Today is David Bowie‘s birthday — he would’ve been 77 this year — and to celebrate, Wilco have released a live cover of “Space Oddity” that was recorded at a 2016 appearance on NPR’s long-running live performance show, “Mountain Stage.”
“As a gratefully, if not begrudgingly, Earth-bound band, it’s always an honor and a challenge to tackle any of David Bowie’s space-soaring arrangements,” say Wilco. “Striving to reach the heights of his freedom and talent is a wise goal for any band. We thank Mountain Stage for letting us give this song another home on Earth.”
The “Space Oddity” cover is also the opening track on upcoming collection Live On Mountain Stage: Outlaws and Outliers that will be out April 19 via Oh Boy Records in celebration of the series’ 40th anniversary. It also features songs, taped over the years for the program, by Rhiannon Giddens, Margo Price, John Prine, Jason Isbell, The Indigo Girls, Tyler Childers, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Alison Krauss, and more. Preorder it here and check out the artwork and tracklist below.
Wilco just shared their 2023 Recommends playlist and will host the 2024 edition of their Solid Sound festival this June.
Live On Mountain Stage: Outlaws and Outliers:
01) Wilco – “Space Oddity” (David Bowie cover)
02) Watchhouse – “The Wolves”
03) Molly Tuttle – “You Didn’t Call My Name”
04) Tyler Childers – “Going Home”
05) Lucinda Williams – “Joy”
06) Eric Church – “Sinners Like Me”
07) Margo Price – “Hurtin’ (On The Bottle)”
08) Gillian Welch and David Rawlings – “One More Dollar”
09) Bird of Chicago – “Lodestar”
10) Kathy Mattea – “Redwing Blackbird”
11) The Indigo Girls – “Closer To Fine”
12) John Prine – “Souvenirs”
13) Steve Earle – “You Know The Rest”
14) Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn – “What’cha Gonna Do”
15) Sierra Ferrell – “I’d Do It Again”
16) Tim O’Brien – “Cup of Sugar”
17) Rhiannon Giddens – “Black Is the New Color”
18) Alison Krauss – “Let me Touch You For A While”
19) James McMurtry – “Canola Fields”
20) Jason Isbell – “Traveling Alone”
21) Sam Baker – “Isn’t Love Great”