Music Review: Elton John and Leon Russell - The Union
http://blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-elton-john-and-leon/
Leon Russell has been missed!
Elton John must have voiced a similar sentiment when he
sought him out for this wondrous collaborative effort.
A bit of history here: way back in the early ‘70s,
he was Leon Russell's opening act.
Leon was his hero and Elton's never lost his admiration
and respect for him. Fast forward to 2010.
Sixty-eight-year-old Leon hadn’t been in the limelight for many years.
Poor health had kept him from actively keeping up with his career.
After he recovered from a brain operation,
Elton (who has always been an advocate for underappreciated artists
new and old) thought it would be an excellent time to get the great man
recording again.
The Union is an even better effort than their fans might have hoped for.
Both men sound assured, energized and, yes, young again.
Despite all he’s been through, Leon’s voice hasn’t changed.
That gritty drawl is unmistakable and as vital as ever.
He rocks the upbeat “Hearts Have Turned To Stone.” Horns wail in the background, a soulful chorus providing the backup,
along with Elton’s enthusiastic "yeah, yeah, yeahs."
The ballad “Gone To Shiloh” tells the story of a Northern soldier
going off to fight in the Civil War–nice to see that lyricist
Bernie Taupin still holds a fascination with Americana after all
these years. Neil Young lends a hand with the vocals, which is a
fine treat. With its wails and moans, the dirge-like ballad
“There’s No Tomorrow” sounds like the melancholy opening of a
New Orleans funeral march. The rocker “Monkey Suit” sounds
suspiciously like an outtake from Elton’s last studio album,
The Captain and the Kid.
The same holds true for "The Best Part of the Day," a song of a
Longtime friendship (“You’re my best friend/You shared my crazy ways").
But there is nothing wrong with that.
Kid was one of Elton and Bernie’s best efforts,
and these songs are as good as anything on that record.Probably my favorite cuts on The Union are the gorgeous “When Love Is Dying”
and the chug-a-long rocker,
“A Dream Come True,” where Elton and Leon trade verses and piano licks,
backed again by a gospel choir.
It’s a rollicking, joyful piece, which harkens back to those touring
days of their youth. It is no surprise they wrote it together. The album was produced by T-Bone Burnett and features Jim Keltner on drums,
Jim Thompson
on tenor sax, Marc Ribot on guitars, Robert Randolph on steel guitar, along
with contributions
from Brian Wilson, Don Was, and Booker T. Jones. It marks the first time
since his late seventies
disco fiasco,Victim of Love, that Elton has recorded an album without his
band. The end result here is
monumentally better than that old disco snoozer. The final song on The Union,“The Hands of Angels,” is Leon’s thanks to those
who helped him return to the business
of making music:“Johnny and the Governor came and brought me to my senses/They made me
feel just
like a king/Made me lose all my bad defenses.”Thank you, Leon. And welcome back.The Union is on Decca Records. It will be available on Oct.19thElton John Defends His Performance At Rush Limbaugh’s Wedding
http://www.thefrisky.com/post/246-elton-john-defends-performing-at-rush-limbaughs-wedding/
“I said, ‘I suppose you’re wondering what the f**k I’m doing here,’ and they collapsed in laughter. It took the heat off. I said, ‘I’m probably the most famous gay man in the world. I’m coming in peace. Please, let’s not say people are horrible because they’re different. That’s not acceptable in this day and age.’ It was a good audience. ... [Limbaugh and I] talked a lot before I did it, and I was surprised how much I liked (him). If I had done it just for the money, I could have seen 40 years of my reputation go down the tube. As a gay man, I felt it my duty to find out what this guy thought. I did that before I played there. I felt there was a real reason for me going. There’s much more of a person in there than the public knows. I believe dialogue is a way forward. Come on, what era are we living in?”— Elton John defends his performance at conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh‘s wedding this summer.
