The name Dan Penn alone holds not only prestige but eloquence. With co-written soul hits like Do Right Woman,” “Dark End of the Street,” “I’m Your Puppet” and recorded by the likes of Aretha Franklin, Percy Sledge, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell to name a few. Dan Penn is a songwriting legend.
And now releasing a new solo Living on Mercy Friday 28th via Last Music Co. The 13 track album was recorded between Alabama and Nashville, Tennessee with Milton Sledge (drums), Michael Rhodes (bass), Will McFarlane (guitar) and Clayton Ivey (keyboards)
Each song carried out in a labour of love and attention to detail. Whether it was from for the love of love in “I Do” Sharing advice in “What It Takes” while seeking for forgiveness in “Clean Slate.” Like all Penn’s albums, the new record was also produced by him and like previous recordings, Penn called out on some of his closest collaborators that included the likes of Wayne Carson (“ Living on Mercy”- “Edge of Love”), Spooner Oldham (“I Do”), Gary Nicholson (“Clean Slate”), Carson Whitsett (“Clean Slate”- “Things Happen”), Will McFarlane (“See You In My Dreams” - “I Didn’t Hear That Coming”) Bucky Lindsey (“Things Happen” - “ One of These Days”), Buzz Cason (“ What it Takes To Be True”) and finally the Cate Brothers (“Blue Motel” - “Soul Connection”) Where each and everyone brings in their own soul song-crafting into the mix. If you’re familiar with Penn’s writing and solo albums you’d know there’s always a cutting core song that leaves us questioning things in life, reminiscing the good and the bad, the busy and the lonely times. And that’s what “Down on Music Row” accounts for the vastly growing industry that continues to change and the best of the best are kept away, singing “we’ve got all our songs--Your stuff is too old school—the world has moved on. Old country ain’t selling—the world has moved on..” Nevertheless, the romantic tunes continue in “Soul Connection” while “Edge of Love” brings an extraordinary horn section tying the past, present and future all in one song.
Living on Mercy brings the legendary songwriter comes in a full circle in his nearly 50+ year career.
Living on Mercy is out now
And now releasing a new solo Living on Mercy Friday 28th via Last Music Co. The 13 track album was recorded between Alabama and Nashville, Tennessee with Milton Sledge (drums), Michael Rhodes (bass), Will McFarlane (guitar) and Clayton Ivey (keyboards)
Each song carried out in a labour of love and attention to detail. Whether it was from for the love of love in “I Do” Sharing advice in “What It Takes” while seeking for forgiveness in “Clean Slate.” Like all Penn’s albums, the new record was also produced by him and like previous recordings, Penn called out on some of his closest collaborators that included the likes of Wayne Carson (“ Living on Mercy”- “Edge of Love”), Spooner Oldham (“I Do”), Gary Nicholson (“Clean Slate”), Carson Whitsett (“Clean Slate”- “Things Happen”), Will McFarlane (“See You In My Dreams” - “I Didn’t Hear That Coming”) Bucky Lindsey (“Things Happen” - “ One of These Days”), Buzz Cason (“ What it Takes To Be True”) and finally the Cate Brothers (“Blue Motel” - “Soul Connection”) Where each and everyone brings in their own soul song-crafting into the mix. If you’re familiar with Penn’s writing and solo albums you’d know there’s always a cutting core song that leaves us questioning things in life, reminiscing the good and the bad, the busy and the lonely times. And that’s what “Down on Music Row” accounts for the vastly growing industry that continues to change and the best of the best are kept away, singing “we’ve got all our songs--Your stuff is too old school—the world has moved on. Old country ain’t selling—the world has moved on..” Nevertheless, the romantic tunes continue in “Soul Connection” while “Edge of Love” brings an extraordinary horn section tying the past, present and future all in one song.
Living on Mercy brings the legendary songwriter comes in a full circle in his nearly 50+ year career.
Living on Mercy is out now