Yusuf, the singer formerly known as Cat Stevens, has signed with Legacy Recordings and will release his new album, Tell ‘Em I’m Gone, on October 27.
The album was produced by Yusuf and Rick Rubin and mixed by the singer and Paul Samwell-Smith. Recorded in a number of cities, including Los Angeles, Dubai, Brussels and London, the tracks include a number of guest artists such as Richard Thompson, Charlie Musselwhite, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Matt Sweeney and the Tuareg group Tinariwen.
Tell ‘Em I’m Gone is Yusuf’s twenty-fifth studio album including eleven as Cat Stevens, eleven as Yusuf Islam and, now, three as Yusuf. It follows up 2009’s Roadsinger which made it to number 10 in the U.K. and 41 in the U.S.
The new album includes five originals plus five covers including Big Boss Man, You Are My Sunshine and Edgar Winter’s Dying to Live.
Yusuf said of the new album “Although I was to venture through many lyrical terrains, melodious valleys and cadences during my fifty-year musical and spiritual exploration, and though many would agree that I have covered a lot of ground, there was always one path I meant to take. Hidden in the background behind my renowned troubadour persona lurked an R&B alter-self waiting to be let free. What’s powerful and profound, to me, is the overall message which emerged, lyrically. It suddenly stared me in the face: the innate struggle for Freedom! Isn’t that what most human beings dream of? Music and the Blues particularly was a means of escape for many chained to the destiny of the rich and powerful.”
Yusuf’s new agreement with Legacy includes brand new recordings, catalogs, unreleased live material, and a large number of unreleased recordings.
The singer will also go out on tour in support of the album including his first major U.S. trek in over 35 years. The tour begins in Europe in early November and moves to the U.S. in December.
Yusuf Track List
I Was Raised In Babylon (Yusuf)
Big Boss Man (Luther Dixon-Al Smith)
Dying To Live (Edgar Winter)
You Are My Sunshine (Jimmie Davis-Charles Mitchell, arr. Yusuf)
Editing Floor Blues (Yusuf)
Cat And The Dog Trap (Yusuf)
Gold Digger (Yusuf)
The Devil Came From Kansas (Gary Brooker-Keith Reid)
Tell ‘Em I’m Gone (originally Take This Hammer, arr. Yusuf)
Doors (Yusuf)
Yusuf Tour Dates
11/04 – London, UK – Hammersmith Eventim Apollo
11/09 – Brussels, Belgium – Forest National
11/11 – Milan, Italy – Mediolanum Forum
11/13 – Vienna, Austria – Stadthalle
11/16 – Paris, France – Zenith
11/20 – Berlin, Germany – Tempodrom
11/23 – Hamburg, Germany – CCH 1
11/25 – Dusseldorf, Germany – Mitsubishi Electric Hall
12/01 – Toronto- Massey Hall
12/04 – Boston- Citi Performing Arts Center Wang Theatre
12/07 – New York City- Beacon Theatre
12/09 – Chicago- The Chicago Theatre
12/12 – San Francisco- The Masonic
12/14 – Los Angeles – Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE
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