Iconic soul/R&B vocalist and multiple Grammy Award-winning artist Aaron Neville will celebrate the release of his latest album and Blue Note Records debut My True Story with a host of high-profile appearances. They include performances on The Today Show on January 23rd and The Tonight Show With Jay Leno on January 29th, a featured interview on NPR’s Morning Edition that will be broadcast on the album’s release date of January 22nd, a sit-down interview on PBS’ Tavis Smiley that will air in February (check local listings), a performance for the Yahoo! Music series “The Sessions” that will be posted on January 21st, and a performance for NPR’s “Free At Noon” concert series that will broadcast live from Philadelphia’s World Café on January 18th.
NPR All Things Considered has named My True Story one of the most anticipated releases of 2013, saying, “there is an enormous amount of passion put into it, he clearly loves and wants to embody this material…It’s quite lovely.” Listen to the story here. NPR will also host an exclusive “First Listen” of My True Story from January 14th through the album’s January 22nd.
In addition, PBS will air the special Aaron Neville: Doo Wop: My True Story — a concert filmed in November at New York’s Brooklyn Bowl — in March 2013. For the show, Neville was joined by incredible array of musicians and guests, including guitarist Greg Leisz, drummer George G. Receli, and bassist Tony Scherr (all of whom played on My True Story), Neville Brothers’ saxophonist Charles Neville, keyboardist Michael Goods, and backing vocalists Joel Katz, David Johnson, and Earl Smith, Jr. Neville was also joined by special guests Paul Simon, Joan Osborne, Eugene Pitt of the Jive Five (who co-wrote the album’s title song), and Dickie Harmon from the Del-Vikings. Watch a private preview here.
My True Story finds Neville revitalizing some of his favorite songs from the doo-wop era and beyond, including “Tears on My Pillow” and “Under the Boardwalk,” and performing them in his inimitable vocal style. The album was produced by Blue Note Records President Don Was and Keith Richards, who also contributes his signature guitar playing throughout the album. To Neville these songs weren’t just the soundtrack to his youth; they became the underpinning for all of the remarkable music he has created across five decades.
Last month Neville wrapped up his annual Christmas Celebration tour, during which he performed holiday songs, fan-favorite hits, and songs from My True Story to sold-out audiences across the country. The album is available for pre-order on iTunes here and Amazon here. Watch a video about the making of My True Story here. Neville will return to the road in support of his new album in the spring. Please see below for dates.
Aaron Neville Quintet – Spring 2013 Tour Dates:
April 13 Birmingham, AL Alys Robinson Stephens PAC
April 14 Nashville, TN War Memorial Auditorium
April 16 Skokie, IL North Shore PAC
April 18 Milwaukee, WI Northern Lights Theatre
April 19 Cleveland, OH Tri-C Jazz Fest – State Theatre
April 27 Shreveport, LA Sam’s Town Hotel & Casino
April 28 Houston, TX Houston International Festival
May 04 Biloxi, MS IP Casino
June 02 Augusta, NJ 24th Annual Crawfish Fest