With an incredibly impressive entourage, Shaboozey dropped by NPR earlier this summer for his first-ever Tiny Desk Concert. Although Washington, D.C., is only about 25 miles from his hometown of Woodbridge, Virginia, Shaboozey has been letting his mind wander to the West as he shares music from his upcoming concept album, The Outlaw Cherie Lee & Other Western Tales. The crossover star admits to being nervous before the cameras starting rolling, yet this five-song performance turned out to be quite a pre-party…. er, preview.
One of the early tracks from the new record, “Cowgirl,” will be irresistible to anyone who loves his breakout hit, “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” while another new song, “Drunk,” shows a more introspective side. There’s also a lively sing-along rendition of the GRAMMY-winning hit, “Amen.” Meanwhile, “Good News” is especially suited to the stripped-down NPR Tiny Desk vibe, as fiddlers Sara Watkins and Clayton Penrose-Whitmore deliver a splendid rendition of Bill Monroe’s “Roanoke” as a coda.
Other A-list instrumentalists include Wes Corbett on banjo, Thomas Drayton on bass, Sarah Jarosz on mandolin, Stephen Musselman on Dobro, Darren Poindexter on drums, and Connor Sullivan on guitar, along with rousing vocals from Zenya, Naärai, and Caleb Curry.
All that… and surprise guest Leon Bridges on a new revenge tune, “Burn It Down”? Tell ’em bring another round, we need plenty more! Look for The Outlaw Cherie Lee & Other Western Tales on July 31.
