New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ 429 Records) - 429 Records has brought together a stellar roster of artists for a project titled "THE VILLAGE: A CELEBRATION OF THE MUSIC OF GREENWICH VILLAGE"-a musical homage to an influential scene that thrived during an incomparable era in the history of rock music.
The Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City in the 1960's was ground zero for a musical, political and social evolution- McCarthy and the Red Scare era was over, the Vietnam War was simmering and poised to explode, and the civil rights movement was gaining steam just as singers like
Peter Seeger,
Bob Dylan and Odetta were hanging out and composing fierce and fearless songs that reflected the social conscience of a generation. The neighborhood was symbolic of a shared inspiration with artists worldwide gravitating to the vibrant streets and clubs and as such helped change the course of popular music.
With THE VILLAGE, modern day artists look back and pay tribute to the artists and songs that helped nurture and shape them as successful musicians in their own right.
Shelby Lynne gives a musical shout out to Dylan with her version of "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright," Cowboy Junkies perform their heartbreaking version of Tim Buckley's "Once I Was" and
Bruce Hornsby checks in with a stunning version of The Lovin' Spoonful's "Darlin' Be Home Soon." THE VILLAGE: A CELEBRATION OF THE MUSIC OF GREENWICH VILLAGE will be released worldwide on November 3rd on 429 Records.
Says Susan Rotolo author of the recent bestseller "A Freewheelin' Time: A Memoir of Greenwich Village in the Sixties" and writer of THE VILLAGE liner notes: "The performers from that time, and the songs they wrote, made a notable contribution not only to the legend of Greenwich Village but also to music in general. No one who is young, making music and hanging out, thinks in historical terms, but the passage of time allows for such a perspective. Cultural history was made."
Adds participating VILLAGE artist John Oates (of Hall & Oates): "Greenwich Village has meant a lot to me over the years. Not only did I live there for a long, long time, but many of my pop songs and the things that I did with Daryl Hall have been inspired by living in the village. It has a unique ambience and atmosphere-such a magical place!"
Says Steve Vining, President of the Savoy Label Group: "It's been gratifying to pursue this project and find so many artists who felt compelled to be a part of THE VILLAGE because the music from that time had such a strong impact on them creatively and as individuals. It's been a labor of love for all of us and we're extremely proud of the result."
THE VILLAGE artists and songs:
Lucinda Williams - Positively 4th Street (Dylan)
Rachael Yamagata - Both Sides Now (Mitchell)
Mary Chapin Carpenter - Violets of Dawn (Andersen)
Shelby Lynne - Don't Think Twice, It's Alright (Dylan)
Marshall Crenshaw - Didn't Want to Have to Do It (Sebastian)
Amos Lee - Little Bit of Rain (Neil)
Cary Brothers - Something on Your Mind (McNeely)
Rocco DeLuca - Ballad of Hollis Brown (Dylan)
Cowboy Junkies - Once I Was (Buckley)
Sixpence None the Richer - Wayfaring Stranger (Traditional)
Rickie Lee Jones - Subterranean Homesick Blues (Dylan)
John Oates - He Was a Friend of Mine (Traditional)
Mikey Powell - Hard Rain's Gonna Fall (Dylan)
The Duhks - It's Alright Ma, I'm Only Bleeding (Dylan)
Los Lobos - Guantanamera (Diaz)
Bruce Hornsby - Darlin' Be Home Soon (Sebastian)
Jesse Malin - I Am a Rock (Simon)
Matt Nathanson - I Ain't Marching (Ochs)
THE VILLAGE will be released on November 3rd on 429 Records and will be distributed by Fontana in the U.S. and E1 (formerly Koch) in Canada. The European release will also be on November 3rd via SLG's agreement with Proper Music Distribution and the Australian release via Universal will take place on October 30th. A comprehensive press, radio, viral and traditional marketing and retail advertising campaign will be launched in each of the key international territories.
429 Records is a unit of the Savoy Label Group (SLG). SLG is the North American unit of CME (Columbia Music Entertainment, formerly Nippon Columbia), the oldest music company in Japan. The Savoy Label Group has evolved into a leading independent company consistently outperforming competitors in key music categories as monitored by Billboard Magazine. SLG is led by Steve Vining and CME is headed by Chairman Strauss Zelnick, founder of Zelnick Media which owns interests in and manages an array of media companies. www.429records.com
