By Jonathan Cohen1 hour, 49 minutes ago
Almost exactly a year since the release of his last studio album, "Devils & Dust," Bruce Springsteen will return April 25 with the first covers set of his career.
"We Shall Overcome -- The Seeger Sessions" (Columbia) features material long associated with Pete Seeger, the octogenarian folk pioneer who wrote such classics as "If I Had a Hammer" and "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)."
The 13-track set eschews those songs in favor of tracks like opener "Old Dan Tucker," "We Shall Overcome," "Shenandoah," "Erie Canal" and "Froggie Went A-Courtin." Two bonus tracks, "Buffalo Gals" and "How Can I Keep From Singing," will be found on the DualDisc release, as will a 30-minute behind-the-scenes documentary.
Springsteen is backed on the album by musicians including his wife, Patti Scialfa, fellow E Street Band accompanist Soozie Tyrell, trumpet player Mark Pender, trombonist Richie "La Bamba" Rosenberg, guitarist Frank Bruno and upright bassist Jeremy Chatzy. A number of these musicians will join him on the road in North America and Europe this spring, with dates to be announced.
Springsteen's stripped-down Devils & Dust tour did big business in 2005, grossing more than $33.4 million from 65 shows reported to Billboard Boxscore, 46 of them sellouts. It is unknown what type of venue the new dates will play, but Springsteen manager Jon Landau told Billboard last fall that arena theater configurations proved successful for the Devils & Dust dates.
The title track from "Devils & Dust" recently won a Grammy for best solo rock vocal performance.
Here is the track list for "We Shall Overcome":
"Old Dan Tucker"
"Jessie James"
"Mrs. McGrath"
"Oh, Mary, Don't You Weep"
"John Henry"
"Erie Canal"
"Jacob's Ladder"
"My Oklahoma Home"
"Eyes on the Prize"
"Shenandoah"
"Pay Me My Money Down"
"We Shall Overcome"
"Froggie Went A-Courtin"'
Bonus Tracks:
"Buffalo Gals"
"How Can I Keep From Singing"
Reuters/Billboard