Ry Cooder Debuts New Song, "The Prodigal Son"
Ry Cooder has premiered the title track from his new solo album, "The Prodigal Son." You can listen to the song above.
The Prodigal Son—Cooder's first solo release in six years—includes three Cooder originals and covers of his favorite spirituals from the past century. It was recorded in Hollywood and produced by Cooder with his chief collaborator, drummer and son, Joachim Cooder.
The album provides an unflinching look into modern America, and what the state of the country entails for those living within it.
"I do connect the political/economic dimensions with the inner life of people, since people are at risk and oppressed on all sides in our world today," Cooder said in a press release about the album. "There's some kind of reverence mood that takes hold when you play and sing these songs. 'Reverence' is a word I heard my granddaughter's nursery school teacher use, a Kashmiri woman. She said, 'We don't want to teach religion, but instill reverence.' I thought that was a good word for the feeling of this music."
The Prodigal Son is set for a May 11 release via Fantasy Records. You can preorder it here.
Cooder is also set to hit the road in June. You can check out his full itinerary—and listen to The Prodigal Son's first single, "Shrinking Man"—below.
Ry Cooder on Tour:
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June 4 - Alexandria, VA - Birchmere
June 6 - Ridgefield, CT - Ridgefield Playhouse
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June 12 - Derry, NH - Tupelo
June 22 - Ann Arbor, MI - Michigan Theater
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July 17 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
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Aug 10 - Calgary, AB - Jack Singer
Aug 14 - Denver, CO - Paramount
Jackson is an Associate Editor at GuitarWorld.com. He’s been writing and editing stories about new gear, technique and guitar-driven music both old and new since 2014, and has also written extensively on the same topics for Guitar Player. Elsewhere, his album reviews and essays have appeared in Louder and Unrecorded. Though open to music of all kinds, his greatest love has always been indie, and everything that falls under its massive umbrella. To that end, you can find him on Twitter crowing about whatever great new guitar band you need to drop everything to hear right now.

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