(March 7, 2016) We’ve been writing about the great Memphis band, The Bo-Keys, for a few years now. The band has created a contemporary sound that harkens back to the great Memphis sounds of the 1960s. Happily, the Bo-Keys are getting ready to release their third studio album, Heartaches by the Number, on Electraphonic Records via Omnivore Recordings on April 29, 2016. Heartaches by the Number is an exploration of the intersection of country, folk and soul, combining stunning originals with inspired interpretations of jukebox classics from Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, Bob Dylan, Swamp Dogg, Charlie Rich, and Ray Price.
Recorded entirely on analog tape at Electraphonic Recording in Memphis, the set perfectly captures the classic country-meets-soul feeling birthed within the musical triangle of Memphis/Nashville/Muscle Shoals. The core group comprises legendary Al Green drummer Howard Grimes, keyboardist Archie “Hubbie” Turner, horn players Marc Franklin and Art Edmaiston of the Gregg Allman Band, bassist/producer Scott Bomar, saxophonist Kirk Smothers, organist Al Gamble, and guitarist Joe Restivo. On this country-soul journey, special guests including celebrated Hi Records artist Don Bryant, Hi Records and American Studios vocal group the Masqueraders, and roots singer-songwriter and guitarist John Paul Keith join the Bo-Keys in the studio. Front-and-center is Bo-Keys lead vocalist Percy Wiggins, who comes by the groove honestly — in the 1960s, he cut sides for RCA and ATCO alongside future Band of Gypsies musicians Billy Cox and Larry Lee at Bradley’s Barn, Nashville’s eminent recording studio.
We’re proud to be presenting the World Premiere of a great ballad from Heartaches by the Number. “Set Me Free” uses the horn section and organ as a backdrop for a tale of a couple who are in a relationship that definitely needs a change. It’s a great single that melds the old and the new, and we think SoulTrackers will love it. Check out the Bo-Keys below and tell us what you think!
World Premiere Exclusive!
The Bo-Keys – “Set Me Free”