Guitar great/artist/producer/E Street Band icon Stevie Van Zandt has signed seminal pop legend Darlene Love to his Wicked Cool label, partnering with Columbia Records to release a new album by Love coming this fall, titled Introducing Darlene Love.
Van Zandt arranged and produced the album, enlisting a star-studded cast to contribute songs to Love’s return to Marquee-pop music making, including, among others, Elvis Costello, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Van Zandt, Jim Webb, Linda Perry, Desmond Child, Joan Jett, and legendary songwriting team Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, who for more than five decades have reigned as one of the most influential songwriting duos in history.
The highly anticipated album will be released on September 18th, with Rock and Roll Hall Of Famer Love imbuing new and classic songs with her signature dynamic vocal delivery that the New York Times has hailed as ‘a thunderbolt voice embedded in the history of rock n’ roll…’ and Rolling Stone has called ‘a rare instrument sturdy enough to vault over Phil Spector’s ‘Wall of Sound.’
Love’s five-decade career spans some of the greatest signature moments in music, with the Los Angeles native nurturing her talent early as a member of the Blossoms, a local trio who began providing backup vocals at recording sessions for artists such as Sam Cooke and Bobbie Day. The Blossoms also were featured as part of the house band for the popular ’60s US tv show Shindig, backing up many of the performers who appeared on the series. Love would go on to become one of the most sought-after background singers in music history, recording with Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Sam Cooke, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Dionne Warwick, The Righteous Brothers, and dozens of other vocal giants throughout her career. Her early work with iconic producer Phil Spector on songs such as the pioneering ‘He’s A Rebel,’ ‘He’s Sure The Boy I Love,’ and ‘Why Do Lover’s Break Each Other’s Hearts,’ would garner her legend status. She is featured in the 2013 Academy Award winning documentary film ’20 Feet From Stardom,’ chronicling the behind-the-scenes lives of background singers. The accompanying album won a 2014 Grammy in the Best Music Film category.
The prolific Van Zandt creates a compelling production aesthetic on Introducing Darlene Love, echoing the classic recording style of many early ’60s pop standards for a wonderful female voice that ironically enough, requires no introduction.
Introducing Darlene Love album Track listing and songwriters below:
1. Among The Believers (Stevie Van Zandt) 2. Forbidden Nights (Elvis Costello)
3. Love Kept Us Foolin’ Around (Linda Perry) 4. A Little Liar (Desmond Child/Joan Jett)
5. Still Too Soon To Know (Elvis Costtello)
6. Who Under Heaven (Jimmy Webb)
7. Night Closing In (Bruce Springsteen)
8. Painkiller (Michael Des Barres/ Paul Ill)
9. Just Another Lonely Mile (Bruce Springsteen) 10. Last Time (Stevie Van Zandt)
11. River Deep, Mountain High (Phil Spector/ Jeff Barry/ Ellie Greenwich) 12. Sweet Freedom (Barry Mann/ Cynthia Weil)
13. Marvelous (Walter Hawkins)
14. Jesus Is The Rock (That Keeps Me Rollin’) (Stevie Van Zandt)
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