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New Gary Louris: Follow

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Video: Gary Louris – “Follow”

From Jump For Joy, out June 4 on Sham/Thirty Tigers.

What is it about Gary Louris’ voice that’s so comforting? From the Jayhawks days through his work with Golden Smog as well on his solo stuff, he sounds like a big hug from an old friend.

His new album was written, performed, recorded and produced entirely by Louris himself. As a reminder that some of us have been locking ourselves down since way before the start of the pandemic, some of these recordings date back to “the first decade of the new millennium.”

“Follow” is a love song with a super lovey video to match, starring Louris and his wife frolicking gaily in the woods.

“This was originally a straightforward love song for no one,” says Louris. “However when my niece was married I rewrote it and performed it for their wedding dance. Now it has become an ode and testament to my lovely wife. It is a song of commitment, of partnership and a realization of when two people have that magical bond that cannot truly be explained in words.”

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Jayhawks Reunion This Summer

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JayhawksWhile Gary Louris and Mark Olson have been touring together since 2006 and recorded an album in 2007, they’ve done it only as a duo. Not as the Jayhawks. This is due at least in part to the fact that Rick Rubin owns the Jayhawks “brand.”

Looks like that’s changing. Billboard reports, Jayhawks Reuniting For Summer Shows. The reunited Jayhawks played a festival in Spain last August, and they’ll be playing some more this summer:

[Olsen:] “That was the first time I’d played with the Jayhawks in over 10 years. It was really fun. It was Karen [Grotberg] and Tim [O’Reagan] and Marc [Perlman] and Gary and me. We played pretty much all of “Hollywood Town Hall” and “Tomorrow The Green Grass.”

“I have some friends in Spain who were very persistent about getting a Jayhawks show there and they really wanted the ‘Green Grass’ lineup,” says Louris, who owns a house in Spain and splits his time between there and Minneapolis. “Since Mark and I are now buddies again, and the fact that Karen is now willing to do some shows because now her daughter is old enough for her to leave for periods of time, its just become more viable.”

Dates after the jump…

Continue reading Jayhawks Reunion This Summer →

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Gary Louris: Rick Rubin owns Jayhawks

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The A.V. Club talks to Gary Louris about his new album, Vagabonds, and about trying to release the 1986 Jayhawks debut that’s never even been issued on CD:

Well, we did have the rights to the first record, but we sold it to Lost Highway with the idea they were going to put it out, and then it got stuck. So we should have hung onto it, at least for that part of it. But of course, the Jayhawks name is kind of stuck. Anything that’s released with the Jayhawks name is technically still under contract to Rick Rubin, so it’s not like we can just go start putting out Jayhawks records. We would still be begotten to our contract.

I’ve heard the album on vinyl (thanks, Vit!), and it’s good. Very, very Sweetheart of the Rodeo, but there’s nothing wrong with that.

Continue reading Gary Louris: Rick Rubin owns Jayhawks →

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Gary Louris and Mark Olson: TLA

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The JayhawksWoo hoo! Former Jayhawks Gary Louris and Mark Olson have finished a new album. According to Billboard, they’ve actually had Ready for the Flood in the can for over a year.

Produced by the Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson in Los Angeles in January 2007, it will be their first album since 1995’s Tomorrow the Green Grass.

“We’re hoping it will come out either in the summer or the fall,” Louris says… “It’s taken a backseat to his solo record [The Salvation Blues] and my solo record [Vagabonds]. I’m not really sure if we’re putting it out ourselves or if we’re going to get a label involved. It’s great. I love it — we did it in eight days.”

Big news for fans of acoustic guitars, tight harmonies, and pretty melodies.

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Gary Louris – True Blue

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Songs:Illinois has an mp3 of the first single from Gary Louris’ solo debut Vagabonds, due February 19 on Rykodisc, who gave their blessing to this leak.

Fans of Louris’ vocals and songwriting on his work with the Jayhawks and Golden Smog will not be disappointed. People concerned about his recent work with the Dixie Chicks and Nickel Creek need not worry too much. “True Blue” sounds like classic Gary Louris, just a little less jangly.