Jim Lauderdale Band

Imogen Clark comes in with Jim and will open the show.
Jim Lauderdale is a 2-time Grammy winning Americana icon, a singer-songwriter zwhose unmistakable rhinestone-incrusted silhouette has been a symbol for creative integrity and prolificacy for thirty-one albums over decades of recording. He’s an A-list Nashville songwriter whose songs have ruled the country charts while recording an eclectic catalogue of albums that run the gamut of American roots styles. His prolific streak of releases continues in 2019 with his new album From Another World.

The ten songs contained within, all written or co-written by Jim, are his antidote to the anger, divisiveness of today’s world, a world full of bad news and folks yelling at each other on CNN. This is music from another world, a world of empathy, love, forgiveness and humility. Where people find freedom through togetherness, where they struggle to change for the better, where country music still cries with the sound of pedal steel guitar and psychedelic-tinged lyrics flow through aching indelible melodies.

While his classic 90s albums like Planet of Love and Pretty Close to the Truth drew him rave reviews, Lauderdale’s musical style was too eclectic to fit easily into the major label country box. There was no genre label for a left-of-center blend of country, blues, rock, soul, folk and bluegrass, so Jim had to pioneer one. These days, the identity of Americana music and Jim Lauderdale are one and the same. The first ever winner of the Americana Music Association’s Song and Artist of the Year trophies and the honorary Wagonmaster award, Jim also served as host of the awards for many years. While some people struggle to define what Americana music is, others just point to Jim’s eclectic but totally cohesive catalogue as the defining example.

It’s no wonder that artists from Willie Nelson to John Oates line up to collaborate with Jim, hoping to snare some of that Lauderdale magic. After all, his songs have helped sell millions of albums for artists like George Strait, the Dixie Chicks, Patty Loveless, Lee Ann Womack, Blake Shelton, Solomon Burke, Gary Allan and Vince Gill. Classic songs like “Where the Sidewalk Ends”, “You Don’t Seem to Miss Me”, “Hole in My Head”, “Halfway Down”, “We Really Shouldn’t Be Doing This” and many more have come from his pen.

With his new album From Another World, Jim has once again opened his heart wide and delivered a record of original songs that plays like a greatest hits set. From the opening one-two punch of hard-charging Dylanesque  “Some Horses Run Free” and desperation-led waltz   “When You Can’t Have What Your Heart Wants”, it’s obvious Lauderdale is firing on all cylinders. “The Secrets of the Pyramids” evokes the twangy psychedelia of the Byrds at their best, rich in harmonies from Third Man Records star Lillie Mae and her brother Frank Rische. The video is a tounge-in-cheek homage to the clip for Toto’s “Africa” and features Jim and acclaimed singer-songwriter Elizabeth Cook in starring roles.

“He’s a man of great style, an exceptional songwriter and tremendous singer”
– Elvis Costello

“Jim Lauderdale is a consummate entertainer, a sharp dressed man as well, a terrific songwriter and a great singer.” – George Strait

“Jim Lauderdale could easily be called a renaissance man. He’s a great singer, great guitar player and there’s no way you could miss his work as a songwriter.”
– Ricky Skaggs