John Cowan is such a distinctive singer that his sound has helped to define American roots music. Known by many as the voice of Newgrass, his soaring vocals have only improved with time. On his new release Sixty – his first for new label home Compass Records – Cowan delivers a career retrospective and his most ambitious project to date. Produced by fellow Doobie Brother John McFee, the album’s 12 tracks showcase Cowan’s iconic voice alongside an incredible array of special guests including Leon Russell, Alison Krauss, Rodney Crowell, Bernie Leadon, Sam Bush, Chris Hillman, Huey Lewis, Bonnie Bramlett, Ray Benson and many more. Tracks range from the Dixieland-influenced, heartfelt song “Miss the Mississippi,” to “Why Are You Crying,” a banjo-pickin’ foot stomper, to the rocking “Run For Your Life,” which could easily become a blues rock classic. The album’s opener “Things I Haven’t Done” allude to Cowan’s newgrass roots while the standout piano/vocal duet with the legendary Leon Russell, recorded live in one take, is an absolute stunner. Taken as a whole, the album illustrates the breadth of Cowan’s vocal talents while showcasing his remarkable vocal dexterity across a variety of genres, proving that 45 years into his career, John is still one of the most iconic singers in roots music. John Cowan rose to national prominence as a co-founder of New Grass Revival, a band which had a tremendous influence on the direction of modern bluegrass music. After New Grass Revival disbanded in 1990, he went on to record a series of critically acclaimed solo albums in addition to laying down guest bass and vocal parts on some 120 recordings for artists including Steve Earle, Bela Fleck, Alison Krauss, and John Prine. A few years later, John teamed up with Rusty Young of Poco, Bill Lloyd of Foster & Lloyd, and Pat Simmons of the Doobie Brothers in The Sky Kings, a widely successful country rock band. John’s newfound alliance with Pat Simmons gained him the role of bassist for the Doobie Brothers from 1992 through 1995, as well as a songwriting credit for “Can’t Stand to Lose” on the Doobie Brothers 2000 release Sibling Rivalry. Currently Cowan splits his time between touring with the Dobbie Brothers and as a solo artist with the John Cowan band. "Cowan manipulates his diamond-clean skyrocket of a voice with enormous control, timing, and taste". —NoDepression"…His soaring vocals have only improved with time. He applies those powerful pipes to genres from country, bluegrass and gospel to soul, jazz and rock 'n' roll…" —Chattanooga Now *Deluxe Edition CD includes bonus tracks "Fate Full of Shadow" and "Run For Your Life" not available digitally.
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