- 2018-02-02
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MUSIC
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Donate to support families affected by the crisis in Ukraine ➔ John Oates Premieres New Solo Album “Arkansas”
Half of the rock and soul duo Hall & Oates, and American singer-songwriter John Oates releases a new album "Arkansas" on February 2, 2018. The new album was premiered exclusively on Billboard.
Last November, he announced the new album release date, working on new project with his band The Good Road Band.
From the album, the lead single "Arkansas" was released last month. About the song, he told Billboard, “I just thought it seemed like a fitting title for the record because Arkansas, I think, doesn't get the cred that a lot of places like New Orleans and Memphis do. But Arkansas has an interesting, a great music tradition with Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis and Levon Helm and many others. It's also the last stop before that music that came up the Mississippi River came to the northern cities like St. Louis. I think it's an important part of the American music tradition.”-
Originally the album started out as a tribute to Mississippi John Hurt. His music style was influenced from John Hurt.
“I actually own his guitar that he played at Newport Folk Festival in 1964. I've just been a fan and I've got a chance to see and play back in the '60s. Originally that’s how it started out, but it didn't feel like I was doing anything unique or original because it's all been done before - certainly not better than the original. So I said, ‘You know what? What would these songs sound like if I played them with a band?’ That's how it started.” - Accompanied by The Good Road Band, John Oates plays a solo hometown show at World Cafe Live on February 6. Also, he continues to create the music as the Hall & Oates and plans to start the tour.
“We have a huge tour planned starting in May. We'll be out on the road until about the first week of August. We'll be playing arenas around the country, and it's going to be a big tour. It's completely different from what I do on the solo side, where I play smaller venues and it's much more of a singer-songwriter kind of thing. The Hall & Oates show is big, and it's got all the whiz-bang stuff that you expect in an arena tour. I love both things." - source : Billboard
