We're pretty geeked on Nonesuch signing the very talented yet criminally under the radar artist - Sam Amidon. While his records were never bound to be chart toppers and his live (and recorded) collaborations with Nico Muhley and Doveman weren't meant for mainstream consumption - this move nonetheless shows Nonesuch's commitment to great talent. Amidon's lonesome modern interpretations of American music capture a melodic sense that is at once uplifting and filled with longing. Bright Sunny South drops May 14. From the bio:
"Amidon expresses a broad view of what constitutes a folk tradition: Bright Sunny South features a re-arrangement of Mariah Carey’s “Shake It Off” (from The Emancipation of Mimi) and a surprisingly poignant take on Tim McGraw’s “My Old Friend” (from Live Like You Were Dying, an album, Amidon notes, that ponders in a surprisingly frank manner the same life-and-death concerns as some of these century-old numbers he has revived). "
