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LEVON HELM RETURNS WITH ELECTRIC DIRT
ON JUNE 30, 2009 THIS NEW CD IS A FOLLOW UP TO THE GRAMMY-WINNING RELEASE DIRT FARMER

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.. Electric Dirt again finds Levon steeped in tradition,  in his connection to the land and those who live by it. At the same time, he  paints a broader musical canvas by incorporating gospel, blues and soul into a wide range of original compositions and eclectic cover songs. “Our objective here was to take the honesty, innocence and purity of the Dirt Farmer record, which represents a true element of what Levon is all about, but also expand on that and explore deeper the gold mine of Levon’s musical artistry,” said Campbell.

Electric Dirt starts with a rousing rendition of The Grateful Dead’s “Tennessee Jed,” moving on to a beautiful, stripped-down version of Happy Traum’s “Golden Bird.” “Growing Trade,” written by Levon Helm and  Larry Campbell,  tells a  heartfelt story of a farmer’s struggle to preserve his livelihood. The rousing horn arrangements by Allen Toussaint and the Levon Helm Band on “Kingfish,” written by Randy Newman, brings the swagger of New Orleans to the forefront.

In 2007, after overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds, Levon released Dirt Farmer, his first solo recording in twenty five years, which went on to win a Grammy for “Best Traditional Folk Album.” The San Francisco Chronicle said, “This album is nothing less than a return to form by one of the most soulful vocalists in rock history.” Rolling Stone went on further to hail Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble as “2008’s Best Jam Session” and the same year, Levon received the “Artist of the Year” award from the Americana Music Association.

Levon Helm’s first solo, studio recording in 25 years, Grammy Award Winning, Dirt Farmer, was released to the public on October 30, through Dirt Farmer Music LLC in conjunction with Vanguard Records. Levon sings and plays drums, guitar and mandolin on the CD, accompanied by Larry Campbell on guitars and fiddle, and the voices of Amy Helm and Teresa Williams. The record explores songs Levon learned as a boy in Arkansas and others in that style.

“Growing up on a cotton farm in the Arkansas Delta, Dirt Farmer rings true to home,” Levon said. “Amy encouraged me to go all the way back and try to record some of the family songs from home that we always loved best.”

The record reveals the essential beauty of traditional songs like “Little Birds” and the Stanley Brothers’ “False Hearted Lover Blues,” and takes a new look at Paul Kennerley’s “A Train Robbery,” Buddy and Julie Miller’s “Wide River To Cross” and another sentimental favorite, Lauralyn Dossett’s “Anna Lee.”

Levon said: “‘The Girl I Left Behind’ was one of the first songs my parents taught me as a child, along with ‘Little Birds’and ‘Blind Child.’ ‘The Poor Old Dirt Farmer’ by Tracy Schwarz, is a song that my wood-carver musician friend Michael Copus and I learned together when we worked with Jane Fonda on The Dollmaker down in Tennessee. ‘Single Girl, Married Girl’ is one of my favorite songs of the whole session. It gave us the chance to address a traditional standard with the entire rhythm section using non-electric instruments and a full set of drums. It also gave us the chance to monkey up the rhythm of a traditional country beat.”

The tracks are elevated by the musicianship of Brian Mitchell on piano and accordion, Byron Isaacs on bass, Glenn Patscha on pump organ and George Receli’s percussion. Buddy and Julie Miller contribute backing vocals on Steve Earle’s “The Mountain.”



A short film inspired by and featuring music from Levon Helm's GRAMMY Award winning album Dirt Farmer. Features: "Calvary" (Byron Isaacs); (BMI) "Poor Old Dirt Farmer" (Tracy Schwarz); Traditon Music Co., (ASCAP) "False Hearted Lover Blues" (Trad, arrangement by Levon Helm, Larry Campbell); Dirt Farmer Music, Talkhouse Music (BMI) "Got Me a Woman" (Paul Kennerley); Irving Music (BMI)

      Dirt Farmer
   

The music video for "Poor Old Dirt Farmer," from the album DIRT FARMER, in stores now.
"Poor Old Dirt Farmer"
(Tracy Schwartz); Traditon Music Co., (ASCAP)