To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Son Volt’s Trace, we are releasing a keepsake fine press book that includes lyrics and notes from Jay on the songs as well as a personal foreword by Jason Isbell and multiple original artworks by Phil Blank. Designed by Horse & Buggy Press (coincidentally moving into their 25th year anniversary as well), the 32-page 7×11 inch book is printed in full color on heavyweight, uncoated text paper. This limited edition of 1,500 copies features covers printed on a hand-fed, hand-cranked letterpress as well as a hand-sewn binding to create a rich, tactile artifact as intimate and imbued with emotion as the songs themselves. A printed bookmark completes the package. The books are available via the Son Volt store.

While we are trying our best to get these delivered by the holidays, please do not count on that. Books signed by Jay are $50. Unsigned books are $40. Specifications:

• Lyrics and notes by Jay Farrar
• Foreward by Jason Isbell
• 7 x 10 inches
• Full color 32 pages on heavyweight uncoated paper
• Limited to 1500 copies
• Hand-cranked letterpress with hand-sown binding
• Designed by Horse & Buggy Press
• Trace bookmark included
• Limited amount signed by Jay Farrar

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On Friday, July 31, 2020, Son Volt released 26Live via the Son Volt store. This release includes 26 live songs for download from the 2020 Union tour.

Also included in the album download will be a NEW SINGLE from Son Volt – “These Are The Times”. The download will be available in several formats.

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As you may have heard, Record Store Day 2020 has been divided into 3 release dates. Son Volt’s live album, Live at The Orange Peel, will be released on September 26, 2020. Recorded live at The Orange Peel in Asheville, NC on September 23, 2005, this double album is pressed on transparent orange vinyl and limited to 1500 copies and features 21 tracks, spanning Jay Farrar’s career with Son Volt and as a solo artist. Songs featured represent Trace, Straightaways, Wide Swing Tremolo, Sebastopol, and Okemah and the Melody of Riot.

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In the quarantine downtime, Son Volt has begun recording their new album. We are pleased to share “The Globe” as we continue to write and record final songs for the album. 50% of all sales and donations will be donated to the ACLU as they work to create a more perfect union – beyond one person, party, or side.

“I wrote “The Globe” a few months ago just thinking about people joining together across borders internationally and that the most resonant voice is going to be an international voice. I felt like the song had something to say and now is the time to say it.” — Jay Farrar

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Due to the ongoing health crisis, Son Volt is postponing the dates scheduled for April/May 2020. We do not have specific information about the postponed dates just yet. We will let you know when we do. Everyone stay safe out there.

New video for “The 99” – thanks to The Boot for the premiere. And, thanks to Dave Schwartz of Fast Atmosphere for pulling this together.

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Out now for the first time on vinyl! Gob Iron (British for harmonica) ‘Death Songs for the Living,’ interpretations of classic American folk standards by Jay Farrar and Anders Parker (Varnaline) recorded in 2006. It is available in all formats in the Son Volt Store.

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Son Volt’s latest, Union, is out now! Jay Farrar channels folk music’s enduring legacy of the troubadour on Union. “There are so many forces driving our country apart,” observes Farrar. “What can we do to bring our society back together?” Initially intended to be an entirely political statement, Union morphed into a combination of politically inspired material balanced by a cluster of new songs reflecting the power of love, time and music that sustains us. “While Rome Burns” emphasizes finding unity during times of turmoil while an album highlight, “Devil May Care,” offers the distraction we need, an effusive tribute to the fun of playing and creating music.

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Check out a new video for “Devil May Care,” a track off of Union, “Cruising along with breezy acoustic strumming, the carefree Americana tune soundtracks a montage of road scenes, featuring frontman Jay Farrar and his longstanding alt-country crew moving from gig to gig. The vintage-hued footage unfolds like a scrapbook of tour memories with shots of highway signs, stage time and laughs over backstage beers.” – Rolling Stone County

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We have several new t-shirts, hoodies, hats, stickers, posters and such available in the store. Head on over!

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Son Volt’s ‘Union’ will be released on Friday, March 29. Thanks to Garden & Gun Magazine for this premiere where you can stream the album in its entirety.

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Tickets are on sale for all Son Volt shows through June. Don’t wait to purchase. Most of these shows are headed toward sellout. This poster, designed by Jeremy Fetzer, will be available at shows as well as the online store.

TOUR DETAILS & TICKETS

Thanks to The Boot for premiering “Reality Winner” from ‘Union’ (out March 29).

As far as Farrar is concerned, Winner is a “merchant of truth” who is serving hard time for being a whistleblower. The story itself is one that has hardly garnered any attention; acknowledging the silence that surrounds Winner’s incarceration, Farrar realizes that this song probably won’t be the most popular — but that won’t keep him from speaking his mind.

“I felt like the idea for this song was to at least bring some awareness to her plight,” Farrar admits.

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Listen to a new track from Son Volt’s forthcoming Union, exclusively at Paste! Of the song Jay Farrar says “Lyrically the song touches on the ambivalence of watching one’s kids set out as adults—knowing the adventures and trials they will go through. Musically it’s all about the 12-string guitar (acoustic and electric) and that inspirational sound of The Byrds and Tom Petty.”

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Son Volt’s ninth studio album, Union (Transmit Sound/Thirty Tigers), was released worldwide on March 29th.

Jay Farrar channels folk music’s enduring legacy of the troubadour on Union. “There are so many forces driving our country apart,” observes Farrar. “What can we do to bring our society back together?” Initially intended to be an entirely political statement, Union morphed into a combination of politically inspired material balanced by a cluster of new songs reflecting the power of love, time and music that sustains us. “While Rome Burns” emphasizes finding unity during times of turmoil while an album highlight, “Devil May Care,” offers the distraction we need, an effusive tribute to the fun of playing and creating music.

A unique aspect of Union is that eight of the thirteen songs were recorded at places associated with two figures in American history whom Farrar considers important – labor and community organizer Mary Harris “Mother Jones” and iconic folk hero Woody Guthrie. Three songs were tracked at the Mother Jones Museum in Mount Olive, IL and four others were recorded at the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The legacy of Woody Guthrie helped to inform Union’s closing song “The Symbol” which was inspired by Guthrie’s classic “Deportee” (“Plane Wreck at Los Gatos”).

Union features long time band members Mark Spencer (piano, organ, acoustic slide, lap steel, backing vocals) Andrew DuPlantis (bass, backing vocals), returning member Chris Frame (guitar), as well as newest member Mark Patterson on drums and percussion.

Tracklist:

While Rome Burns
The 99
Devil May Care
Broadsides
Reality Winner
Union
The Reason

Lady Liberty
Holding Your Own
Truth To Power Blues
Rebel Girl
Slow Burn
The Symbol

In conjunction with the release of Union, Gob Iron’s Death Songs for the Living will be reissued on March 29. In addition to download and CD, the album will also be released for the first time on vinyl. In time for Record Store Day 2019, Gob Iron will release a 7-inch with two new original songs from Jay Farrar and Anders Parker.

Listen to a new track from Son Volt’s forthcoming Union, exclusively on Billboard! “I was raised around folk music and political commentary,” Farrar notes. “I’ve listened to Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan enough over the years, so it just felt like second nature. I felt it was my job, in a way.I’m a musician, what can I do to potentially help or change somebody’s thinking? What I can do is write, so I did.” New album out March 29 via Thirty Tigers.

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