Lots of us scratched our heads that the gayest musician alive (who’s in a civil partnership) with another man would celebrate the nuptials of a man who opposes gay marriage, although we shouldn’t have been so surprised considering he has performed with gay-mocking rapper Eminem in the past. Apparently, Rush and Elton could also overcome their differences for a night of fourth marriages and good tunes. Elton even says the two are email pen pals now. [USA Today]
Elton John decries recent rash of anti-gay bullying, suicides
http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2010-10-13-eltonjohn13_ST_N.htm
By Edna Gundersen, USA TODAY
BURBANK, Calif. — When Elton John saw the online trailer for the upcoming movie The Dilemma, he was as offended by posted comments as by actor Vince Vaughn's controversial crack that "electric cars are gay."
The hateful anonymous slurs "shocked me," the singer said during an interview to promote The Union, his upcoming duets album with Leon Russell. "People were saying gays should be beaten up, we're not part of God's universe. What kind of mentality is this? When I first came here, it was such a loving country. It's never been in a more horrible place. This is not the America I love."He's dismayed by the recent rash of gay bullying and suicides, especially the three men brutalized by Bronx gang members and the college student who jumped off a bridge in New York after his gay sexual encounter was secretly filmed and posted online.
"We've come so far, with a black president, it's mystifying that this can still be going on," John says. "Jesus Christ taught tolerance. That's the example we should follow. We should forgive, understand, be compassionate. We're not all the same. Thank God! It would be so boring."
If opposing parties stopped hurling epithets from rooftops and learned to exchange ideas, the rancor might subside, John says.
That's why John, who is in a civil partnership with David Furnish, agreed to sing at the June wedding of Rush Limbaugh, who opposes gay marriage.
"We talked a lot before I did it, and I was surprised how much I liked (him)," John says. "If I had done it just for the money, I could have seen 40 years of my reputation go down the tube. As a gay man, I felt it my duty to find out what this guy thought. I did that before I played there. I felt there was a real reason for me going."
At the reception in Palm Beach, Fla., John took the stage before 400 mostly Republican guests.
"I said, 'I suppose you're wondering what the (expletive) I'm doing here,' and they collapsed in laughter. It took the heat off. I said, 'I'm probably the most famous gay man in the world. I'm coming in peace. Please, let's not say people are horrible because they're different. That's not acceptable in this day and age.' It was a good audience."
John and Limbaugh still communicate by e-mail.
"There's much more of a person in there than the public knows," John says. "I believe dialogue is a way forward. Come on, what era are we living in?"
Elton John and Leon Russell The Union Review
Album. Released 25 October 2010.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/rnzb
BBC Review
When musicians of a certain age collaborate on a duets album, the results often reek of creative stagnation and the sound of mutual back-slapping. Not so with The Union, a sincere collaboration between Elton John and an artist to whom he owes an avowed debt, Leon Russell.
Their relationship stretches back 40 years, to when Russell attended Elton’s (calling him ‘John’ feels wrong) first US solo show. A veteran session player for legends such as Phil Spector and Bob Dylan, by 1970 Russell was an established solo star and bandleader for Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour. His raspy fusion of piano-based gospel, blues, country, rock and pop influenced Elton’s breakthrough albums.
Since engineering a return to his earlier sound with 2001’s Songs from the West Coast, Elton has focused on restoring his reputation as a craftsman of ersatz Americana. Working alongside Russell – making his first major label recording in a decade – brings him full circle.
Recorded live in the studio with acclaimed producer T Bone Burnett, the album radiates a kind of arid warmth; two old timers trading hard-won lessons in the dying sunlight. Burnett’s barebones arrangements are garnished only with a ten-piece gospel choir and a barely noticeable choral arrangement from Brian Wilson on the melancholy When Love is Dying.
Elton and Russell’s vocals and piano playing complement each other, neither overcooking the stew. The timbre of their voices is so similar it’s often difficult to tell them apart. They don’t harmonise, they duet, swapping chops and verses conversationally, Russell supplying hoodoo trills to Elton’s country honk.
