There was a lot of love going around in last night’s tribute to John Prine called Pictire Show: Tribute to John Prine. Singers, performers, and friends appearing with stories and songs included Bonnie Raitt , Todd Snider, Sturgill Simpson, Brandi Carlile, Eric Church, Bill Murray, Kevin Bacon, Rita Wilson, and many others.
Throughout the tribute, Prine’s wife Fiona Prine makes several appearances to introduce artists. It is a loving tribute with great stories and music.
The full tribute is available for a limited time through Sunday, June 14. So, for now, check it out below. [Update: The full show is no longer online.]
In Tim Burton’s take on the Walt Disney classic, Dumbo, Arcade Fire reinterprets the movies classic song “Baby Mine.” Director Burton’s live-action interpretation of the story about the flying elephant seems bound to bring tears to the eyes of hard-hearted cynics. And the song “Baby Mine” always warms the heart.
Burton’s film will also feature a version of “Baby Mine” by Norwegian singer, Aurora. For Arcade Fire’s version, the band’s Win Butler brought in several members of his family to help with the song. Check out Arcade Fire’s “Baby Mine.”
The new live-action Dumbo stars Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito and Eva Green. Edd Osmond, who has worked in Star Wars movies, did the real-life action behind the flying elephant.
The original 1941 version of “Baby Mine” for the animated movie was recorded by Betty Noyes. Check out the original movie version below.
Bonnie Raitt is releasing a new album this month, Dig in Deep. The new album is a follow-up to 2012’s Slipstream, which was the first CD released on Raitt’s own Redwing Records label. The new album includes three songs she wrote plus two songs she co-wrote.
American Songwriter notes that Raitt still seeks “words and music that resonate with the emotional puzzles she’s trying to solve in her own heart.” But as the 66-year-old singer has aged, those puzzles and the way she sings about them have changed too.
The first single from Raitt’s new album is “Gypsy in Me.” The song takes the typical story of a man seeking the open road and changes it around. In Raitt’s telling, the woman is the one telling her “honey” goodbye as she heads out for the road: “But I’m like the wind and I just keep blowing free / Must be the gypsy in me, yeah.” Check it out.
Dig in Deep hits stores and the Internet on February 26, 2016.
What is your favorite Bonnie Raitt song? Leave your two cents in the comments.
A new documentary — Mavis! — explores the life and music of Mavis Staples of The Staples Singers. Jessica Edwards directed the film about the gospel and soul singer, who is also known for her civil rights work and her musical family.
HBO picked up U.S. rights to the documentary after the movie’s world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival. Mavis! includes performance footage as well as interviews of people like Bob Dylan and Bonnie Raitt. Check out the trailer for Mavis!
Singer-songwriter Jesse Winchester passed away on April 11, 2014 at his home in Charlottesville, Virginia. The 69-year-old artist had been suffering from esophageal cancer.
Winchester, who had moved to Canada in 1967 in protest of the Vietnam War, had some chart success with his own recordings of his folk-country-blues sound. While he may not be remembered by a large number of the population, he is well-respected and admired by a number of talented artists. And many of them covered his songs. If you are not familiar with his work, check out these videos.
Here is Winchester with a moving performance of his song “Sham-A-Ling-Dong-Ding” on season two (2009-2010) of Elvis Costello’s Spectacle show. In the song, the singer is an old man looking back on being a teenager in love.
So after years and after tears, And after summers past, The old folks tried to warn us, How our love would never last; And all we’d get was soaking wet, From walking in the rain, And singing sham-a-shing-a-ling again.
In the video below, that’s Neko Case, Sheryl Crow, and Ron Sexsmith on stage with Costello and Winchester. You can see near the end around the 3:12 mark where Case has tears in her eyes from Winchester’s touching song. Wow.
Here is a young Winchester in 1977, singing with Bonnie Raitt and Emmylou Harris.
Finally, here is one of my favorite covers of a Jesse Winchester song. In this video, Buddy Miller sings Winchester’s “A Showman’s Life,” which appeared on Miller’s 2002 album Midnight and Lonesome.
Winchester’s “A Showman’s Life” has been covered in excellent versions by the likes of George Strait and Gary Allan. But check out Miller’s version.
Thanks for the music Mr. Winchester. RIP. What is your favorite Jesse Winchester song? Leave your two cents in the comments.
.