Essential Fat Possum

folk legend Eric Andersen releasing comp (hear a live track from The Bitter End)

Folk singer Eric Andersen has been at it for over half a century, and though he never got quite as popular as some of his contemporaries, his songs have been recorded by some of his very famous peers. He hailed from the same Greenwich Village folk scene in the ’60s as Bob Dylan (who does a version of Andersen’s classic “Thirsty Boots,” and took Andersen on his 1975 Rolling Thunder Revue Tour), he went on the storied Festival Express Tour across Canada with the Grateful Dead (who enlisted Andersen’s help for the epic Wake of the Flood closer “Weather Report Suite”), and his music has also been recorded by Judy Collins, Johnny Cash, Fairport Convention, Linda Ronstadt, and many others.

Eric Andersen’s impressive career and his 75th birthday will be celebrated with the compilation The Essential Eric Andersen, due March 30 via Sony Legacy and Real Gone Music (pre-order). The 33-track CD or 42 track digital-collection features music recorded between 1964 and 2006, and guest musicians on these songs include Joni Mitchell, David Bromberg, Leon Russell, Joan Baez, Richard Thompson, Rick Danko, Lou Reed, and Phil Ochs. This compilation will be the first release of Andersen and Phil Ochs’ duet on “Plains of Nebrasky-o,” and the first release of Andersen and David Bromberg’s cover of Merle Haggard’s “Mama Tried,” which was recorded in 1971. The comp also comes with liner notes by Andersen himself and Anthony DeCurtis (author of Lou Reed: A Life).

Ahead of the release, we’re premiering a long out-of-print live version of Eric Andersen’s classic “Violets of Dawn,” recorded at legendary Greenwich Village venue The Bitter End. It’s a great take on a great song, and very worth hearing. Listen and check out the tracklist below.

At 75 years young, Eric Andersen is staying active on the road too, and he has tour dates scheduled for April and May. As mentioned, he plays the Voices on the Hudson” series at NYC’s City Vineyard, the the sister restaurant/venue to City Winery which is located on Pier 26 by the Hudson River, on April 9 (tickets). That show doubles as the release party for the new compilation.

Andersen also has a house show in NJ, a Connecticut show, a few Upstate NY shows, West Coast dates, and more. All dates are listed below.

‘The Essential Eric Andersen’ 2CD track list:
Disc 1
1. Everything Ain’t Been Said
2. Dusty Box Car Wall
3. (We Were) Foolish Like The Flowers (featuring Bruce Langhorne)
4. Dream To Rimbaud
5. Secrets
6. I Will Wait
7. Waves Of Freedom
8. Mama Tried (featuring David Bromberg – previously unreleased)
9. Is It Really Love At All
10. Florentine
11. Blue River (featuring Joni Mitchell)
12. Pearl’s Goodtime Blues
13. Woman, She Was Gentle (featuring Joan Baez and Leon Russell)
14. Moonchild River Song (featuring Dan Fogelberg, Debbie Green Andersen, and Pete Drake)
15. Time Run Like A Freight Train (featuring Dan Fogelberg)
16. Wild Crow Blues (featuring Leon Russell and Pete Drake)

Disc 2
1. The Blues Keep Fallin’ Like The Rain (featuring Tim Scott and Maria Muldaur)
2. Thirsty Boots (Live at the Bitter End)
3. Close The Door Lightly (When You Go)
4. Violets Of Dawn (Live at the Bitter End)
5. Messiah
6. Belgian Bar
7. Trouble In Paris
8. Hills Of Tuscany (featuring Richard Thompson)
9. You Can’t Relive The Past (featuring Lou Reed)
10. Rain Falls Down In Amsterdam
11. Keep This Love Alive (featuring Rick Danko and Fjeld Andersen)
12. Driftin’ Away (featuring Rick Danko and Fjeld Andersen)
13. Foghorn
14. Salt On Your Skin (Live featuring Inge Andersen and Michele Gazich)
15. Don’t It Make You Wanna Sing The Blues (Live featuring the Spoonful of Blues Band)
16. Under The Shadows (featuring a duet with Sari Andersen)
17. Plains Of Nebrasky-O (duet with Phil Ochs)

‘The Essential Eric Andersen’ Digital Album Track List:

1. Everything Ain’t Been Said
2. Dusty Box Car Wall
3. (We Were) Foolish Like The Flowers (featuring Bruce Langhorne)
4. Dream To Rimbaud
5. Secrets
6. I Will Wait
7. Waves Of Freedom
8. Come To My Bedside, My Darlin’
9. Mama Tried (featuring David Bromberg – previously unreleased)
10. Is It Really Love At All
11. Florentine
12. Sheila
13. Blue River (featuring Joni Mitchell)
14. Pearl’s Goodtime Blues
15. Woman, She Was Gentle (featuring Joan Baez and Leon Russell)
16. Moonchild River Song (featuring Dan Fogelberg, Debbie Green Andersen, and Pete Drake)
17. Time Run Like A Freight Train (featuring Dan Fogelberg)
18. Wild Crow Blues (featuring Leon Russell and Pete Drake)
19. Be True To You
20. The Blues Keep Fallin’ Like The Rain (featuring Tim Scott and Maria Muldaur)
21. I Shall Go Unbounded
22. Thirsty Boots (Live at the Bitter End)
23. Close The Door Lightly (When You Go)
24. Violets Of Dawn (Live at the Bitter End)
25. Come Runnin’ Like A Friend
26. Messiah
27. Ghosts Upon The Road
28. Belgian Bar
29. Listen To The Rain
30. Trouble In Paris
31. Rain Falls Down In Amsterdam
32. Goin’ Gone
33. Hills Of Tuscany (featuring Richard Thompson)
34. You Can’t Relive The Past (featuring Lou Reed)
35. Keep This Love Alive (featuring Rick Danko and Fjeld Andersen)
36. Driftin’ Away (featuring Rick Danko and Fjeld Andersen)
37. Foghorn
38. Under The Shadows (featuring a duet with Sari Andersen)
39. Salt On Your Skin (Live featuring Inge Andersen and Michele Gazich)
40. Singin’ Man
41. Don’t It Make You Wanna Sing The Blues (Live featuring the Spoonful of Blues Band)
42. Plains Of Nebrasky-O (duet with Phil Ochs)

Eric Andersen — 2018 Tour Dates
April 6 – Green Brook, NJ – House Concert
April 9 – New York, NY – City Vineyard at Pier 26
April 11 – Plainville, CT – Church of our Savior
April 12 – Boston, MA – City Winery
April 13 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Caffe Lena
April 15 – Piermont, NY – The Turning Point
April 16 – Buffalo, NY – Sportsmen’s Tavern
April 18 – Worthington, OH – Natalie’s Coal Fired Pizza
April 19 – Cleveland, OH – Nighttown
April 20 – Oxford, NY – 6 on the Square
April 25 – Santa Ynez, CA – Tales from the Tavern
April 29 – Soquel, CA – Michael’s On Main
May 4 – National City, CA – AMSD Concerts
May 5 – Santa Monica, CA – McCabe’s
May 6 – Altadena, CA – The Coffee Gallery Backstage
May 11 – Portland, OR – The Old Church
May 12 – Grants Pass, OR – House Concert
May 24 – Marlboro, NY – The Falcon