Photo: Colin Linden by Laura Godwin
‘bLOW’, the new album from blues singer/songwriter/guitarist/producer Colin Linden will be released September 17, 2021 (on Highway 20/Thirty Tigers). bLOW is the first release on Lucinda Williams’ imprint Highway 20 and embodies the powerful blues-meets-rock-meets-roots style Linden has crafted over his illustrious 45-year career, which set its course following a fateful meeting with Howlin’ Wolf at age 11. The opening track “4 Cars” is available on all DSP’s today.
“If I started to tell you all the people Colin Linden has played guitar with, you wouldn’t believe me,” says Lucinda Williams. “With bLOW, Colin has made a record that will let everyone else in on the secret. Having him be the first artist on my Highway 20 Records feels like his coming out party here in the US, and it’s better late than never.”
As a singer/guitarist, Linden has accompanied an incredible list of artists, who include Bruce Cockburn (as his producer and touring musician), Bob Dylan, Gregg Allman, Rihannon Giddens, Pistol Annies, John Prine and many more. Linden was a main contributor to the music for the Nashville TV show and subsequent live tours. Along the way, Linden played on over 500 albums and produced 140, including his first-ever actual Grammy in 2020 for producing Keb Mo’s Oklahoma, winner for Best Americana Album. He has also nabbed a staggering 25 Juno Award nominations and nine wins.
Listen to “bLOW”
Pre-order link for bLOW
The seeds for bLOW were planted when Linden was commissioned for another television project. “I had been asked to come up with some Texas-Louisiana border music as stock music for a TV show. After coming up with and recording maybe 18 pieces of music, I came to feel that a number of them were songs just waiting to be finished, so when the air cleared and we were locked down, I let the music lead me to the words.” The result is a collection of raw, riveting tracks, rooted in the deep valleys of the genre, while feeling perfectly modern for today’s times.
About Linden, acclaimed author Peter Guralnick (Searching for Robert Johnson, Last Train to Memphis) notes, “Colin always has something soulful to say. Howlin’ Wolf charged him with bringing everything he had to offer, all of his feeling and all of his humanity, to the music, and he has.”
Pre-order link for bLOW
He was also a member of the Band for an album or two when the reformed after Robbie left! Love the swampy sound of the video!
David, thanks for the additional info. He’s a multi talented artist for sure. Glad you like it!