically-acclaimed artist, multi-instrumentalist and producer (Father John Misty, Laura Marling, Dawes) spent most of 2017-18 on Roger Waters’ epic US+THEM tour as musical director, guitarist and vocalist, singing the David Gilmour leads. Following the tour, Wilson chose to temporarily leave his Los Angeles-based home and studio and head to Nashville to work with a revered group of musicians and co-producer Pat Sansone of Wilco, to create Dixie Blur, his most personal, accessible and fully-realised work to date.

Listen to the tracks “So Alive” and “Korean Tea” to appreciate Wilson’s sonic vision for Dixie Blur. The video for the recently released “69 Corvette” features in-studio footage of the recording, but more importantly includes personal home movies from his upbringing that help illustrate the narrative of Dixie Blur.  The North Carolina native moved to LA 15 years ago where he became an integral part of the music community as a respected artist and producer. It was there he recorded and played most of the instruments on his celebrated albums Gentle Spirit (2011), Fanfare (2013) and Rare Birds (2018), building each project over time, piece by piece.

Wilson chose a completely different path for Dixie Blur in both writing and recording. The songs hark back to his Southern roots, both musically and personally. The multi-talented artist went to Nashville to record at Cowboy Jack Clement’s legendary Sound Emporium Studio and worked with a core group of exceptional players that included Mark O’Connor (fiddle), Kenny Vaughan (guitar) Dennis Crouch (bass), Russ Pahl (pedal steel) and Jim Hoke (harmonica, woodwinds), Jon Radford (drums), and Drew Erickson (keyboards). Wilson and company recorded everything together live with very few overdubs, a full 360 from his past methods. Jonathan then mixed the record at Jackson Browne’s Groovemasters Studio. The result is a stunning album filled with warm, thoughtful, melody-rich songs that have an immediate impact upon first hearing and continueto grow with further listening.

Jonathan Wilson masterfully strikes a balance as he reaches back to the musical foundation of his upbringing while simultaneously moving forward by infusing the music with modern textures and aesthetic soundscapes, thus producing in the aptly titled, Dixie Blur. 

Wilson has announced a 10–date full band European tour in late March / early April which includes a headline performance at London’s new Lafayette venue. Full tour dates can be found here.

Fans can order limited edition bundle versions of Dixie Blur, which include an engraved zippo lighter and hemp rolling papers. In addition to this, there is also limited edition Dixie Blur guitar pick packs available to order.

Jonathan Wilson shares ’69 Corvette

Posted on by danielle

Having recently shared the track “So Alive” from a new album due for release in Spring next year, today Jonathan Wilson premieres a video to new single “69 Corvette.” of the track Wilson says: “‘69 corvette’ is a tune I wrote in a few of the hundred hotel rooms I was in the past few years, on the bigrocktour. I realised somewhere deep in Latvia that I was missing my home, my family, the woods in North Carolina, the whole process of growing up. I missed my family, the feeling, the preaching. This is my ode to them. The song was recorded live with the band at Sound Emporium in Nashville. It’s the first tune I recorded with my new pal Mark O Connor. Enjoy…”

Wilson will be coming to the UK early next year for some special live appearances. On 26th January he will be one of the main performers at Born To Run: A 70th Birthday Tribute to Bruce Springsteen at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall as part of Celtic Connections. Other performers on the bill include Irish folk-pop songstress Lisa Hannigan and The Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn. This will be followed at the end of January by the Americana UK Awards in London at which Wilson will be the bandleader. More info on this will follow soon.

Jonathan Wilson spent most of 2018 on the road, away from home supporting Rare Birds as well as performing in Roger Waters’ Us + Them band as singer/guitarist. The homesickness he felt from being away so long was not for his home and studio in Los Angeles, but a deeper feeling. He missed the South. He missed home. Jonathan was born and raised in North Carolina. When Jonathan finally did return to LA, it was to pack up his LA home and studio. With nowhere to work in LA and over 20 songs, he flew to Nashville to make a record that would help Wilson recapture his innate love of American music. The music he would play with his dad and his dad’s friends as a kid growing up in the South surrounded by bluegrass, country, and more. He recruited his favourite – and some of the most legendary – session players to join him including Mark O’Connor, Dennis Crouch, Kenny Vaughn, Jim Hoke, Russ Pahl, Pat Sansone and Jon Radford, and recorded everything live. The as–yet–untitled album is slated for release in Spring 2020.