Most of the songs are written by Elton and long-time lyricist Bernie Taupin, with occasional contributions from Russell and Burnett. Russell’s funky fingerprints are legible on the Stones-clad boogie of Monkey Suit and the antsy stomp of Hey Ahab. Other standouts include the funereal gospel of There’s No Tomorrow, the unabashed train-whistle rockabilly, A Dream Come True, and the haunting, Band-esque Gone to Shiloh, a Civil War lament featuring a vocal cameo from Neil Young.
But the strength of these tracks highlights the album’s weaknesses: too many mid-tempo ballads, too many generic melodies. At 14 tracks stretched just over an hour, it’s simply too long; shorn of its more forgettable songs, it could’ve been a glancing contender.
As it stands, The Union is a blot on neither man’s legacy, just a mature bout with flashes of former glory.
Their relationship stretches back 40 years, to when Russell attended Elton’s (calling him ‘John’ feels wrong) first US solo show. A veteran session player for legends such as Phil Spector and Bob Dylan, by 1970 Russell was an established solo star and bandleader for Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour. His raspy fusion of piano-based gospel, blues, country, rock and pop influenced Elton’s breakthrough albums.
Since engineering a return to his earlier sound with 2001’s Songs from the West Coast, Elton has focused on restoring his reputation as a craftsman of ersatz Americana. Working alongside Russell – making his first major label recording in a decade – brings him full circle.
Recorded live in the studio with acclaimed producer T Bone Burnett, the album radiates a kind of arid warmth; two old timers trading hard-won lessons in the dying sunlight. Burnett’s barebones arrangements are garnished only with a ten-piece gospel choir and a barely noticeable choral arrangement from Brian Wilson on the melancholy When Love is Dying.
Elton and Russell’s vocals and piano playing complement each other, neither overcooking the stew. The timbre of their voices is so similar it’s often difficult to tell them apart. They don’t harmonise, they duet, swapping chops and verses conversationally, Russell supplying hoodoo trills to Elton’s country honk.
Most of the songs are written by Elton and long-time lyricist Bernie Taupin, with occasional contributions from Russell and Burnett. Russell’s funky fingerprints are legible on the Stones-clad boogie of Monkey Suit and the antsy stomp of Hey Ahab. Other standouts include the funereal gospel of There’s No Tomorrow, the unabashed train-whistle rockabilly, A Dream Come True, and the haunting, Band-esque Gone to Shiloh, a Civil War lament featuring a vocal cameo from Neil Young.
But the strength of these tracks highlights the album’s weaknesses: too many mid-tempo ballads, too many generic melodies. At 14 tracks stretched just over an hour, it’s simply too long; shorn of its more forgettable songs, it could’ve been a glancing contender.
As it stands, The Union is a blot on neither man’s legacy, just a mature bout with flashes of former glory.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Elton John and Leon Russell - The Union (2010)
http://www.somethingelsereviews.com/2010/10/elton-john-and-leon-russell-union-2010.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+somethingelsereviews%2FJjnG+%28SOMETHING+ELSE!%29
Elton John's long and often dispiriting journey back to his 1970s muse led him to an early idol, Leon Russell. The result is "The Union," a sturdy new collaboration full of spiralling soul and timeless revelations about starting over.
Produced by T Bone Burnett and set for issue by Decca on Oct. 19, the album refurbishes John's tattered legacy even as it restores the legend of Russell -- a consummate musician who saw his career stalled by a stubburn refusal to play to expectations.
"I want his name written in stone," John has said of Russell. "I want him in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I want his name to be on everybody's lips again, like it used to be."
That sense of passage is underscored throughout "The Union," an often-loud record with its share of quiet truths -- like thundering boxcars sweeping past lonesome prairies.
But what a time it was.
