Tracks Premiere: Kevn Kinney Tribute “Let’s Go Dancing: Said the Firefly to the Hurricane”

Kevn Kinney tribute – Let’s Go Dancing: Said the Firefly to the Hurricane

Americana Highways brings you this premiere announcement of a forthcoming immense project, a 4-LP set of tribute recordings (and over 100 digital recordings) honoring Kevn Kinney (Drivin’ N Cryin). Tasty Goody Records has already been releasing songs since June and has released one every other week since, this will continue on for an entire year with the ultimate total amassing 100 digital songs. On Record Store Day, November 24th, the first album of 4 quarterly installments will be released, Said the Firefly to the Hurricane, with a wider release of vinyl on Dec. 1 and cd/digital early in the new year. Each song was produced and recorded separately so the credits will be available on the albums, and the overall project was produced by Anna Jensen.

Two previously unpremiered tracks are available for listening below, and the track listing itself is just beneath as well. This project is an absolute must-have for any self-respecting quality music fan.

First, see what Anna says of the project:

I’m elated to begin unveiling this huge labor of love which has evolved to be more magnificent and impressive than I could have even hoped. What started as a 60th birthday surprise for one of the best people I’ve ever known, snowballed into a tribute of the highest caliber for one of the greatest artists the WORLD has known… yet who remains unknown by so many even after 40 years of laudable output, both solo and as lyricist/frontman of Drivin n Cryin (22 releases and counting). I am hoping this celebration will help rectify that as the population at large deserves to be touched and changed for the better by this important, profound music. Those who know of Kevn Kinney and his legacy of thought provoking, soul stirring songs can attest to how life changing this man and his audible visions can be. He has always been ahead of his time, channeling messages on tough topics then ingeniously transforming them into pleasing forms that can be assimilated by all in a joyful way; never forcing, never didactic.

Because his body of work is so vast and spans genres, the collection is organized in four parts. Each starts with the title track “Let’s Go Dancing,” reimagined in a new way. And every volume is subtitled based on a lyric from that song. The first installment Said the Firefly to the Hurricane has more of an indie avant garde vibe, yet with sprinklings of the high-octane ‘drivin’ and also the tender ‘cryin’ elements that are interwoven throughout Kevn’s catalog as a whole. The record from start to finish is of exceptional musical quality and each fantastic artist/group ‘brought their A game’ to do this incredible material justice.

Recording scenarios range from the homespun to the elaborate. Patterson Hood and Peter Buck collaborated at Scott McCaughey’s home studio (whose backing vocals bring depth and satisfying charm to the track). Wreckless Eric managed to pull off a complex cacophony played, recorded, and produced all by himself on a Tascam 424 Portastudio. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit on the other hand laid theirs down at Sound Emporium Studios in Nashville with Grammy award winning producer Matt Ross-Spang and assistance by Skyler Chuckry, the first female chief engineer ever in Nashville!

The vinyl will benefit wonderful charities including Alejandro Escovedo’s SIMS Foundation which offers mental health and addiction services for folks in the music industry. And Shelly Colvin’s Out of the Woods which was inspired by her son Judge and helps kids with spinal cord and brain injuries.

I am a full-time visual artist and have made some very exciting paintings for the album artwork! The vinyl will be super top notch, unique and collectable. The album will be available in a limited release and special opaque bone-colored vinyl on Record Store Day only in record stores.”
– Anna Jensen, Curator and Producer of Let’s Go Dancing: Said the Firefly to the Hurricane: A Compilation Celebrating the Songs of Kevn Kinney

Here is the track listing, and then listen to two songs just below it.

Let’s Go Dancing: Said the Firefly to the Hurricane

A compilation celebrating the songs of Kevn Kinney

Patterson Hood (feat. Peter Buck) “Let’s Go Dancing” 3:04
Alejandro Escovedo “Another Scarlet Butterfly” 3:44
Wreckless Eric “The House Above Tina’s Grocery” 3:02
Elf Power “Mountaintop” 3:49
Parker Gispert “Together” 3:34
Erin Rae (feat. Seth Martin) “Passing Through” 5:36
Pylon Reenactment Society “Count the Flowers” 3:09
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit “Look What You’ve Done To Your Brother” 3:20
Gordon Gano and Boy Dirt Car (feat. Violent Femmes) “Gotta Move On” 2:57
Shovels and Rope Gotta “Get Out Of Here” 4:57
Great Lake Swimmers “Peacemaker” 3:53

Shelly Colvin (feat. Dylan LeBlanc) “Save For Me” 4:15

Here is Erin Rae’s version of “Passing Through”: