THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “There are giants that walk among us. John Anderson is truly a country legend, as his remarkable career has spanned over a staggering 40+ years, starting in 1977 to his last release Years, produced by Dan Auerbach in 2020. In that period, Anderson has charted more than 40 singles on the Billboard Country Music Charts, including an impressive five No. 1 hits in numerous decades. In 2014 he was elected into the prestigious Songwriters Hall of Fame. His wake of influence throughout his recording career has become that of legend.
It was during the recording of Years for Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound that noted artists running the gamut from peers to the influenced, started coming out of the woodwork to heap praise on Anderson’s body of work. From those many encounters, Auerbach hatched the idea of a tribute to the genius of Anderson. The herculean talents of everyone from Luke Combs to John Prine, from Eric Church to Tyler Childers, Nathaniel Rateliff to Brothers Osborne, and Ashley McBryde to Gillian Welch & David Rawlings — and many more — all came together to pay tribute to John and his remarkable contributions in this stunning album.
Of the record, Anderson shares: “Listening to everybody do their own takes on the songs shows how the songs really come through. And I thought to myself, ‘You might have been young and foolish back then, but you sure did pick some good songs.’ It’s very gratifying to know that some things really do not change, and a great country song remains a great country song. Any one person on the record would be a real tribute, but all of them together? It’s a pretty big deal for me personally.”
Additionally, Auerbach reflects, “We weren’t trying to piddle around and make the normal tribute record. It had to be the best singers with the best songs and the best arrangements, and they all had to come into the studio. This wasn’t like, ‘Mail me the song, and we’ll put it together.’ Everybody had to come here and do their thing. I think it makes this record unique. I don’t think most tribute records are done like this. I think that’s why it sounds like a cohesive album. It feels like an amazing mix tape.”
Something Borrowed, Something New further celebrates a triumphant career for Anderson, who is one of country music’s most respected and beloved figures.”