The Band-influenced Civil War-era lament "Gone To Shiloh," also featuring Neil Young, sounds like a leftover track from John's brilliant "Tumbleweed Connection." "If It Wasn't For Bad" shambles out with a popping gospel groove and Russell's oddly affectionate yowl -- deftly recalling his best "Carny"-era work. "Monkey Suit," this brass-driven romp written by John and longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin, is like "Honky Chateau" redux.
John, who first met Russell in 1970 and later opened for him on tour, has called the legendary songwriter and pianist one of his greatest influences -- and he sounds every bit the true fan on "Eight Hundred Dollar Shoes": "Your songs have all the hooks," John sings. "You're seven wonders rolled into one."
Together, they have produced an album that feels like an honest collaboration, rather than a one-off gimmick. Listen to "Hey Ahab," which has the sway and sass of a country church-service hymn. Russell adds a just-right greasy accompaniment to John's bracing, gritty vocal.
"When Love Is Dying," bolstered by a soaring choral arrangement by Brian Wilson, could have been a radio staple for Elton John in a different time. (That is to say, in the time of sparkly jumpsuits and oversized sunglasses.) Russell finds a similar symmetry with his own deliciously snarky hitmaking past on "I Should Have Sent Roses," a collaboration with Taupin: "Well if I were you," Russell sings, "I'd throw rocks at the moon -- and I'd say, 'Damn you, wherever you are.'"
But even as they deftly recapture the atmosphere and nerve of their best early 1970s work, there is a newfound sense of last-act perspective -- and an emotional turmoil so often missing in Elton's glossy modern period.
Credit Russell, who reportedly underwent brain surgery just weeks before recording commenced on "The Union." He adds a dangerous grandeur to tracks like "Never Too Old (To Hold Somebody), "The Hands of Angels" and, most particularly, on the majestically grim "There's No Tomorrow," inspired by an old blues march.
Evenings spent with old friends, even in happy times, are often built around a sweet sense of loss -- and this one is no different.
Fuse presents “Elton John and Leon Russell Live From the Beacon Theatre” Oct. 19
http://www.channelguidemagblog.com/index.php/2010/10/15/fuse-presents-elton-john-and-leon-russell-live-from-the-beacon-theatre-oct-19/Posted on October 15th, 2010
By Ryan Berenz
Music network Fuse will air another installment of its excellent Fuse Presents concert series, this time with Fuse Presents: Elton John and Leon Russell Live From the Beacon Theatre on Oct. 19 at 8pm ET. The concert takes place on the same day as Elton John and Leon Russell release their joint album project, The Union. Full press release from Fuse below. For more info and features about the concert, visit fuse.tv.ELTON JOHN AND LEON RUSSELL LIVE FROM THE BEACON THEATRE
Presented By Coca-Cola
Tuesday, October 19 at 8PM ET
Fuse To Broadcast Live Elton John and Leon Russell Concert Featuring Songs from Their Latest Collaborative Album, The Union
Elton John and Leon Russell will appear in concert together at the legendary Beacon Theatre in New York City to showcase their new studio album, The Union, on October 19th at 8pm ET. The much-anticipated performance will air live on Fuse, Madison Square Garden’s national music television network. The two legends will take the stage for Fuse Presents: Elton John and Leon Russell Live From the Beacon Theatre, which will be available to fans across the U.S. with limited commercial interruptions.
The show will feature songs from The Union, which hits stores the same day, as well as a selection of classics and hits from their individual careers. For this concert, Elton and Leon will be accompanied by musicians from The Union studio sessions, including Jay Bellerose on drums, Russ Paul on the pedal steel guitar, Marc Ribot on guitar, Jackson Smith on guitar, Keefus Ciancia on keyboards, Mike Compton on mandolin and Dennis Crouch on bass.
