Tommy Emmanuel and John Knowles Premiere New Song, "Cold, Cold Heart"
Earlier this week, Tommy Emmanuel and John Knowles announced Heart Songs, a collaborative instrumental album featuring covers of classic love songs by the likes of the Bee Gees, Billy Joel, Michael McDonald and many more. Today, we're delighted to present the exclusive premiere of the album's first single, an absolutely gorgeous cover of the classic Hank Williams ballad, "Cold, Cold Heart."
"John’s beautiful, haunting intro on this is a tip of his hat to Lenny Breau," Emmanuel told Guitar Player. "It drips with feeling and emotion and sets up the song in such a beautiful way. I have loved this Hank Williams classic since I first heard it when I was 4 years old sitting on the floor in front of our record player, while the tears ran down my mother's cheeks. Hank sure could write 'em!"
"I’ve always loved 'Cold, Cold Heart,'" Knowles added. "The melody is simple which means you can re-harmonize it to follow the emotions. I showed Tommy my take on it, and we got to work. Our ending is unresolved, like Hank’s dilemma."
Recorded at EastWest Studios in Los Angeles, Heart Songs is set for a January 11 release via CGP Sounds/Thirty Tigers.
Emmanuel and Knowles are also heading out on tour in support of the album in January. You can check out their itinerary—plus Heart Songs' album art and tracklist—below.
For more on Tommy Emmanuel, head on over to tommyemmanuel.com. For more on John Knowles, follow along on Facebook.
Heart Songs track listing:
"Cold, Cold Heart" (written by Hank Williams)
"How Deep Is Your Love" (written by The Bee Gees)
"I Can't Stop Loving You" (written by Don Gibson)
"Somewhere" (written by Leonard Bernstein from West Side Story)
"I Can Let Go Now" (written by Michael McDonald)
"Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)" (written by Billy Joel)
"After Paris" (written by John Knowles)
"Walkin' My Baby Back Home" (written by Roy Turk and Fred Ahlert)
"I Can't Make You Love Me" (written by Allen Shamblin and Michael Reid)
"Where Is Love" (written by Lionel Bart for Oliver!)
"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" (written by Bobby Russell and Bobby Scott)
"Eva Waits" (written by Tommy Emmanuel)
"Turning Home (Live)"
"How Deep Is Your Love (Live)"
Tommy Emmanuel and John Knowles 2019 tour dates:
Tue 1/8—San Francisco, CA: Herbst Theatre
Wed 1/9—Bakersfield, CA: Buck Owen's Crystal Palace
Fri 1/11—San Juan Capistrano, CA: The Coach House
Tue 1/15—New York, NY: City Winery
Wed 1/16—New York, NY: City Winery
Fri 1/18—Boston, MA: City Winery
Sat 1/19—Boston, MA: City Winery
Sun 1/20—Homer, NY: Center for The Arts
Tue 1/22—Alexandria, VA: The Birchmere
Wed 1/23—Alexandria, VA: The Birchmere
Fri 1/25—Minneapolis, MN: Dakota Jazz Club
Sat 1/26—Minneapolis, MN: Dakota Jazz Club
Sun 1/27—St. Louis, MO: The Sheldon Concert Hall
Tue 2/19—Atlanta, GA: City Winery
Wed 2/20—Atlanta, GA: City Winery
Fri 2/22—Franklin, TN: The Franklin Theater
Sat 2/23: Franklin, TN: The Franklin Theater
Tue 2/26: Nashville, TN: Grand Ole Opry