RAMBLIN’ JACK ELLIOTT TO RELEASE ANTI DEBUT

I STAND ALONE

ON JULY 11, 2006

Ramblin’ Jack Elliott is preparing to release his Anti- Records debut album I Stand Alone on July 11, 2006.  With sparse backing from some of today’s most respected musicians (Flea, Lucinda Williams, Nels Cline, David Hidalgo, Corin Tucker, DJ Bonebrake), the record simmers with reflection and humor.

Mentored by Woodie Guthrie himself, Jack is one of the key artists responsible for the worldwide embrace of American folk music starting in the 1960s, along the way, inspiring an army of musicians: influencing a young Bob Dylan, inadvertently firing up the British Invasion (Elliott's "San Francisco Bay Blues" was one of the first songs Paul McCartney learned to play; Mick Jagger bought his first guitar after hearing Elliott busking on train platform in London), and influencing several generations of musicians including, Lou Reed, Van Morrison, Mick Ronson, Kris Kristoffersen, Robbie Robertson, Bruce Springsteen and Beck. 

Winning a Grammy in 1996 for his ‘Southcoast’ recording, and then being awarded the National Medal of Arts from President Clinton in 1999 continued to put Jack in the national limelight. He garnered two more Grammy nominations for his recordings “Friends of Mine” and “The Long Ride” produced by Roy Rogers in 1998 and 1999.  In 2001 The Ballad of Ramblin’ Jack was released by his daughter which was a narrative documentary about his life, and the public gained more insight into the amazing life that Jack has led.  The film received extensive play on the Sundance channel, exposing many to unique style of this living legend. 

Elegant and wise, I Stand Alone showcases his ever-deepening interpretive skills, vocal phrasing and expert timing.  From soulful reading of the Carter Family’s “Engine 143” to the Honky-Tonk exuberance of  “Drivin’ Nails In My Coffin”, to the melancholy yodel of “Blue”, Jack delivers the goods on all fronts.  Other highlights include his reworking of Hoagy Charmichael’s “Hong Kong Blues”, the playfulness of “Call Me A Dog” the drama of “Rake and Ramblin Boy” and the spoken-word tenderness of the albums closer, “Woody’s Last Ride”, where he is backed by delicate ambience from the band.

On I Stand Alone, Ramblin’ Jack succeeds in tying together many strains of American music into one singular and wholly identifiable creation, and one of the most moving and poignant albums of his storied career.

In support of the new album, Jack will be performing selected tour dates including the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in San Francisco and more around the United States and Europe.