Recorded live in the studio, The Union was produced by T Bone Burnett and features a variety of musical genres from R&B, soul, gospel, country, pop and rock. Icons Neil Young and Brian Wilson provide guest vocals on the 14-track record along with legendary R&B organist Booker T. Jones, steel guitarist Robert Randolph and a 10-piece gospel choir. The Union will be released October 19th on Decca.
“Fuse feels privileged to be part of this legendary performance by Elton John and Leon Russell, celebrating the duo’s new album release,” said Mike Bair, president, MSG Media. “We are pleased that we can continue to bring once-in-a-lifetime experiences to music fans nationwide through our ‘Fuse Presents’ series. This is just another example of how we can provide our viewers with magical performances from our iconic venues showcasing a variety of influential artists.”
Elton John and Leon Russell a pair of honky cats
By Des Sampson 7:00 AM Saturday Oct 16, 2010http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10680787
Doing an album with his piano-playing hero Leon Russell was a dream project for Elton John. He tells Des Sampson why the change is going to do him good.
Elton John and Leon Russell discovered their collaboration would be a labour of love and that their styles worked well together. Photo / Supplied
It isn't because he's nearing pensionable age, insists John. Instead, it was collaborating with his lifelong idol, Leon Russell, on The Union, a gospel-driven collection of honky-tonk rock 'n' roll and powerful, piano-based blues that has given him a new perspective on fortune, fame and fate.
"Of all the great piano players, Leon Russell was the one I respected the most," reveals John. "He was a giant in his prime. In the late 60s and early 70s, he worked with all the greats, like the Beach Boys, Eric Clapton and The Rolling Stones. But then, in the mid-70s, he just fell off the radar. I don't know if it was his management, alcohol or drugs, but he just disappeared."
If it hadn't have been for John, Russell would have remained lost - just a footnote in musical history, despite writing masterpieces like This Masquerade and Song for You.
That's because John called him up, out of the blue, after his partner, David Furnish, had played one of Russell's albums, while they were on holiday.
"We were on safari, in Africa, and when he put it on during lunch, I just thought, 'wow, what great songs'. So I called Leon up - I hadn't talked to him for 37 years - and asked what he'd been up to," explains John.
"It turns out he'd been driving around America for 30 years in an old, battered bus, playing small venues, just to try and make ends meet. I was really shocked and didn't know what to say. It made me realise how many great musicians fall by the wayside and that my success was really just a matter of luck - of being in the right place at the right time - because Leon could quite easily have had my career and vice versa.
"So, I asked Leon, 'do you want to do a record with me?' and he said 'do you think I can still play and sing?' That's how down he was."
When they teamed up in the studio with producer T-Bone Burnett, it was soon evident that Russell hadn't lost his knack for knocking out great tunes, like the sentimental You're Never Too Old or There's No Tomorrow, a joyous, gospel romp built around the chorus of the majestic Hymn #5, by The Mighty Hannibal. Russell even penned a song, especially for John.
"Apparently he asked his wife, 'what can I get Elton, who has everything already, for giving me a second chance? I know, I'll write him a song.' So that's what he did," says John, smiling.
"When he first played it, he looked me straight in the eye and said, 'thank you for saving my life'. That's probably the most moving thing that's ever happened to me. I got so emotional that I rushed outside for a cry before continuing.
"You know, before we started, we weren't sure if the two of us playing pianos together on a record would work, but from that moment we realised that it was going be a real labour of love," John enthuses. "Our styles worked so well together."
Those emotions and their mutual admiration infuse The Union with its raw passion, heartfelt soul and boundless energy. What's more, being recorded "live", without overdubs, it also has a freer, edgier feel to it than John's last few albums.
"Yeah, it does because most of the tracks were done in two takes with live musicians, which I haven't done for a long time. In fact, Monkey Suit was the original piano track Leon and I put down. That's how live it was," reveals John, smirking. "Some of it isn't in perfect time or is a little rough around the edges, because recording live makes the song looser and stretches it out. But that's its charm, I think."
