Today, Buddy Miller has shared his take on the late Don Heffington’s “Fired Again,” the next offering from Tonight I’ll Go Down Swingin’: A Tribute to Don Heffington, out October 18 via Nine Mile Records and Clover Music Group. In addition to the new honky-tonk-friendly single, the upcoming tribute album features performances of originals from the prolific drummer and singer-songwriter by collaborators including Fiona Apple, Jackson Browne, Buddy Miller, John C. Reilly, Dave Alvin, Watkins Family Hour and more. Proceeds from Tonight I’ll Go Down Swingin’ will benefit Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, a charity that helps musicians and industry members in need of all-around aid. “Fired Again” was recently featured at Magnet Magazine who called the new song a “true-blue honky-tonk weeper.”
Listen to “Fired Again”
Pre-order Tonight I’ll Go Down Swingin’: A Tribute to Don Heffington
“I met Don in the ‘80s through Victoria Williams, of course,” says Buddy Miller. “He became my favorite drummer and the coolest person I knew, those two things still remain. I became aware of his songwriting later on, maybe around the time he made In The Red with our friend Tammy Rogers. He is a soulful singer and man. ‘Psalms’ [from In The Red] is eternal. I really dug his later solo records, too. Don called from the hospital asking me to sing ‘Fired Again’ on this tribute record, which he was curating, of course. I got players who loved him, that was easy, everybody loved Don. I’m not sure I did him justice, but it was meaningful and I sure miss him.”
“Fired Again” follows Jackson Browne’s melancholic cover of “Everywhere I Look,” which garnered praise from press including Stereogum, BrooklynVegan, and Variety who hailed Heffington as “one of the most beloved of all musicians on the L.A. scene over the last several decades.” Produced by Sheldon Gomberg (Ben Harper, Rickie Lee Jones) and Sebastian Steinberg (Fiona Apple, Iron & Wine), Tonight I’ll Go Down Swingin’ also features co-writes with Tom Waits (“Seeds On Hard Ground”) and Allen Ginsberg (“Put a Kiss and a Tear in Yr. Letter”), as well as a triumphant rendition of Porter Wagoner’s “Tonight I’ll Go Down Swingin’” by Heffington himself. The album closes with a poignant cover of Van Morrison’s “Irish Heartbeat” by Heffington and his daughter Laura.
Packing several music lifetimes into a lauded career that spanned decades, Don Heffington was a renowned drummer and versatile musician who first rose to prominence as a co-founding member of the beloved country-rock band Lone Justice, which toured with U2. In addition to a revered solo career and time as a member of the Watkins Family Hour, Heffington's production skills made him a sought-after musician over the years. He collaborated with some of the biggest names in music including Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Lucinda Williams, Dwight Yoakam and many others.
In 2021, Heffington tragically passed at the age of 70 due to complications from leukemia. His death was a significant loss to the music community, with many peers and collaborators expressing their admiration for his talent and mourning his passing. He is remembered not only for his musical contributions but also for his deep knowledge of music history and his generous spirit.
Tonight I’ll Go Down Swingin’: A Tribute to Don Heffington Tracklist:
1. “Kiss The Moon Goodbye” – Watkins Family Hour
2. “Fired Again” – Buddy Miller
3. “Avenue C” – Dave Alvin
4. “Crablice & Quaaludes” – The Boltcutters
5. “Generator” – Eleni Mandell
6. “Seeds On Hard Ground” – Tony Gilkyson
7. “Everywhere I Look” – Jackson Browne
8. “The Heffington Appreciation Society” – MOMO feat. Jim Keltner
9. “Heffington Abstract” – Sarah Kramer with Jorge Calderón and Van Dyke Parks
10. “Live Slow Die Old” – John C. Reilly
11. “Lately” – Fiona Apple
12. “Tonight I’ll Go Down Swingin’” – Don Heffington
13. “Although the Lord” – Victoria Williams
14. “Flying Over Flagstaff” – Marvin Etzioni
15. “Sorry About the Matter” – Tom Brousseau
16. “Time to Drink Whiskey” – Willie Watson
17. “New Rising Sun” – Peter Case
18. “That’s Hollywood” – Ramsay Midwood
19. “Put a Kiss and a Tear in Yr. Letter” – Inara George
20. “Irish Heartbeat” – Laura and Don Heffington
