Eliza Gilkyson, a twice Grammy-nominated (2006/2014) singer-songwriter, is announcing her new release, 2020, due out in April on the Red House/Compass label. The record is a collection of politically charged anthems designed to motivate, reflect and inspire action during what may be the most vital American election of our lifetime. 2020 is a blend of new and old, reflecting the protests and activism that have defined her generation, including her interpretation of some folk favorites by Bob Dylan, “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall,”and Pete Seeger’s “Where Have All the Flowers Gone.” Eliza also adapted a new song, “Beach Haven,” from a letter written by Woody Guthrie in 1952 to Fred Trump, who at the time was his landlord, regarding his segregationist renter policies...
read more
Eliza Gilkyson, a twice Grammy-nominated (2006/2014) singer-songwriter, is announcing her new release, 2020, due out in April on the Red House/Compass label. The record is a collection of politically charged anthems designed to motivate, reflect and inspire action during what may be the most vital American election of our lifetime. 2020 is a blend of new and old, reflecting the protests and activism that have defined her generation, including her interpretation of some folk favorites by Bob Dylan, “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall,”and Pete Seeger’s “Where Have All the Flowers Gone.” Eliza also adapted a new song, “Beach Haven,” from a letter written by Woody Guthrie in 1952 to Fred Trump, who at the time was his landlord, regarding his segregationist renter policies. Ever the optimist, Woody pleaded to Trump to “open your doors” and “rip out the strangling red tape” that kept the apartment from embracing all races. Produced by Eliza’s son Cisco Ryder Gilliland, the recording features artists from Eliza’s regular band of beloved Austin musicians: Mike Hardwick (Jon Dee Graham, Jerry Jeff Walker, Charlie Sexton) on pedal steel, slide and various guitars, Chris Maresh (Eric Johnson) on bass, Bukka Allen (Alejandro Escovedo, Joe Ely, Terry Allen) on piano and keyboards, Warren Hood on fiddle, mandolinist Kym Warner (Green Cards) and producer Cisco Ryder Gilliland on drums, with cameo appearances by rising star Jaimee Harris, folksinger BettySoo and the WEWIM choir of Austin, a group co-founded by Eliza and singer Charlie Faye that supports up-and-coming female musicians in the community. Eliza will be on tour starting this Spring 2020 “This record was born out of a visceral desire to promote unity, commitment and action during this epic showdown of people versus power and truth versus lies. May human decency prevail.” – Eliza Gilkyson’s songs have been covered by Joan Baez, Bob Geldof, Tom Rush and Rosanne Cash and have appeared in films, PBS specials and on prime-time TV. A member of the Austin Music Hall of Fame, and a recent inductee into the Austin Songwriter Hall of Fame, she has won countless Folk Alliance and Austin Music awards, including 2014’s Songwriter of the Year.Eliza’s music has always offered a vivid reflection of the times we live in, full of joys and sorrows, each song a window into a life of struggle and triumph in a world she feels is “poised on the edge of moral, economic and environmental bankruptcy.” On stage, Eliza presents a vibrant spontaneous mix of storytelling with self-effacing humor and tenderness, within a wide-ranging spectrum of human experience, from intimate love songs to political diatribe, accompanied by some of the best players in the world.
“Even her darkest moments are warmed by a genuine compassion for the lost souls who sometimes populate her stories, and a very real concern for the world we all live in is woven through every tune… Whether she looks into darkness or light, Eliza Gilkyson’s vision is impressive.” ~ All Music Guide
show less
