Black Stone Cherry to release new covers EP 'Black To Blues Volume 2'
Kentucky’s prodigal sons, Black Stone Cherry, will release their new blues EP ‘Black To Blues Volume 2’ on Friday 18th October via Mascot Label Group/Mascot Records.
Just like September 2017’s ‘Black To Blues’, which dented the UK album chart Top 30, the follow-up release sees Black Stone Cherry pay homage to their blues heroes in rip-roaring style.
The six-track EP features unique versions of Freddie King’s 'Big Legged Woman', Howlin’ Wolf’s ‘Down In The Bottom’, Robert Johnson’s 'Me & The Devil Blues’, Otis Rush's ‘All Your Love (I Miss Loving)’, the Elmore James classic ‘Early One Morning’ and ‘Death Letter Blues’ by Son House.
As a taster for the album, Black Stone Cherry have premiered the video for lead single ‘Me & The Devil Blues’, which you can watch here:
Commenting on ‘Black To Blues Volume 2’, singer Chris Robertson said: “We could have never dreamed of the reaction we got from ‘Black to Blues’. It was amazing to have such a positive reaction to our take on some of our biggest influences in music.
“Now we are back for round two and we have added our great friend Yates Mckendree on organ/keys and he also makes an appearance on guitar! We kept a couple artists in the line-up from last time and introduced a few others into the mix as well! We can’t wait for everyone to hear and feel how much fun we had recording this project!!”.
Guitarist Ben Wells adds: “Muddy Waters, Freddie King, Howlin’ Wolf, and the like, we used to listen to that constantly growing up, and still do. It’s what we grew up playing and learning together. It’s the DNA of what our band is. It’s not just us covering songs. It’s about doing our own version of each song.”
Reflecting on the King and Wolf covers specificially, Wells adds: “Those are some of our absolute favourites. We always identify with those guys ‘cause they had grooves and riffs like we would put in our tunes. So, we are naturally drawn to that.”
Black Stone Cherry are returning to Europe to support Alice Cooper next month as well as heading back to North America for shows with Lynyrd Skynyrd, before heading Down Under with Halestorm.
They headlined Ramblin’ Man Fair this summer and also played a massive show at Caerphilly Castle, together with more intimate gigs in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Dublin and Belfast.
The ‘Black To Blues Volume 2’ track-listing and artwork is as follows:
1. Big Legged Woman
2. Me & The Devil Blues
3. All Your Love (I Miss Loving)
4. Down In The Bottom
5. Early One Morning
6. Death Letter Blues