Margo Price leads Leon Russell tribute album with ‘Strangers In A Strange Land’

Margo Price has shared her cover of Leon Russell‘s ‘Strangers In A Strange Land’ from the forthcoming tribute album ‘A Song For Leon’.

• READ MORE: Margo Price – ‘Strays’ review: a defiant spin on earnest Americana songwriting

Price’s cover is the lead single from the star-studded tribute album that features contributors such as Orville Peck, Nathaniel Rateliff, Pixies, Leon’s daughter Tina Rose with Jason Hill and Amy Nelson (Willie Nelson‘s daughter), Bootsy Collins, Hiss Golden Messenger, and more.

“I’ve always loved Leon Russell’s vibe and approach to music and life in general. I completely fell in love with him after watching the documentary by Les Blank called ‘A Poem Is A Naked Person’,” said Price in a statement.

She continued: “I had the pleasure of briefly meeting him at a show many years ago in the hallway. I always remember what he said during the live interview that day, which was that ‘It was his job to misinform the press.’ He was an old man at the time, but I’ll never forget how mischievous he seemed.”

Speaking about her choice to cover ‘Strangers In A Strange Land’, Price shared: “This song is so prolific. After my band and I cut it, we decided to perform it live at many shows. The monologue in the middle is my favourite.”

“It still seems absolutely pertinent, and its subject still matters today. He’s talking about the afterlife and equality and goes off about starting a new race where we all just learn to love each other. We can all learn a thing of two from Leon Russell,” she added.

Other unique collaborations on the LP include Flight of the Conchords’ Bret McKenzie teaming up with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band for a take on “Back to the Island.” The U.S. Girls, meanwhile, will join funk great Bootsy Collins for a rendition of “Superstar,” the Carpenters classic Russell co-wrote with Bonnie Bramlett.

‘A Song For Leon’ is released on September 8 via Primary Wave Music. Pre-order the album here.

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