Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy will release a new album, The Purple Bird, on January 31 via No Quarter. Will Oldham made it in Nashville with David “Ferg” Ferguson, marking only the second time he’s worked with a producer in his entire career.
Says Will: “I’ve made records with friends, collaborative records like The Brave and the Bold with Tortoise; the two Superwolf records with Matt Sweeney; The Wonder Show of the World with Emmett Kelly; Get on Jolly with Mick Turner. These collaborators get top billing because that’s how this business works. This record, The Purple Bird, is similarly a collaborative effort but the collaborator is the producer, David Ferguson. He’s a giant of a man, an epic musical force, a dear friend. Our work together on this record was the result of years of sharing hard times and great joys, songs and stories, of making music together and apart. There’s a lot of trust in this record on Ferg’s part and on mine, and the trust was hard- and well-earned. When I listen to the record, oftentimes I can’t help but laugh in wonder that life allowed me to participate in such a thing.”
Ferg co-wrote seven of the album’s 12 tracks, while other tracks feature songwriting contributions from John Anderson, Ronnie Bowman, Tim O’Brien, Pat McLaughlin, Tommy Prine and Roger Cook. Musicians on the album include Stuart Duncan (fiddle), Russ Pahl (electric guitar), Pat McLaughlin (mandolin), Steve Mackey (bass) and Fred Eltringham (drums/percussion).
You can listen to “Our Home,” the last song on the album which also features bluegrass musician Tim O’Brien, now via a beautiful animated video. Watch that below.
The Purple Bird
1. Turned to Dust (Rolling On)
2. London May
3. Tonight With the Dogs I’m Sleeping
4. Boise, Idaho
5. The Water’s Fine
6. Sometimes It’s Hard to Breathe
7. New Water
8. Guns Are For Cowards
9. Downstream
10. One of These Days (I’m Gonna Spend the Whole Night With You)
11. Is My Living In Vain?
12. Our Home