My True Story, the new album from soul/R&B legend and multiple Grammy Award-winning artist Aaron Neville, just released on Blue Note Records. The album, produced by Don Was and Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards, finds Neville revitalizing some of his favorite songs from the doo-wop era that have become the underpinning for all of the remarkable music he has created across five decades. (Watch a video about the making of My True Story here.)
NPR has already weighed in on My True Story, stating “it’s not trying to make doo-wop sound contemporary so much as dislodge it from its time capsule and free it to drift across eras. It’s that unmistakable affection, dispensed with [Neville’s] sweet voice that’s lost none of its considerable luster, which makes My True Story resonate as more than a mere footnote in Neville’s half-century of music. It’s a labor of love, to be sure, but the singer and his cohorts try something bold, too: They celebrate these relics in ways that make them feel relevant to the future.” The Wall Street Journal has called My True Story “unfettered Aaron Neville. With Mr. Richards on guitar and featuring an exceptional performance by New Orleans drummer George G. Receli, the singer with the unmistakable tenor has been liberated from the constraints of middle-of-the-road pop to perform the glorious music of his youth.”
In connection with the release of My True Story, Neville is making a series of high-profile appearances, including performances on The Today Show and The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, a featured interview on NPR’s Morning Edition, and a sit-down interview on PBS’ Tavis Smiley that airs in February. In addition, PBS will air the special Aaron Neville: Doo Wop: My True Story — a concert filmed in November at New York’s Brooklyn Bowl — in March 2013.
Neville will also be honored by the Grammy Museum, which is celebrating Neville’s career with an intimate discussion and performance hosted by Grammy Museum Executive Director Bob Santelli. For more information, visitgrammymuseum.org.
Last week, it was announced that Neville will headline the 2013 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which takes place in Neville’s hometown from April 26th through May 5th. Neville will perform on the final Sunday, closing out the Gentilly Stage with his Quintet.
In addition, Neville has been selected as the featured artist on this year’s official Jazz Fest poster, a significant honor as these limited-edition works of art are a cherished part of the festival and quickly become collector’s items that sell out before the end of the event. Previous poster subjects include Louis Armstrong, Wynton Marsalis, Mahalia Jackson, and Fats Domino, among many other artists connected to the great city of New Orleans. The Neville limited-edition silkscreen poster was designed by James Michalopoulos and is available from www.art4now.com.
Tune-in Friday at 12 noon to hear 'My True Story' on KSUT.
from www.aaronneville.com
