Jethro Tull:The String Quartets Album Hits # 1

This week Ian Anderson reached the number one position again in the Billboard Classical Album charts with his new collaboration with the Carducci String Quartet, JETHRO TULL: THE STRING QUARTETS. Previously, his album DIVINITIES topped the Billboard Classical charts in 1995. In 1973 A Passion Play and, before that, 1972’s THICK AS A BRICK both hit number one in the Billboard Album charts. Those are number one hits every 22 years.

In addition to classical charts, JETHRO TULL: THE STRING QUARTETS debuted at #16 on the Independent charts, and #80 on Billboard’s album chart.

In the UK, JETHRO TULL: THE STRING QUARTETS entered at #2 on Classical, #56 on Album, and #6 for Independent.

THE STRING QUARTETS (track listing below) features 12 re-imagined Tull classics, allowing Tull fans and classical music connoisseurs to enjoy the band's vast catalog in a new way. 

Indie Super Group Bnqt (Midlake, Band Of Horses, Franz Ferdinand, Grandaddy, Travis) Premiere "Unlikely Force"

BNQT, a new indie super group conceived and led by Eric Pulido of Midlake, have debuted new track “Unlikely Force,” featuring Band Of Horses’ Ben Bridwell on vocals. The track comes from their “sumptuous, immensely pleasurable” (Uncut) debut album ‘Volume 1,’ set for release on April 28 via Dualtone, an Entertainment One company. Listen to the wistful, Unlikely Force, via https://soundcloud.com/dualtone/unlikely-force-1

Says Pulido: "Unlikely Force was the first of all the album tunes that we worked on and a guinea pig of sorts. We wanted a lush 70s feel good vibe and Ben's song was a perfect foundation to build upon that ultimately set the precedent for what was to come!"

BNQT just came back from SXSW, where they were named an Artist To Watch by KCRW and praised by Billboard for their “rich, lush and harmony-drenched pop songs.” Yahoo! Music called their SXSW set “a smashing success.”

Listen: Yo-Yo Ma, Chris Thile, Edgar Meyer Share New "Bach Trios" Track

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma, mandolinist Chris Thile, and bassist Edgar Meyer have shared their recording of J.S. Bach's Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 645, from their forthcoming album, Bach Trios, releasing April 7. You can hear it below.

Bach Trios comprises works by J.S. Bach originally written for keyboard instruments, plus one sonata for viola da gamba. In 2011, Ma, Thile, and Meyer—along with Stuart Duncan—collaborated on The Goat Rodeo Sessions, which won two Grammy Awards. The trio, which played Bach on the Thile–hosted radio program A Prairie Home Companion in December, performs in nine cities across the US beginning on April 21.

Sheryl Crows Returns With "Be Myself"

Multi-platinum-selling singer, songwriter, and musician Sheryl Crow will release a new album,

entitled Be Myself, on April 21st via Warner Bros. Records.         Be Myself, her ninth studio album and the first album for the label is available for pre-order now.   A video for “Halfway There” has been created utilizing cut-out animation style which presents the songs lyrical questions through a whimsical Monty Python-esque satirical imagery. View below from B&T. 

Crow celebrated the announcement of her new album by playing to an absolutely packed house at a rare, surprise club show at West Hollywood’s intimate Troubadour last week where the lucky crowd was treated to a handful of new tracks from Be Myself, along with several fan favorites. She also announced her upcoming tour dates for early summer.

Outlaw: Celebrating The Music Of Waylon Jennings Releases in April

 Blackbird Presents, CMT, and Sony Legacy have announced the audio/video release of Outlaw: Celebrating The Music Of Waylon Jennings. A collection of music's legendary Outlaws and rising  superstars came together for a once-in-a-lifetime concert event taping in Austin, Texas at ACL Live at The Moody Theater to celebrate the songs of music legend Waylon Jennings. On Friday, April 7, 2017, Sony Legacy will release the concert film as a CD/DVD combo which is available for immediate preorder at baker-taylor.com

Outlaw: Celebrating The Music Of Waylon Jennings features captivating performances, in-depth interviews, and compelling behind-the-scenes footage with Willie Nelson, Eric Church, Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, Kris Kristofferson, Toby Keith, Alison Krauss, Kacey Musgraves, Ryan Bingham, Jamey Johnson, Lee Ann Womack, Shooter Jennings, Buddy Miller, Jessi Colter, Robert Earl Keen, and Bobby Bare.

The project was created by Keith Wortman and Mark Rothbaum, along with legendary Outlaws and musicians Jessi Colter and Shooter Jennings. Colter and Jennings also delivered their own heart-melting performances that evening in honor of Waylon's music.  

Willie Nelson Premieres 13 Stellar New Songs on "God's Problem Child"

Legacy Recordings, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release God's Problem Child,

Willie Nelson's new studio album (and 9th for the label), on Friday, April 28.

An album of all-new recordings, God's Problem Child adds 13 new songs to the artist's repertoire, including seven recently written by Willie and Buddy Cannon, his longtime collaborator and producer. The album is Willie's first to debut all-new songs since Band of Brothers (his 4th Legacy release) reached #1 on the Billboard Country chart and #5 on the Billboard 200 in 2014.

Willie's 7th Legacy collection, Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin is currently in the running for a Grammy Award in the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album category. The album debuted at #1 on both the Top Current Jazz chart and the Top Traditional Jazz chart following its release in February 2016. Nelson has won 11 Grammys over the course of his career.

Ray Davies Returns with April's "Americana" Album

This April 21st, Ray Davies will release his first new album in over nine years – ‘Americana’ – via
Legacy Recordings (a division of Sony Music Entertainment). The 15-track set of originals serves as a master-crafted return for one of the most acclaimed and iconic songwriters of the past 50 years, and follows Davies’ 2013 memoir of the same name, using the book as both source material and creative catalyst. Davies enlisted The Jayhawks as backing band, and recorded the album in London at Konk, the studio founded by The Kinks in 1973.

Album highlight “Poetry” is streaming now via NPR Music, listen below.

‘Americana’ was written, conceived, and arranged by Davies, and co-produced with Guy Massey and John Jackson. The album is an autobiographical work, chronicling the inextricable role America has played in Davies’ life. From his earliest days touring the U.S. with the Kinks and subsequent blacklisting by the American Musicians Union, to his years playing stadiums and eventually staying in New York and New Orleans for a time, America has served as both muse and tempest to Davies.