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Lilli Lewis - My American Heart: The Blue EP “Lewis’ single “My American Heart,” off her upcoming album, “Americana” demonstrates a caliber of genius… When Lewis hits the high notes, she personifies a contemporary Jessye Norman if folk rock had been her genre.”
The Grateful Web

New Orleans singer / songwriter Lilli Lewis quietly released her timely track “My American Heart” on Dec. 7, and performed it the next night for the Movement Voters Project’s Georgia Fund benefit which included Mandy Patinkin and host Faith Salie. MVP raised funds directly for grass roots groups on the ground to help flip the Senate blue in the two Georgia runoff races.

Musical superstar Patinkin said of Lilli’s performance: “I was so deeply moved, Lilli, when you you sang… When I heard you, right from the beginning, it was like listening to light.”

Of her performance, Lewis says: “This year has been a real challenge, and a lot of musicians I’ve spoken with have been struggling with finding meaning in their work. The same was true for me at the start of the quarantine, but over the course of the year I’ve been invited to lend my voice to causes I care about, like masking for the sake of public health and working towards cultural equity in the music industry. So it was an absolute honor when asked to sing on behalf of a MVP, a national organization that goes out of its way to fund grassroots organizations who pound the pavement for voter turnout, especially for my home state of Georgia, where the results of the upcoming race could prove so critical for the well-being of millions.”

Throughout her career, the folk rock diva has promoted the radical decency that can inspire connection in a deeply divided nation. Lewis has been balancing working on her eagerly anticipated new album “Americana” with “My American Heart” as the single, and serving as a music industry voice for diversity across genres. This fall, she presented a Louisiana Red Hot Records-sponsored showcase for the Country Soul Songbook Summit, and spoke at the Thriving Roots Americana Conference’s Black Equity panel.

“My American Heart” features Lewis on piano and vocals; Wade Hymel on acoustic guitar and drums; Dr. Jimbo Walsh on bass; Gina Forsyth on fiddle, and Dave Easley on lap steel guitar. Cover Art provided by Nonney Oddlokken of Thread|Paper|Glue.

Hear Lewis perform her single for the powerful finale of Kennedy Center’s Arts Across America series: “New Orleans Voices on Social Justice” filmed at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation Center.


Street Date: 12/18/2020
Listen on Apple Music

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Peter Stampfel’s 20th Century is a 100 song collection produced by iconic indie producer Mark Bingham (Glenn Branca, Hal Wilner, Allen Ginsberg…) recorded over the course of nearly 20 years.
Pre-Sales begin on January 22, 2021

As ambitious as the project obviously is, the basic underlying concept was dead simple: to record Peter’s favorite song from every year of the 20th century. These are not the biggest hits; in fact some selections are virtually unknown outside circles of the most diehard obsessives obscurantists.

In a sense, Stampfel has been preparing for this project throughout his six decade long career. He started in the 1960’s uncovering and revamping repertoire from the 19th and early 20th centuries. He would rewrite/revise and decompose songs from the 19th and 20th centuries, changing the words and music to fit the times with avant-roots mischief makers the Holy Modal Rounders; playwright Sam Sheppard held down the drum seat for a spell; they lent instrumental support to the debut album of infamous radical poets’ performing collective, The Fugs. The Rounders’ “If You Want To Be A Bird” featured in one of the most pivotal scenes in one of the 60’s most pivotal films, Easy Rider. Stampfel’s never slowed down and never looked back since.

The recording of Peter Stampfel’s 20th Century initially started in 2001 with a core ensemble featuring Amasa Miller from Charmaine Neville’s band, Alex McMurray, Carol Berzas and Jeannie Scofield under the supervision of composer/ guitarist Jonathan Freilich of the New Orleans Klezmer All Stars. Most of the songs from 1901 through 1950 years were done over a few week-long sessions at Bingham’s Piety Street Studios in New Orleans.

The next burst of concerted recording activity came in 2003, with Mark joining Peter in Manhattan for 10 days in the midst of a July heatwave in a downtown loft with no air-conditioning. Drummer James Alsanders was in town and sat in on a few tunes.

Then came the Lull. The last 20 years of the 20th century is not amongst Peter’s favorite musical eras. In 2016, Peter began soliciting song selections from his many friends who were/are music journalists to cover that era. Mark returned to NYC and recorded Stampfel with pianist Steve Espinola helping out at Restoration Sound in Brooklyn.

On his return to Louisiana, Bingham began recording the Lost Bayou Ramblers at his studio in Henderson, LA. He became the guitarist in the Ramblers side project Michot’s Melody Makers, formed by fiddler/singer Louie, co-founder of LBR. Mark wound up enlisting LBR and MMM bassist Bryan Webre and drummer Kirkland Middleton as accompanists recording the final batch of song with plans to finish the project Spring of 2019.

Then Peter lost his voice; His vocal cords didn’t work. He not only couldn’t sing, he couldn’t talk. He spent the next few months re-learning how to sing, using a lower register and less volume.

That Fall, while the Lost Bayou Ramblers were on break, Bingham brought Stampfel down to Louisiana, called in Webre, Middleton, and Michot, added Michael Cerveris (star of the Broadway musical adaptation of The Who’s Tommy) and did the last 28 songs!

100 songs, 18 years of record, a century’s worth of music. A gargantuan effort by any measure – and as hugely rewarding a musical experience as you’d expect.

Exclusive Limited Release Date: 2/5/2021
National Street Date: 4/16/2021

Stay tuned for interactive website: peterstampfels20thcentury.com

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