Charlie Louvin and Billy Bob Thorton Live Video: Watch Here!

New album Sept 16th, 2008! Order Here!

Nashville, TN (September 18, 2008) – Country Music Hall of Fame Member Charlie Louvin performed songs from his newly released gospel CD Steps to Heaven (Tompkins Square) on the September 16th Tuesday Night Grand Old Opry. Appearing on this album with Louvin are the McCrary Sister who have worked Bob Dylan, Isaak Hayes, and Aretha Franklin. Louvin was also joined on this project by Derrick Lee from Bobby Jones and New Life. The McCrarys and Lee joined Louvin on stage at the Opry to perform songs from the new album. Steps to Heaven is made up of traditional gospel songs, some dating back to an 1800s version of the Sacred Harp song book.

On tour with Old 97’s – October 1-12 !

Sings on Lucinda Williams’ new album – Out Oct 14th

Playing Levon Helm’s Ramble – Oct 25th

 

Steps to Heaven was recorded live with a gospel choir comprised of three sisters, journeyman gospel pianist Derrick Lee, and Chris Scruggs adding doghouse bass and guitar. Louvin had never recorded with black gospel musicians before, and in doing so discovered a new musical path. "I did things on the gospel record I had no idea I could do. I'd be thinking along the way, 'How can I do things I've never done before?' And I did it.
Although some might be surprised at a thematic Charlie Louvin album dealing with death and destruction, one needn't look any further than the very first Louvin Brothers album to find a connection. Tragic Songs of Life, released in 1956, is full of emotional songs detailing heartbreak, betrayal, violence and loss. Inspired by Tompkins Square's recent Grammy-nominated 3CD box set People Take Warning! Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs, 1913-1938, Louvin reached back for a couple of songs from that first Louvins album, and pulled nine songs from the box set to create a moving and sometimes raucous new take on traditional songs of tragedy.
2007 saw Louvin celebrate his 80th birthday amidst a swirl of activity around the release of his first studio album in 10 years, Charlie Louvin. Grammy-nominated for Best Traditional Folk Album, the disc features George Jones, Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, Will Oldham, Elvis Costello and many others. Louvin toured and recorded with Lucinda Williams, made a video for the song "Ira," released a field recording of one of his many in-store performances, Live at Shake It Records, played over 100 concert dates sharing stages with Ryan Adams and Neko Case, appeared on giant festivals like Bonnaroo and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, and placed a medallion around Emmylou Harris' neck inducting her into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The self-titled album earned 4 out of 5 stars in Uncut and Mojo magazines, and sparked a bevy of great press and renewed interest in his fascinating career.
ABOUT CHARLIE LOUVIN:
Charlie Louvin was born July 7, 1927 in Henager, AL. He and his older brother Ira worked as field hands on the family farm. In the evening, they would listen to the country hits of the day on their father's Victrola. Inspired by the tight-harmony duets of The Delmore Brothers, Monroe Brothers and Blue Sky Boys, the brothers began developing a distinctive style called "shape note singing" based on gospel harmonies they had learned in church.
The duo nailed down steady work in the 40's on local radio stations in Knoxville and Memphis. They also toured heavily in Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee during this period. On one swing through Dyess, Arkansas, Charlie remembers an encounter with a teenager named Johnny Cash. "We were playing with Eddie Hill. I was selling tickets and I saw this young man standing outside alone. I asked him to show me where the bathroom was. As we walked back, he noticed I had two soda crackers in my shirt pocket. He asked me why, and I said, 'To keep from starving to death.' I invited him in to the show - I could tell he didn't have any money. Years later in his book (Man In Black, 1975), he said he always ate two soda crackers before he went on stage." Cash also recalls the date in an intro to his version of the Louvin's "When I Stop Dreaming" on the recent Columbia/Legacy release, Personal File.
The Louvins scored their first record deal with Apollo in 1947, released a single on Decca in 1949, and recorded 12 sides for MGM in 1951 and 1952. One of those sessions took place with Hank Williams waiting outside for his turn in the studio. Their recording and performing schedule was sporadic due to Charlie's military service during the Korean War. Upon his return to the States, they began recording for Capitol Records, which remained their label home until the brothers parted ways in 1963.
Marking a shift from gospel to secular material, the Louvins scored their commercial breakthrough in 1955 with the top ten hit "When I Stop Dreaming." They toured in early 1955 with soon-to-be superstar Elvis Presley as their opening act, and became members of the Grand Ole Opry. From 1955 through 1962, the Louvin Brothers churned out 12 hits on the Billboard country chart, including "I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby," "You're Running Wild," "Cash On The Barrelhead" and "Knoxville Girl.
Although the Louvins hit machine had slowed by the early 60's, they instead created a string of themed albums, cult favorites that still resonate with today's alt-country audience, including A Tribute to the Delmore Brothers and Satan Is Real. By 1963, with a shifting marketplace and interpersonal tensions mounting, the Louvin Brothers parted ways. Ira released his lone solo album, The Unforgettable Ira Louvin, in 1964. He died in a car crash in Missouri on June 20, 1965.
Charlie's solo career began in 1964 with the top five hit "I Don't Love You Anymore," and he followed it with six Billboard-charting singles from 12 Capitol LPs. By the late 60's, a renewed interest in the music of the Louvin Brothers began to take shape.
The Louvins' continued legacy is at least partly attributed to Gram Parsons, who, according to legend, paid people to scour LA record shops looking for their out-of-print sides. His versions of Louvins classics "The Christian Life" from the Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo, or "Cash on the Barrelhead" from Grevious Angel, serve as the blueprint for so much "alt-country" that was to follow. Emmylou Harris' first hit was the Louvins' "If I Could Only Win Your Love." Uncle Tupelo covered "Great Atomic Power" on their third album, March 16-20, 1992. "The Christian Life" has been worked into The Raconteurs' live set recently.
In 2007, Charlie Louvin's self-titled album received a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Folk Album.
For more information, please contact:

