Swamp Dogg has announced a new album, Blackgrass: From West Virginia to 125th St, due out on May 31 via Oh Boy Records. It’s his first album for the John Prine-founded label, and it was produced by Ryan Olson and recorded with Noam Pikelny, Sierra Hull, Jerry Douglas, Chris Scruggs, Billy Contreras, and Kenny Vaughan. Margo Price, Vernon Reid, Jenny Lewis, Justin Vernon, and The Cactus Blossoms all make guest appearances, and you can see the cover art and tracklist below.
“Not a lot of people talk about the true origins of bluegrass music, but it came from Black people,” Swamp Dogg says. “The banjo, the washtub, all that stuff started with African Americans. We were playing it before it even had a name. I’m trying to touch on every kind of music I grew up loving and listening to. This is my way of letting people know that I’m not just a soul singer or whatever they think I am. I’m so much more.”
The lead single and opening track is “Mess Under That Dress,” a spirited bluegrass track. Hear it below.
A documentary about Swamp Dogg, Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted, will premiere at SXSW, and he’ll perform at Luck Reunion on March 14, in addition to a New Orleans show earlier in the month. See all of his upcoming dates below.
SWAMP DOGG – BLACKGRASS: FROM WEST VIRGINIA TO 125TH ST TRACKLIST
1) Mess Under That Dress
2) Ugly Man’s Wife
3) Curtains On The Window
4) Have A Good Time
5) To The Other Woman (feat. Margo Price)
6) Songs To Sing
7) Count The Days (feat. Jenny Lewis)
8) Gotta Have My Baby Back
9) Your Best Friend
10) This Is My Dream
11) Rise Up (feat. Vernon Reid)
12) Murder Ballad
SWAMP DOGG: 2024 TOUR DATES
3/11 – New Orleans, LA – Chickie Wah Wah
3/14 – Spicewood, TX – Luck Reunion