Back In 20 continues Gary's legacy as one of the premier »party singers« of all time, but also adds a definite element of the blues, which has been a main ingredient in his repertoire for many years. The album was recorded primarily in Gary's New York home studio and includes his regular touring band, The Roadhouse Rockers, on all tracks. Bruce Springsteen plays guitar and adds backing vocals on »Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks,« which also showcases Southside Johnny on harmonica. Johnny also sings co-lead vocal and plays harp on the blues classic, »Fannie Mae« and adds his harp to the song »Take Me Back.« Legendary former Allman Brothers Band guitarist Dickey Betts lends his talents to two tracks: »She Just Wants to Dance« and »Bitch/Dumb Ass,« which also features a blistering duet by Bonds and Phoebe Snow. Other cover tunes on the new CD include Otis Redding's »I¹ve Got Dreams to Remember,« Keb Mo's »She Just Wants to Dance« and »Every Time I Roll the Dice,« a song that¹s been previously recorded by Delbert McClinton. The rest of the songs are originals, written primarily by Gary and his daughter, Laurie 'Li'l Mama' Anderson, who also co-produced the album.
Gary and The Roadhouse Rockers strutted their stuff at the South By Southwest Music Festival in Austin.
Gary U.S. Bonds is one of a few artists to transcend the decades by having hit singles in both the 1960s and 1980s, including nine Top 40 hits topped by his signature party songs, »New Orleans« and »Quarter to Three« (which Gary co-wrote) in the early 1960s. Some of his early additional hits included »Dear Lady Twist« and two songs Gary wrote, »School is Out« and »School Is In.« A chance meeting with Bruce Springsteen and Steven Van Zandt, who had grown up on Bonds' music, started a friendship that continues to this day and resulted in a musical collaboration on Gary's Dedication and On The Line records in the 1980s, with Springsteen and Van Zandt both writing songs and producing the albums.
Tracklisting:
1. Can't Teach An Old Dog New Tricks - Bruce Springsteen
2. Murder In The First Degree
3. Take Me Back
4. She Just Wants To Dance
5. Fannie Mae
6. Bitch/Dumb Ass - Phoebe Snow
7. I've Got Dreams To Remember
8. Nothing But Blue
9. She Chose To Be My Lady
10. Too Much, Too Little, Too Late
11. Every Time I Roll The Dice
12. Don't Do It Here
BandGary U.S. Bonds
Artist
GenreAmericana
MediaCD
Ltd
A-ZG