Ken Weinstein at Big Hassle Media
weinstein@bighassle.com
or
Josh Rosenthal at Tompkins Square
info@tompkinssquare.com

50th ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARD NOMINEE "CHARLIE LOUVIN"

We are Proud To Announce Charlie Louvins 2008 Grammy Award Nomination! For Best Traditional Folk Album (Vocal or Instrumental.) This is for the 2007 Release of Charlies Self Titled Album "Charlie Louvin" Recorded on the Tompkins Square Label!

The Official Charlie Louvin Myspace Website!

Charlie would like to Invite You to Visit His MySpace Music Site! There you will find Lot's of Great Photo's of Charlie and His Many Friend's. You will also get to Hear some of Charlie's Great Music from His Latest Releases! There is a Complete Listing of Tour Dates and Much More! If You are a MySpace User and have a MySpace Account Please feel free to send Charlie a Friend Request. By Adding Charlie to Your MySpace Friends List You will receive Update Notifications each time His Site has Changed Information Keeping You Up To Date! To Visit The Official Charlie Louvin Myspace simply Click the Photo Link Above or go to www.myspace.com/officialcharlielouvin

Charlie Louvin has released his first new album in over ten years on the New York-based Tompkins Square label.

The self-titled disc, produced by Mark Nevers (Lambchop, Calexico, Candi Staton) and Charlie Louvin, was recorded in Spring/Summer 2006 in Nashville. It features guest performances by Elvis Costello, Jeff Tweedy, Will Oldham, Tom T. Hall, George Jones, Bobby Bare Sr., Tift Merritt, Marty Stuart, David Kilgour, and members of Bright Eyes, Lambchop, Superchunk, Blanche and Clem Snide, among others.

The album features several Louvin Brothers classics as well as country favorites first popularized by Jimmie Rodgers, the Delmore Brothers, the Carter Family, and the Monroe Brothers. Charlie also has included a moving tribute to his late brother Ira, with whom he formed the Louvin Brothers in 1940. (Ira Louvin died in a car accident in 1965, at age 41.)

Charlie Louvin's influence on country, alt-country, and their many sub-genres, is incalculable. The unique harmonies and lyrical folk poetry of the Louvin Brothers ("among the top duos in country music history" AllMusic.com) have inspired countless covers of their songs by such artists as Johnny Cash, Gram Parsons, the Byrds, Emmylou Harris, Uncle Tupelo and the Raconteurs (with Jack White).

TRACK LISTING:

1. Must You Throw Dirt In My Face (w. George Jones)
2. Great Atomic Power (w. Jeff Tweedy)
3. Blues Stay Away From Me (w. Bobby Bare Sr. & Tom T. Hall)
4. The Christian Life (w. Eef Barzalay of Clem Snide)
5. When I Stop Dreaming (w. Elvis Costello)
6. Waiting For A Train (w. George Jones)
7. Kneeling Drunkard's Plea (w. Alex McManus of Bright Eyes)
8. Worried Man Blues (w. Kurt Wagner of Lambchop)
9. Grave On The Green Hillside (w. Tift Merritt & Joy Lynn White)
10. Knoxville Girl (w. Will Oldham)
11. Ira
12. My Long Journey Home (w. Paul Burch)

Charlie Louvin | Live At Shake It Records

Country Music Hall of Fame legend Charlie Louvin co-wrote and recorded some of the most enduring country songs of all time with his brother Ira. Charlie recorded this live album in May 2007 during a non-stop tour in support of his acclaimed new album on Tompkins Square. In fact, this past year has seen the 80 year old tour with Lucinda Williams, play major festivals like Bonnaroo, share bills with Ryan Adams and Neko Case, and release a video for the song "Ira".

The Louvin Brothers songs featured on Charlie Louvin, and on this live CD, have been handed down by Gram Parsons, Johnny Cash, The Byrds, Emmylou Harris and Uncle Tupelo, and recently made it into live sets by the likes of Beck and Jack White. Charlie's influence on a new generation is clear.

This live set captures Charlie at one of his many "in store" appearances. It's a stripped down field recording from a true living legend.

TRACK LISTING:

1. Wabash Cannonball
2. You're Running Wild
3. The Christian Life
4. Will You Visit Me On Sundays
5. Cash On The Barrelhead
6. Long Journey Home
7. My Baby's Gone
8. Mama's Angels
9. Praying
10. Waiting For A Train
11. The Hand That Rocks The Cradle
12. See The Big Man Cry
13. Charlie's Wish

6th Annual Bell Buckle Music Cruise Featuring Charlie Louvin!

Plan That Getaway Vacation NOW! Join Special Guest Star "Charlie Louvin" On The Bell Buckle Music Cruise!   6th Annual
Bell Buckle Music Cruise
Grand Cayman Islands & Cozumel Mexico
on Carnival Cruise Line Inspiration
from Tampa, Florida
January 17 - 22, 2009

http://www.bellbucklecruise.com/

Charlie Louvin - "Ira" Music Video