Blues Singer / Keyboardist / Guitarist’s first album in seven years featuring Larry Campbell, Scott Petito and Gary Burke, and songs by Robert Johnson, Blind Willie McTell,
Tom Waits, Ray LaMontagne and Lucinda Williams
Woodstock, N.Y. - Lucky Peterson was discovered by blues legend Willie Dixon when he was 3 years old, released his first record at 5 and soon after appeared on the Tonight Show.
Trained by keyboardists Bill Doggett and Jimmy Smith, Peterson went on to play behind Little Milton, Bobby “Blue” Bland and Kenny Neal. On return from the “Young Blues Giants”
tour of Europe, he signed first with Alligator, then Verve, Blue Thumb and Birdology/Dreyfus Jazz where he recorded what
Amazon.com called “his finest album”, “Black Midnight Sun”, in 2003. The New Yorker called him “a master of the guitar, organ and microphone”.
But Lucky’s journey was not a smooth one and Peterson spent the next few years in transition, working to free himself of drug troubles that had affected his health, family and professional lives.
He spent time in treatment, making one-off records for small european labels, but never a proper follow-up to “Black Midnight Sun”.
But you can always turn around. These words took on special meaning for the 45 year old Peterson, which is why the first album since his rehabilitation is titled “You can always turn around”. It is
an uplifting collection of songs that speak of struggles and salvation, using the gritty clarity of acoustic roots-blues (with modern touches) as its main musical vehicle.
The album was made in the Catskills with master Woodstock musicians Larry Campbell, guitar (Bob Dylan, Levon Helm); Scott Petito, bass (The Fugs, Mercury Rev, Rick Dando Band) and Gary Burke,
drums (Joe Jackson, Shania Twain). Peterson, as usual, plays a mix of instruments (duolian resonator, piano and acoustic and electric guitars. Also prevalent is the acoustic piano on which Lucky sounds
like a bluesy Elton John.
But it’s Peterson’s vocal instrument that some might find most arresting. Peterson wraps his voice around an eclectic selection of blues-based materials including songs by original Delta bluesmen Robert
Johnson, Rev. Gary Davis and Blind Willie McTell up through the music of today’s top songwriters such as Tom Waits.
Peterson continues to tour, doing dates big and small. This new album should increase awareness of and demand for this one-of-a-kind musician.
It is a huge blues album. Francis Dreyfus was fond of it. We really count on you to make incredible sales figures on this new opus.
Hereafter a documentary available on youtube about this project :
www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7FEvnp-9EM
released February 4, 2011
Lucky Peterson - vocals, duolian resonator, piano, acoustic and electric guitars
Larry Campbell - acoustic guitar, mandolin, pedal steel, duolian resonator
Scott Petito - bass, shakers, octave mandolin (on “I’m New Here”)
Gary Burke - drums
and introducing Tamara Peterson - vocals
Recorded, Mixed and Mastered on March 25 & 26, 2010, by Scott Petito, NRS Studio (Catskill, NY)
Assistant Engineer : Beth Reineke
A very special thanks to Larry, Scott and Gary for giving so much to the making of this recording.
Special thanks to : Stephen Washington, Tamara Peterson, Jane Chun, Everyone at Levon Helm Studios/Midnight Ramble, Mike Nunno, Inn on the Millstream, Lori's Creative Cafe & Jabelli's Bakery, Two Brothers Pizza and Deli, Lucky Chocolates, Nick Martin, Julia Nichols
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and some quotes ...
“Lucky Peterson’s version of my song, “Atonement” just blew me away! It is just spectacular!!!” - Lucinda Williams
“Incredible blues vocals…insanely lively guitar..it’s amazing” - USA
TODAY.com
“It’s that dirty kind of instrumentation that’s so raw, I felt compelled to stand up, crank up the volume, and bob my head with that hurts-so-good face.” - Michelle Parsons,
Pegasusnews.com
RELEASED By FDM ( Francis Dreyfus Music)
cat number FDM 46050 36967 2
distributed in Greece / Cyprus by Ankh
