Jim Lauderdale shared a new single, “As A Sign,” which was co-written with the late legendary lyricist Robert Hunter. The song appears on Lauderdale’s forthcoming new studio album, When Carolina Comes Home Again, which will be released on March 6 via Yep Roc Records.
Hunter, who was best known for his work with the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia, had previously collaborated with Lauderdale on several projects. Paying homage to his native North Carolina, Lauderdale’s 13-track new album also contains guest contributions from North Carolina-based musicians including members of Balsam Range, Cane Mill Road, Hank Pattie & the Current, John Stickley, Songs From The Road Band, Steep Canyon Rangers and Town Mountain. Others accompanying Lauderdale in the studio were banjoist Matt Pruett, fiddler Pattie Hopkins Kinlaw, mandolinist Aaron Ramsey and guitarists Presley Barker and Nick Dauphinais.
“North Carolina has such a long and important heritage in bluegrass music,” Lauderdale stated. “Since it’s where I’m originally from and where I started playing bluegrass, it seemed right to go back to my roots in bluegrass there and collaborate with musicians in that area. There’s just something in the atmosphere there. Hearing bluegrass in different areas and settings in North Carolina, the music is just there in the air. The first bluegrass festival I ever went to was Union Grove when I was 14, and it blew my mind. The music got into my bones, and I just had to get a banjo.”
Lauderdale will tour in support of When Carolina Comes Homes Again, which also features co-writers Charles R. Humphrey III, John Oates, Si Kahn, Graham Sharp, Logan Ledger and Sara Douga.
“One thing I’m looking forward to doing in these shows is paying tribute to my late friend, hero, and co-writer Robert Hunter,” Lauderdale said. “We’re going to do a mini-set of some of my favorite songs he and I wrote together, our way of bringing his spirit to the stage each night,”
Listen to “As A Sign” below:
https://jimlauderdale.bandcamp.com/track/as-a-sign
When Carolina Comes Home Again Tracklist
- When Carolina Comes Home Again – John Oates & Jim Lauderdale
- As A Sign – Robert Hunter & Jim Lauderdale
- Misery’s Embrace – Charles R. Humphrey III & Jim Lauderdale
- The Last To Know – Charles R. Humphrey III & Jim Lauderdale
- It Takes One To Wonder – Graham Sharp & Jim Lauderdale
- Cackalacky – Si Kahn & Jim Lauderdale
- You’ll Have To Earn It – Charles R. Humphrey III & Jim Lauderdale
- You’ve Got This – Jim Lauderdale
- Mountaineer – Jim Lauderdale
- I’m Here To Remind You – Sara Douga & Jim Lauderdale
- Moonrider – Jim Lauderdale
- Spin A Yarn – Jim Lauderdale
- Better Than You Found It – Logan Ledger & Jim Lauderdale