John admits that recording The Union has left a lasting legacy, making him reappraise his priorities and also changing his views about songwriting.
"I'll always want to make music. It's just what kind of music I'm going to make now. That's why making this album has been good for me, because it made me realise I don't want to make pop albums anymore.
"Don't get me wrong, I love pop and writing for the Scissor Sisters, or appearing on a Tupac record - those little side-projects are the icing on the cake - but I'm 63 now, so I'm not interested in the singles' chart anymore," he admits.
"I just want to make records, like this one, which fit the piano-playing style I have and are appropriate for someone my age.
"Working with Leon on this, I've found the path I want to take for the rest of my life - to make records where I'm using great musicians, playing live and writing the best songs I can possibly write," he surmises. "But I had to go back to go forward. I had to return to making records that were done live, like I used to - to realise that's how I want to make records now."
Collaborating with his hero has also altered John's outlook on his own life and livelihood, because of the hardships Russell's endured in the last 30 years.
"If you forget about the music, this is an incredible human story of someone - Leon - quite literally coming back to life," John stresses. "Before we started recording Leon was seriously ill and had to have a five-and-a-half hour operation, because he had spinal fluid coming out his nose. But since he's been back, he's become a different person: he's healthier, funnier and more confident because he's been given his dues and got a lot of love from people like Stevie Nicks, Ringo Starr and Grace Jones, who all visited the studio to pay homage.
"That's why I think this is a special album and a special story," asserts John. "It's not just about the music but also the story behind the music.
"I just want Leon to enjoy the accolades he's finally receiving, I want him to be comfortable and, most of all, for him to live with his lovely wife Jan and not have to worry about where his next dollar is coming from or have to go out and play in small clubs three or four nights a week just to survive.
"If this album allows that to happen, then that's all I can ask for..."
LOWDOWN
Who: Sir Elton John
What: New album The Union, a collaboration with fellow pianist Leon Russell
When: Released November 2
-TimeOut
By Des Sampson
All-star blast
T Bone Burnett’s ‘Speaking Clock Revue’ gets by with a lot of help from his friends
http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2010/10/15/t_bone_burnetts_speaking_clock_revue_benefit_gets_by_with_a_lot_of_help_from_his_friends/ | T Bone Burnett (pictured), John Mellencamp, Elvis Costello, and the Secret Sisters are among the musicians performing in Burnett’s “Speaking Clock Revue’’ to benefit arts education in public schools. (Jesse Dylan) |
T Bone Burnett does not keep the Oscar he won earlier this year for his musical contribution to “Crazy Heart’’ out on display. Nor does he have a showcase for any of the 10 Grammy awards he’s amassed over the years for his work on the “Walk the Line’’ and “O Brother, Where Art Thou?’’ soundtracks or on albums by Alison Krauss and Robert Plant and others.
“First of all, that Oscar takes up the whole room. You can’t put that in a room where it’s not the only thing you look at,’’ he says with a laugh on the phone from San Francisco, where he’s appearing at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. “Also, as happy as I am to have gotten in the way of all those awards, when I’m working in my everyday life I don’t want to think about ’em all day long.’’
It’s a miracle he has time to think about much of anything other than the task at hand, given the pace the highly sought-after producer keeps in the studio. This year alone, the man born Joseph Henry Burnett has produced albums for Willie Nelson, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, John Mellencamp, his “Crazy Heart’’ collaborator Ryan Bingham, Elton John and Leon Russell — whose collaborative album “The Union’’ comes out on Tuesday — and Elvis Costello’s forthcoming “National Ransom,’’ out Nov. 2. And this list is a mere thumbnail in a 40-year discography that includes work with artists as varied as B.B. King, Cassandra Wilson, Jakob Dylan, Roy Orbison, the Counting Crows, and ex-wife Sam Phillips, among many others.
His latest venture takes Burnett out of the studio and involves many of those famous names.
