The Party Ain’t Over for Wanda Jackson

Third Man Records and Nonesuch Records have announced the release of the new album from the undisputed Queen of Rockabilly Wanda Jackson. The Party Ain’t Over, produced by Jack White, will be out January 25, 2011.

With a remarkable career that began in 1955, Jackson was credited with being the first woman to ever record a rock and roll song—“Let’s Have a Party” in 1958. The fiery singer is a bona fide legend and the pairing with White is an inspired one.  You may remember a few tears back when Jack White hitched his wagon to another legend to produce Loretta Lynn’s very fine Van Lear Rose thusly revitalizing her career.  Anticipation is high that the same will happen with this effort.  White and Jackson teamed up last year to record a 45rpm single for White’s Third Man Records. The vinyl and iTunes release, a cover of Amy Winehouse’s “You Know I’m No Good” b/w “Shakin All Over” was a huge success and the pair set to record a full-length album.

The Party Ain’t Over was recorded in Nashville at White’s studio, where he brought together a fabulous band, including himself, Jack Lawrence (The Dead Weather/Raconteurs), Carl Broemel (My Morning Jacket), Patrick Keeler (Raconteurs), Ashley Monroe, Jackson Smith, and his wife Karen Elson, to name a few, and hand picked the songs—11 tracks dating in origin from the early 1900s to 2007. The result: a retro modern collection of music that showcases Miss Jackson, now in her seventh decade and sounding as powerful as ever.

Wanda Jackson was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2010 Americana Music Awards in Nashville last night, (September 9th). The award, in the category of Performance, was presented to her by Jack White.

The Party Ain’t Over Tracklist

1. Shakin All Over
2. Rip It Up
3. Busted
4. Rum and Coca-Cola
5. Thunder on the Mountain
6. You Know I’m No Good
7. Like a Baby
8. Nervous Breakdown
9. Dust on the Bible
10. Teach Me Tonight
11. Blue Yodle #6

Jack White Set to Produce Wanda Jackson’s New Album

The “hardest working man” in show business, Jack White is collaborating with “hard headed woman” and “Queen of Rockabilly” Wanda Jackson.

The Oklahoman reports that Rock n’ Roll Hall of Famer Jackson is set to record a new album with White at the producer’s helm. They will first record a single for digital release before completing an album.

You may recall that in 2004 White successfully collaborated with country music legend Loretta Lynn on her excellent album Van Lear Rose. The recording that may just have been the catalyst for this artistic pairing.

“They had a super album, but he didn’t have her do anything different, you know,” Jackson said of White’s work with Loretta Lynn. “She just did her little Loretta Lynn songs. But he told me he’s gonna stretch me some, so we’ll see. We’ll talk later.”

Queen Wanda already has experience working with a variety of artists outside her country and rockabilly realm; in 2003, for her album Heart Trouble, she was joined by the likes of Elvis Costello, Lee Rocker and the Cramps.

A true legend, Jackson is about to draw a lot of new fans to her fold. Much like he did with Loretta Lynn; The 34-year-old White has the ability to introduce an entirely new audience of music fans to Jackson who might have not had the pleasure to hear such a talented and influential artist.

The 72-year-old Jackson, who was recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, started out singing rockabilly in the 1950s on the advice of her mentor and one-time boyfriend, Elvis Presley.

Have a look if you are unfamiliar with Wanda Jackson. You will understand immediately just why this particular pairing is so inspired.

2 Kool 2 B 4 Gotten

Beck Hansen covered The Velvet Underground's seminal, The Velvet Underground & Nico album for the first installment of his Record Club covers series, and now he's out to tackle another album released in 1967. This one hits a little closer to this Canadian bloggers home with his take on Leonard Cohen's Songs Of Leonard Cohen.

For this Leonard Cohen Dance Party (thank you Zombie clan for that phenom) Beck will be ably helped out by members of MGMT, Wolfmother's Andrew Stockdale, Devendra Banhart, Little Joy's Binki Shapiro and members of his touring band in the enterprise. He's already posted a cover of Suzanne on his website, and it will be followed by one track from the album every week.

Beck’s take on Cohen's Suzanne is posted below.

Record Club: Songs Of Leonard Cohen "Suzanne" from Beck Hansen on Vimeo.