LUCKY OCEANS
‘PURPLE SKY’
Released Sept 27
Listen To Lead Single
‘RAMBLIN’ MAN’
With KASEY & BILL CHAMBERS
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Lucky Oceans ‘Purple Sky’
(Songs originally by Hank Williams)
Released September 27 – Pre-order HERE
Featuring lead single ‘Ramblin’ Man’ with
Kasey & Bill Chambers – Listen HERE
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The first glimpse of Grammy Award winning multi-instrumentalist Lucky Oceans’ new album, ‘Purple Sky’, comes today via lead single ‘Ramblin’ Man’ from Kasey and Bill Chambers. Listen HERE.
Discussing the recording, Lucky said, “Kasey and Bill always knew that this was the Hank song they wanted to do for the album. Kasey had the key ready and a low-pitched way for Bill to whisper the chorus. I added one brief chord, making it a 3-chord song. Bill, Kasey, myself and engineer Brandon Dodd were all in the same room watching it unfold, with Josh Dufficy next door laying down a quiet, firm pulse on his drums. The original only has a brief steel guitar interlude but we expanded it out with a full introduction and solo.
“It’s possible that Hank wrote ‘Ramblin’ Man’ to capitalise on a brief folk boom – the Weavers’ version of Leadbelly’s ‘Goodnight Irene’ was number 1 on the charts for 13 weeks in 1950. He recorded ‘Ramblin’ Man’ in 1951 as part of a ‘Luke the Drifter’ session. Luke was the name he used for his religious and humorous songs and monologues. It didn’t come out until after his death, at which point it was released under Hank’s name and has become an essential part of his canon.
“The starkness and directness with which the song is presented fits perfectly with the sentiments of the lyrics – the singer is consigned to their fate, to wander the earth at the expense of family and home. This is the fate of many musicians and Hank addresses the negative opinions that some people have about musicians by saying, ‘When the Lord made me, he made a Ramblin’ Man.’ Darryl Scott thought that this song was about addiction but for me and Kasey and Bill it’s simply a song that perfectly captures the musicians’ life.”
Lucky Oceans has spent the last 12 months assembling some of his favourite singers and musicians to capture the gem-like quality of the songs of Hank Williams on this new long-player.
Alongside Kasey & Bill Chambers, Paul Kelly, Don Walker, Linda & Vika Bull, Tex Perkins, Matt Walker, Jeff Lang and Eugene “Hideaway” Bridges each bring their own unique feel and sound to the songs, which help stretch and push the songs into new territory.
Lucky explains, “Hank pioneered a unique musical style that we could have tried to recreate, but that’s already been done. So we set out to change the sound of a Hank Williams song, bringing out the poetry of the lyrics. He is the man who made song writing intensely urgent and personal”.
Lucky Oceans was born in Philadelphia and made his name in the USA with Asleep At The Wheel; a band he co-founded with Ray Benson in Paw Paw West Virginia. In a 1973 Rolling Stone magazine interview, Van Morrison said “there’s a relatively unknown group around here that I really dig. Asleep at the Wheel plays great country music”. Willie Nelson was so impressed that he urged them to move to Austin, Texas where they were at the vanguard of alternative Country music scene. The band went on to win 8 Grammy Awards. Lucky won two Grammy Awards including one in 1993 for an instrumental with Chet Atkins, Vince Gill, Marty Stuart and Johnny Gimble.
Discussing the inspiration behind ‘Purple Sky’, Lucky Oceans explains, “Hank Williams was a pivotal figure during my initial love affair with country music in the early days of Asleep at the Wheel. He personified the transition in American music from big bands to small combos, from folk songs to composed, confessional songs. They led the way to Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. And the steel guitar was a prominent part of Hank’s music.”
Over the years Lucky has performed live playing pedal steel guitar with many artists including Eric Clapton, Merle Haggard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Willie Nelson, Lowell George, Emmylou Harris, Neil Finn, Gurrumul and Paul Kelly.
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Lucky Oceans ‘Purple Sky’ (Songs originally by Hank Williams),
Released September 27 via ABC Music/UMA. Pre-order HERE.
‘PURPLE SKY’ TRACKLISTING:
1. Ramblin’ Man – Kasey & Bill Chambers
2. I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still In Love With You) – Paul Kelly
3. I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry – Jeff Lang
4. Why Don’t You Love Me Like You Used To -Linda & Vika Bull
5. Alone And Forsaken – Paul Kelly
6. Mind Your Own Business – Vika Bull
7. Angel Of Death – Kasey Chambers
8. Lost Highway – Tex Perkins
9. I’ll Never Get Out Of This World Alive – Matt Walker
10. My Sweet Love Ain’t Around – Matt Walker
11. I Just Don’t Like This Kind Of Livin’ – Eugene “Hideaway” Bridges
12. Just Waitin’ – Don Walker
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