New York, NY (Top40 Charts) It's hardly surprising that
Marc Broussard would tap "I've Got to Use My Imagination," a cover of a
Bobby 'Blue' Bland soul standard, as the new single from his forthcoming studio album S.O.S. 4: Blues For Your Soul. Given his seminal roots in Louisiana and a distinctive southern sound mined from funk, blues, rock, and R&B - he easily conveys a similar sensibility while giving his own unique spin on this classic track penned by the legendary Gerry Goffin and Barry Goldberg. With Broussard lending a decisive and dynamic vocal, underscored by Eric Krasno on guitar and a searing solo by none other than Joe Bonamassa, it's given a pronounced interpretation that takes its cue from Bland's original while, at the same time, delving deeper into the darker desires inherent in the song's meaning and messaging.
"He [Bland] was the first blues singer that I really responded to," Broussard reflects. "That howl that Bland did, that bark that he does in his songs, really got me. His recordings are all up in my heart. I just have to dig into them to try to do them my own way, but I still listen to his music to get true inspiration for what a singer can share." The song is out today.
"I've Got to Use My Imagination" is the second single and one of twelve tracks from Broussard's upcoming new album S.O.S.4: Blues For Your Soul, a selection of distinctive renditions of blues and soul classics including Johnny "
Guitar" Watson's "Cuttin' In", Al Green's "Driving Wheel", the first single, a sizzling take of
Little Milton's "That's What Love Will Make You Do", featuring Joe Bonamassa, to the sole original, "When Will I Let Her Go, produced by Bonamassa and longtime collaborator Josh Smith. The new album is the fourth installment of Broussard's S.O.S. (Save our Soul) series of benefit albums with proceeds going to the Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation to support youth rehabilitation through music. This includes a partnership with the non-profit organization Guitars Over Guns, which offers students from the most vulnerable communities a powerful combination of music education and mentorship.
S.O.S. 4: Blues For Your Soul is available on March 3 via Bonamassa's Keeping The Blues Alive Records. Pre-order the album here.
Broussard resumes his national tour this week in Fort Worth, TX on February 11. Additional cities include Baton Rouge, Memphis, Raleigh, NC, Atlanta, Washington, DC, New York City, and Cincinnati, OH. The list of tour dates is below, with more to be announced. Visit www.marcbroussard.com/tour for updates.
2023 Tour Dates
February 11 - Fort Worth, TX @ Tulips
February 12 - The Woodlands, TX @ Dosey Doe
February 16 - Gulf Shores, AL @ Erica H. Meyer Civic Center
March 8 - Baton Rouge, LA @ Manship Theatre
March 9 - Memphis, TN @ Lafayette's
Music Room
March 10 - Chattanooga, TN @ Walker Theatre
March 11 - Knoxville, TN @ Bijou Theatre
March 14 - Raleigh, NC @ Lincoln Theatre
March 15 - Charleston, SC @ The Riviera Theater
March 17 - Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern
March 18 - Birmingham, AL @ The Lyric Theatre
April 5 - Charlottesville, VA @ Jefferson Theatre
April 6 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
April 7 - Ardmore, PA @ Ardmore
Music Hall
April 8 - New York, NY @ Sony Hall
April 11 - Old Saybrook, CT @ Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center
April 12 - Fall River, MA @ Narrows Center for the Arts
April 14 - Portsmouth, NH @ Jimmy's Jazz and Blues Club
April 15 - Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
April 16 - Ridgefield, CT @ Ridgefield Playhouse
April 18 - Cincinnati, OH @ Memorial Hall
April 21 - Louisville, KY @ Bomhard Theater
April 22 - Huntingdon, TN @ Dixie Carter PAC
Marc Broussard is an artist with a unique gift of channeling the spirits of classic R&B, rock, and soul into contemporary terms. The son of Louisiana Hall of Fame guitarist Ted Broussard of "The
Boogie Kings," he nurtured his musical gifts at an early age in the vibrant Lafayette, Louisiana music scene. After releasing a highly successful independent EP at age 20, Broussard made his major-label debut with Carencro. The album featured the breakout hit "Home" and catapulted him into the national spotlight. That album and the others that followed revealed Broussard as a southern soul singer with both a rarefied talent and an innate stylistic and emotional authenticity that have made him one of the most indelible artists of his generation. NPR cited, "His music radiates soulful Louisiana blues, but his songs blend those influences with raucous rock 'n' roll to create unique and infectious music." Washington Times noted, "Few modern voices are as powerful as Marc Broussard's soulful, Bayou-bred baritone."
Broussard released multiple albums with major labels over the last ten years before returning to his independent roots with several acclaimed original recordings and charitable cover albums via his SOS Foundation (Save our Soul).
Marc Broussard's philanthropic efforts extend well over a decade, beginning with his self-released album Bootleg to Benefit the Victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and his efforts to organize the Momentary Setback Fund to provide financial assistance to those displaced by both Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. In 2015, to further his commitment to tying music to a mission, he established the SOS Foundation as a conduit to raise money for worthy causes, including the United Way, Habitat for Humanity, the City of Refuge in Atlanta, and Our Lady of the Lake Children's hospital in Baton Rouge, LA. https://www.marcbroussard.com/charity-1
SOS 4: Blues for Your Soul is a follow-up to 2019's A Lullaby Collection SOS III, a series of standards geared towards a younger audience with the accompanying book, I Love You For You, marking Broussard's debut as an author.
Website: https://www.marcbroussard.com/