Saturday night at the Citi Wang Theatre, Burnett presents the first in what he hopes will be a series of live concerts to benefit arts education in public schools via the Participant Foundation, the charitable arm of the film company releasing the acclaimed new education documentary “Waiting for ‘Superman.’ ’’
Backed by a crack house band of Burnett studio regulars, the show will feature performances by Mellencamp, John, Russell, Costello, “Crazy Heart’’ star Jeff Bridges, Gregg Allman, Ralph Stanley, the Punch Brothers, Karen Elson, Neko Case, and newcomers the Secret Sisters. The format will be akin to Burnett’s “Down From the Mountain’’ trek which followed the success of the “O Brother’’ soundtrack, with each artist performing solo and in combination with other acts on the bill. “Everybody’s being incredibly generous to do it,’’ says Burnett.
The Fort Worth-bred Burnett was inspired to assemble “Speaking Clock’’ after seeing “Superman’’ at legendary TV producer Norman Lear’s house in LA. “I met with the guys who did the film, and we were talking about what we could do to help and I said, ‘Why don’t we do a tour?’ ’’Those words were music to the ears of many of the artists with whom Burnett works and often want to hit the road with his stable of players, including guitarist Marc Ribot and drummer Jim Keltner.
“Everybody always says, ‘Let’s take this out on the road,’ ’’ says Burnett, 62. “I’ve had a lot of fun with these kinds of collaborative shows in the past, so at some point it reached a critical mass, as they say.’’
The show also gives Burnett a chance to play some of his own solo material, a rare occurrence for the infrequently touring producer who nonetheless has more than a half-dozen albums to his credit.
“I’m not as comfortable onstage as other people are but I do enjoy doing it occasionally,’’ he says. “I don’t see doing it that many more times in my life. But I must say I do enjoy putting on these shows. The ‘Down From the Mountain’ shows were some of the greatest experiences of my life.’’
For close-harmonizing, retro-country duo the Secret Sisters, whose Burnett-polished debut was released this week, the opportunity to share the stage with many of their heroes, especially John, is a dream come true. “Obviously the goal of everyone on this tour is to partner up with Elton and get behind a microphone,’’ says Lydia Rogers, with a laugh. “But just sharing the same bill with him is enough.’’
“It’s intimidating,’’ says older sister Laura. “We don’t really know what songs we’re going to be singing, we just know that it’s going to be one big party.’’
Burnett hopes that many of the younger acts like the Secret Sisters, Elson, and the Punch Brothers will get a nice bounce from the shows. “One of the functions of this concern as we go forward is to be able to introduce new people,’’ he says. “Strangely enough, the Internet creates scarcity. It’s supposed to do the opposite, but when you have 6 million bands on MySpace or whatever, you might as well have no bands on MySpace. How do you sort it out?’’
After the Boston show and a performance next Wednesday in New York City, Burnett hopes to relaunch the concept next spring. “I envision it as having a rotating cast,’’ he says, citing other possible participants like Plant and Krauss, Dylan, and Bingham. “Since these same musicians play with everybody, people can drop in and out easily.’’
And it’s likely they will given the respect that Burnett commands.
“There’s a lot to that guy,’’ says Bingham, who shared Burnett’s Oscar win. “He’s such a musicologist. One of the coolest things about working with him is the atmosphere he creates. He really creates a vibe that makes you comfortable in your own skin without a lot of distractions. Musicians love working with him for that.’’
And he loves them and the life that working with them has led to, nearly fulfilling his childhood dreams.
“When I was a kid I thought I would be Burt Bacharach when I grew up. I thought that was the greatest life in the world: write songs for movies and live in Hollywood and be married to Angie Dickinson.’’
Two out of three — plus an Oscar — ain’t bad.
Staff writer James Reed contributed to this report. Sarah Rodman can be reached at srodman@globe.com 
© Copyright 2010 Globe Newspaper Company.
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