Tracy's Picks for 6/13

Allison Moorer: Getting Somewhere
Widespread Panic: Earth to America
Regina Spektor: Begin to Hope
Matthew Sweet: Girlfriend [Deluxe Editon]

New Smithsonian Folkways Recording

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 30, 2006

SMITHSONIAN FOLKWAYS RECORDINGS TO RELEASE 'ALBERTA: WILD ROSES, NORTHERN LIGHTS' ON JUNE 27 COINCIDING WITH SMITHSONIAN FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL'S ALBERTA PROGRAM

19-TRACK COLLECTION FEATURES TRACKS FROM 4-TIME GRAMMY WINNER K. D. LANG, CORB LUND AND THE LEGENDARY IAN TYSON

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings will release 'Alberta: Wild Roses, Northern Lights' on June 27. 'Alberta: Wild Roses, Northern Lights' features music from some of Canada's most beloved contemporary artists, including a newly remixed song from four-time GRAMMY Award winner k. d. lang and work from Juno Award winner and Hall of Fame inductee Ian Tyson. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings is releasing 'Alberta: Wild Roses, Northern Lights' as a companion to the "Alberta at the Smithsonian" program at the 2006 Smithsonian Folklife Festival (to be held June 30-July 4 and July 7-11 on the National Mall); this program marks the first time that the Smithsonian Institution has profiled a Canadian province.

The collection brings together a distinguished group of artists. Fifth-generation Albertan Corb Lund, who has two Canadian Gold records, contributes "No Roads Here." Lund was named Independent Male Artist of the Year at the 2005 Canadian Country Music Awards. John Wort Hannam, whose moving, lyrical "Church of the Long Grass" is featured here, was nominated for the inaugural Canadian Folk Music Awards Emerging Artist of the Year in 2005. Asani, an a capella women's trio that sings in a mix of English and Cree and has performed at Carnegie Hall, is represented by the vocal harmonies and drums of "Oti Nikan." Ian Tyson's "Four Strong Winds," which he originally recorded with Ian & Sylvia, has been covered by Neil Young, while Randy Travis has covered David Wilkie's "Wind in the Wire."

With styles ranging from cowboy songs to Ukrainian choral music, Métis fiddle tunes to swing, and Canadian Indian music to folk-rock, 'Alberta: Wild Roses, Northern Lights' demonstrates the diversity and richness of the Alberta music scene. Tom Wilson's country ballad "The Harvest Dance" commemorates the generations-old celebration that takes place every October on the Alberta plains. The swinging "I Turn into a Cowboy," written and sung by Tim Tamashiro, references the yearly Calgary Stampede. Tim Hus' loose-limbed "Alberta Crude" is a musical history of the province's oil industry. Diamond Joe White's "High Rider (The John Ware Story)" pays homage to John Ware, an African-American cowboy who became an Alberta pioneer. The poignant "Half-Breed," performed here by Laura Vinson and Free Spirit, meditates on Vinson's Métis, French, English, Cherokee and Cree heritage.

In conjunction with the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and release of 'Alberta: Wild Roses, Northern Lights,' Alberta artists will perform concerts throughout Washington, D.C., in the coming months, including free concerts at the Kennedy Center. 'Alberta: Wild Roses, Northern Lights' was produced by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts.

'Alberta: Wild Roses, Northern Lights' Track Listing:

1. The Corb Lund Band - No Roads Here
2. John Wort Hannam - Church of the Long Grass
3. Ian Tyson - Land of the Shining Mountains
4. k. d. lang - Big-Boned Gal (Remix)
5. Asani - Oti Nikan
6. Calvin Vollrath - Wild Alberta Rose
7. Tom Wilson - The Harvest Dance
8. Tim Hus - Alberta Crude
9. Tim Tamashiro - I Turn into a Cowboy
10. The Swiftys - Sweet Rose
11. Laura Vinson and Free Spirit - Half-Breed
12. Kubasonics - Polka from L'viv
13. Lé Twés - Allez Ouest
14. Terry Morrison - Long Dusty Road
15. Diamond Joe White - High Rider (The John Ware Story)
16. Maria Dunn - Do You Know Slim Evans?
17. David Wilkie and Cowboy Celtic - Wind in the Wire
18. The McDades - John's Flush / The Boiling Hen
19. Ian Tyson - Four Strong Winds

NOTE: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings retail distribution is through RYKO Distribution at 800.808.RYKO. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings releases are available through record and book outlets. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, as well as the original Folkways, Cook, Dyer-Bennet, Monitor, Paredon, Collector and Fast Folk collections, are available via mail order at 1.800.410.9815, 888.FOLKWAYS and the Internet. Visit the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings web site at www.folkways.si.edu.

NOTE: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings retail distribution is through RYKO Distribution at 800.808.RYKO. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings releases are available through record and book outlets. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, as well as the original Folkways, Cook, Dyer-Bennet, Monitor, Paredon, and Fast Folk collections, are available via mail order at 800.410.9815 or the Internet. Visit the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings website at www.folkways.si.edu.