Los Angeles, California: When veteran country entertainer Sammy Kershaw first conceived an album dedicated to the music of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, he knew exactly what he wanted to do - pay tribute to some of the iconic names and classic records that had been recorded in that same city in the past.
And where better to begin than with one of the all time broken-hearted Muscle Shoals blues, Etta James’s 1967 hit “I’d Rather Go Blind”?
Recorded that August with producer Rick Price, “I’d Rather Go Blind” was originally composed by Ellington Jordan; James herself recalled that the first time she ever heard it was while visiting Jordan in prison. She also contributed to the lyric, but gave her writing credit to her partner Billy Foster to avoid being hit for taxes. Even before she took the song into the studio, she knew she had a monster on her hands!
Since that time, the song has been covered by singers as far apart as Christine McVie and Rod Stewart, Sammy Jones, Elkie Brooks, Paul Weller and Beyoncé. Sammy Kershaw, however, was undaunted, laying down as haunting, and haunted, a version as any before it.
He might not be the first performer to flip the song’s gender, but coupled with Sammy’s trademark twang, and underlaid by the moodiest guitar and organ, this most beautifully dark of love songs takes on a whole new dimension. Sammy might be renowned as a country performer, but this is soul music at its most soulful.
“I had so much fun recording ‘I’d Rather Go Blind’,” says Sammy.
SINGLE: https://orcd.co/sammykershaw_idrathergoblind
“I’d Rather Go Blind” is the second single from Sammy’s much anticipated new album Muscle Shoals - a magical time machine and layered with the treasures that the city has created, from Clarence Carter’s “Slip Away” to Rod Stewart’s “Tonight’s The Night,” and into hits by Wilson Pickett, Bob Seger and Percy Sledge.
“I love this … album!,” says Sammy. “It turned out really great and I can’t wait for you folks to hear it!”
Track listing1. Mustang Sally
2. Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me
3. I'd Rather Go Blind
4. Mainstreet
5. Gotta Serve Somebody
6. When A Man Loves A Woman
7. I'm Your Puppet
8. Slip Away
9. Tonight's The Night (Gonna Be Alright)
10. You Better Move On
11. Patches
12. Hey Jude
CD/VINYL: https://cleorecs.com/search?q=sammy+kershaw+muscle+shoals
DIGITAL: https://orcd.co/sammykershaw_muscleshoals
Sammy also has a slew of live dates coming up.
10/11 - Xcel Energy Center - Saint Paul, MN10/12 - T-Mobile Center - Kansas City, MO
10/13 - Gas City Performing Arts Center - Gas City, IN
10/18 - Crossroads Arena - Corinth, MS
10/19 - Delta Hot Tamale Festival 2024 - Greenville, MS
10/20 - Oxford Performing Arts Center - Oxford, AL
10/25 - Golden Nugget Lake Charles Hotel & Casino - Lake Charles, LA
11/1 - The Venue at Horseshoe Casino - Hammond, IN
11/8 - United Wireless Arena & Boot Hill Casino - Dodge City, KS
11/9 - The Family Arena - Saint Charles, MO
11/15 - Boot Barn Hall - Gainesville, GA
11/16 - Newton Performing Arts Center - Newton, NC
11/17 - Newton Performing Arts Center - Newton, NC
11/23 - Paul A. Johnston Auditorium - Smithfield, NC
11/30 - IP Casino Resort & Spa - Biloxi, MS
12/6 - Billy Bob’s - Fort Worth, TX
For tickets and up-to-date tour info, visit:
https://www.sammykershaw.com/tour-dates/
