By MARK KENNEDY, AP News.
NEW YORK (AP) — Robert Plant and Alison Krauss have reunited for another album more than a dozen years after their collaboration “Raising Sand” became a critical and commercial hit, earning six Grammy Awards. There are two Fort Worth connections. The album is produced, as the last collaboration, by Fort Worth’s own T-Bone Burnett and they do a song by Townes Van Zandt, who was born here and whose family history is intertwined with the city.
The 12-track “Raise the Roof” will be out Nov. 19 from Rounder Records and is a collection of covers like its predecessor. It was completed in Nashville just weeks before the 2020 lockdown.
The new album has Plant and Krauss singing songs by Merle Haggard, Allen Toussaint, The Everly Brothers, Anne Briggs, Geeshie Wiley, Bert Jansch, Betty Harris and the band Calexico, among others. There is also a Plant-Burnett original.
The former Led Zeppelin frontman, previously best known for his high-decibel shrieking and rock star theatrics, found more docile Nashville melodies with country and bluegrass icon Krauss on their first collaboration.
“Raising Sand” won album of the year at the 2008 Americana Music Honors & Awards, debuted #2 on the Billboard 200, generated platinum sales and was hailed around the world as a creative high point in both musicians’ long and distinguished careers.
That album featured The Everly Brothers’ “Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On),” Allen Toussaint’s “Fortune Teller,” Townes Van Zandt’s “Nothin”’ and country star Mel Tillis’ “Stick With Me Baby.”
The new album will include covers of Harris’ “Trouble With My Lover,” Wiley’s “Last Kind Words Blues” and Ola Belle Reed’s “You Led Me to the Wrong.” There’s also the classic “Can’t Let Go,” written by Randy Weeks and first recorded by Lucinda Williams. The Plant-Burnett original is called “High and Lonesome.”
Plant and Krauss will tour together in 2022, with dates to be announced soon.
– FWBP Staff contributed to this report.