The Infamous Stringdusters Collaborate with Anders Osborne to Cover Earl King’s “Those Lonely, Lonely Nights”

Article Contributed by Americana Vibes | Published on Saturday, April 20, 2024

GRAMMY-Award-winning bluegrass, folk, and Americana outfit The Infamous Stringdusters have unveiled their first single of 2024 with a cover of Earl King’s timeless classic “Those Lonely, Lonely Nights” featuring New Orleans-based songwriter and guitarist Anders Osborne on vocals. The track is released to celebrate The Infamous Stringdusters with Anders Osborne performing at House of Blues in New Orleans on Saturday, April 27th during the first weekend of Jazz Fest.

No strangers to putting their imprint on cover songs and tribute projects, The Infamous Stringdusters’ captivating rendition of “Those Lonely, Lonely Nights” infuses bluegrass with soulful grit delivering a fresh interpretation that pays homage to King’s original while showcasing the distinct talents each member in the quintet alongside Osborne. When The Infamous Stringdusters were planning the session with Osborne, they asked him to pick out a good ol’ New Orleans-style song and “Those Lonely, Lonely Nights” was his selection. During the session, they wanted to capture a classic NOLA vibe, but within the context of their string instrumentation.  Osborne’s vocals take listeners on a journey through multiple decades of influence honoring King's original version from the mid-50s, the showmanship expressed in Johnny "Guitar" Watson's interpretation in the 70s, and making the song their own in present times.

Dobroist Andy Hall shares, “I love the way this track came out! One of the great things about collaborating across styles is you’re never quite sure what you’re going to get. It’s like a new recipe—you gotta go for and then give it a taste—and this one tasted real good, in my opinion. We fused our bluegrass vibe with Anders’ soulful voice and got this really sweet country-soul mashup of the classic song.”

New Orleans not only serves as the home for the famed Earl King, but also as a stomping ground that cultivated a blossoming love for the city’s charm and musical culture for many members of the band. “Before I got into bluegrass I played blues and R&B and got way into New Orleans- style music. The first music festival I traveled to was Jazz Fest in NOLA back when tickets were something like $12/day for non-locals,” recalls guitarist & vocalist Andy Falco, “Anders Osborne always blew me away, and to have had the opportunity to work with him in the studio was an incredible honor and thrill.  We sang together on the Grateful Dead’s Black Muddy River which was previously released, and then we did this one that Anders brought in.  I’m so glad we got to play some real New Orleans music, and Anders’ vocal performance is nothing short of astonishing.”

The House of Blues performance during Jazz Fest comes in the middle of a bustling tour itinerary for The Infamous Stringdusters. The tour kicked off last night at Greenfield Lake Amphitheater in Wilmington, North Carolina, and continues through the southeast before the Jazz Fest Performance followed by a mix of club shows and festival plays including Hoxeyville Music Festival, Telluride Bluegrass Festival and more.

2024 TOUR DATES

4/19 - Washington, DC - Lincoln Theatre

4/20 - Richmond, VA - The Broadberry

4/21 - Raleigh, NC - The R&D Yard at Bowstring

4/25 - Atlanta, GA - The Eastern *

4/26 - Nashville, TN - The Ryman Auditorium *

4/27 - New Orleans, LA - House of Blues

5/25 - Vail, CO - Springfree Bluegrass Festival

5/31 - 6/2 - Wellston, MI - Hoxeyville Music Festival

6/1 - Fort Wayne, IN - Performance Pavilion at Sweetwater ^

6/2 - Lexington, KY - Railbird Music Festival

6/13 - 6/15 - Weiser, ID - Weiser River Music Festival

6/20 - 6/23 - Telluride, CO - Telluride Bluegrass Festival

7/5 - Bellvue, CO - The Mishawaka

7/6 - Bellvue, CO - The Mishawaka

7/18 - Stroudsburg, PA - Sherman Theater

7/19 - Canandaigua, NY - Lincoln Hill Farms

7/20 - Jay, VT - Jezzum Crow Festival

7/21 - Ridgefield, CT - Ridgefield Playhouse

8/2 - Seattle, WA - The Moore Theatre %

8/3 - Rexford, MT - Abayance Bar Marina %

8/5 - Jacksonville, OR - Britt Pavilion %

8/6 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall %

8/7 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall %

8/9 - Three Forks, MT - Bridger Brewing %

8/10 - Alta, WY - Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival %

9/12 - 9/14 - Las Vegas, NV - Bender Jamboree

9/20 - Axton, VA - The Infamous Weekend

9/21 - Axton, VA - The Infamous Weekend

9/19 - Manteo, NC - Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival

12/12 - 12/16 - Puerto Morelos, Q.R. - Strings & Sol

* with Leftover Salmon & Kitchen Dwellers

^ with Leftover Salmon

% wtih Molly Tuttle

Tickets to all upcoming performances including House of Blues with Anders Osborne on April 27th can be purchased HERE.

LATEST ARTICLES