Songwriter Joel Rafael To Release His New Album, America Come Home On July 17th On Inside Recordings
Album includes co-write with Woody Guthrie & Features David Crosby & Graham Nash on the title track
LOS ANGELES, Calif., July 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- California songwriter and seminal folk artist Joel Rafael will release his eighth album, America Come Home, on July 17th on Inside Recordings. America Come Home is a socially conscious, high-energy collection of songs that reflect his unique brand of Americana Power Folk and is in keeping with the great folk tradition–a genre that Rafael has mastered. Inside Recordings, a label created by Jackson Browne and his management, is distributed worldwide by Alternative Distribution Alliance.
The album's title track, "America Come Home," featuring David Crosby & Graham Nash, conjures a longing to restore the American Dream. David Crosby and Graham Nash previously covered a Rafael song, "This Is My Country" in the movie Poliwood, and on their 2008 CSN tour.
The album opener, "Dance Around My Atom Fire," a Joel Rafael co-write with Woody Guthrie, examines the peril of nuclear power and war. Rafael, internationally known as a natural interpreter of Guthrie's music, has long been compelled to carry on the Guthrie legacy, singing real songs about real people, which is reflected in Rafael's own songwriting. In 2009, Rafael released the 2CD collection, The Songs of Woody Guthrie Vol.1&2, which includes five Guthrie/Rafael co-writes. Two of the Guthrie/Rafael songs appear in the new Woody Guthrie Songbook of 100 songs titled, Every 100 Years. On Friday, July 13, Joel Rafael will be performing in Guthrie's hometown of Okemah, OK for the 15th time at the 15th Annual Woody Guthrie Folk Festival; he will be a featured guest on KPFK's Guthrie Centennial celebration (Saturday, July 14), and he is hosting and performing in a two-hour program of Guthrie words and music on Folkscene (www.folkscene.com) (Sunday, July 15) in honor of Guthrie's 100th birthday.
Other "America Come Home" album highlights include, "Singing In The Streets," penned by Eagles' songwriter Jack Tempchin, and "Racing & Chasing The Sun," a song Rafael first debuted in Tucson at the Fund for Civility, Respect and Understanding benefit concert–which was organized by the recently elected Tucson Congressman Ron Barber, former district director for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords–following the Tucson shootings in January 2011.
Rafael was also recently included on the May 15th compilation release Occupy This Album: A compilation of music by, for and inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement and the 99%. Rafael joined the all-star line up including Willie Nelson, Patti Smith, Mogwai, Yoko Ono, Debbie Harry and more in support of the movement. In a review, Associated Press chose Rafael's "China Basin Digs," as the standout track of the album's 99 songs, writing, "his voice sparkles, the guitar has a heartbeat and the lyrics lay bare circumstances that hurt to see . . . there simply is no better orator for these troubled and testing times."
Joel Rafael has been writing and performing since 1974 and over the past decades has released a stunning collection of eight Americana albums. He has shared the stage with artists such as Rick Danko, Emmylou Harris, John Lee Hooker, John Stewart, Laura Nyro and Taj Mahal, and he has collaborated with artists such as Jackson Browne, Rosie Flores, David Crosby & Graham Nash.
Track Listing- America Come Home:
- Dance Around My Atom Fire
- America Come Home
- Dharma Bums
- Go Tell The Savior
- Indian Summer
- Runaway Girl
- Meanwhile The Rain
- I Can't Feel Your Love
- Within Your Graces
- Singing In The Streets
- Goldmine
- Racing And Chasing The Sun
SOURCE Inside Recordings
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