Critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Amos Lee will make a series of upcoming television and radio appearances over the next month as he rides a wave of critical praise for his brand-new album Mission Bell, which is out today on Blue Note Records.
Amos Lee will appear on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno on January 26th and The Ellen DeGeneres Show on January 28th.
Also on the 28th, Lee will be featured on NPR's World Café program, which will broadcast a performance by and interview with Lee that can be heard on more than 200 stations nationwide.
Buy CDs, MP3s, more:
Additionally, Lee will appear on PBS's Tavis Smiley on February 1st, The Late Show With David Letterman on February 16th, and The Early Show on February 18th. Yesterday, Lee was featured on NPR's All Things Considered.
Mission Bell, the highly anticipated fourth album from the Philadelphia-based singer and songwriter, has already spawned a radio hit, "Windows Are Rolled Down," which was released digitally in November.
The track is currently No. 11 at AAA radio and has remained on the chart for nine weeks with airplay on more than 75 stations.
Three tracks from Mission Bell will be made available as free downloads this week. "Windows Are Rolled Down" will be available at more than 8,000 U.S. stores as a Starbucks Pick of the Week iTunes download beginning January 26th, iTunes will feature "Violin" as their free "Discovery Download" selection for the week of January 25th through the 31st, and "El Camino" will be Amazon MP3's "Free Country Song of Week" beginning January 25th.
Amos Lee is currently on the road for his 2011 U.S. headlining tour in support of Mission Bell, which includes a performance for NPR's Mountain Stage live music program, broadcast from Charleston, West Virginia, on April 24th. (Please visit Amos Lee's show page for tour dates). When the tour concludes on April 29th, Lee will travel to Louisiana to perform on the Gentilly Stage at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on April 30th. Please visit the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival page for more information.
Produced by Calexico's Joey Burns, Mission Bell is Lee's richest and most fully formed recording to date, displaying an array of emotions unified by his eclectic taste and distinctive vocals.
With a remarkable set of guests - including Lucinda Williams, Willie Nelson, Iron & Wine's Sam Beam, Priscilla Ahn, Pieta Brown, and James Gadson - and the musical backing of Calexico, the album marks the arrival of Lee as a mature artist who continues to explore his musical and thematic interests.
CRITICAL PRAISE FOR AMOS LEE AND MISSION BELL:
"Lee's proving a hard-worked apprenticeship can still put the art in artisan. … His lyrics sweat with detail and nervy experience. … Lee is so commanding that guests Lucinda Williams and Willie Nelson are drawn into top-of-the-range duets and still don't take over." - Mojo
"Of all the Bill Withers worshipers, none has created a more organic and credible corollary to the original than has Amos Lee on his latest CD. It provides an ideal survey of the nuances of acoustic soul, hitting its ironic mix of earthy and erudite." - New York Daily News
"Mission Bell reflects the themes of loss, redemption, and hope and Lee's talents still ring true on the album: soulful vocals and vivid, narrative-driven lyrics mixing folk, pop, R&B, rock, gospel, blues and country influences. His skills fused with those of Joey Burns and Convertino, spark the perfect synergy on lead single, 'Windows Are Rolled Down.'" - Billboard
"Burnt-sugar vocals catch your heart as much as your ears [on "Windows Rolled Down"]. Backed by open-road roots rock and a slide guitar that howls like a coyote, Lee's heartbreak feels so big, it could fill the landscape outside your car." - Marie Claire
"Joey Burns and his sun-dazed band Calexico have transported the soul-folk singer/songwriter to a more arid and country-tinged musical geography. Though he hails from Philadelphia, Lee is truly at home in the desert. Lee's voice has always been his greatest asset and he sounds like a grounded Al Green against the elegant rumba of "Hello Again" and the Staples Singers-sounding 'Jesus.'" - Relix
"Lee and producer Joey Burns (Calexico) aren't afraid to take chances and stretch the limits of Lee's folky R&B sound…'Hello Again' showcases his tremendous vocal range against booming trumpets that are reminiscent of the French Quarter." - Filter
"I'm ready to convert to the church of Amos Lee." - Bust
"Guy can play a mean guitar, but man, that voice." - Metroland
Amos Lee 2011 tour dates:
(Dates and information subject to change.)
January 2011
1/25 The Fillmore San Francisco, CA (SOLD OUT)
1/27 Music Box Los Angeles, CA
1/28 House of Blues Anaheim, CA
1/29 House of Blues San Diego, CA
1/30 Rialto Theater Tucson, AZ
February 2011
2/01 The Depot Salt Lake City, UT
2/03 Vilar Center Beaver Creek, CO
2/04 Belly Up Aspen, CO
2/05 Boulder Theater Boulder, CO (SOLD OUT)
2/07 Liberty Hall Lawrence, KS
2/09 Cain's Ballroom Tulsa, OK
2/10 House of Blues Dallas, TX
2/11 Paramount Austin, TX
2/12 House of Blues Houston, TX
March 2011
3/24 State Theatre Minneapolis, MN
3/25 Turner Hall Milwaukee, WI
3/26 The Vic Theater Chicago, IL
3/27 Egyptian Room Indianapolis, IN
3/29 The Ark Ann Arbor, MI (SOLD OUT)
April 2011
4/01 Irving Plaza New York, NY
4/02 Irving Plaza New York, NY
4/03 Wilbur Theater Boston, MA
4/05 Merriam Theatre Philadelphia, PA
4/06 9:30 Club Washington, DC
4/08 Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN
4/09 Variety Theatre Atlanta, GA
4/22 Lincoln Theater Raleigh, NC
4/23 Knight Center Charlotte, NC
4/24 Mountain Stage Charleston, WV
4/25 Tennessee Theater Knoxville, TN
4/28 NCPAC Charleston, SC
4/29 WorkPlay Soundstage Birmingham, AL
4/30 Jazz and Heritage Festival New Orleans, LA
Photo credit: Harper Smith
Buy CDs, MP3s, more:
Amos Lee on All Things Considered
Amos Lee Official Website
Tweet
Follow @JennyMay
More music: Jenny May music
Music News Twitter
