Country music icon and trailblazer, Mark Collie announced the release of his new album “Book of My Blues” set for June 4, 2021 on BFD/Audium Nashville/Orchard in association with Harvest Entertainment, Creator Label Co., and Collie Kuhl Music. The first single, “Born Ready” is available on all digital services today along with an accompanying video that is one of a series of music videos from the album directed by acclaimed director and screenwriter Jonathan Hensleigh and shot by award-winning cinematographer Tom Stern. Stream the new release here.
The themes in “Book of My Blues,” those of love, lust, betrayal, addiction, recovery, damnation, and redemption are derived from the graphic novel Rockabilly Hitman, a long-gestating collaboration between Collie and director Hensleigh (“The Punisher,” “Die Hard with a Vengeance,” “Armageddon” and the soon-to-be-released “Ice Road” starring Liam Neeson) that depicts the exploits of rockabilly singer Jesse Wayne Hardin, who by night is an avenger of evil, as he travels the hard backroads from Muscle Shoals to Memphis, from the Mississippi Delta to Music City.
“Writing songs from the perspective of this character has been an enlightening journey. Some of my life experiences are in that character and I have stood at many of those same crossroads,” commented Collie. “Every line and nuance is intended to help bring Jesse Wayne and the ‘Book of My Blues’ to life. There are a lot of ways to describe the music, maybe Roadhouse Rock, Southern Gothic, Americana, Country, but at its core it’s a reflection of me and many others who came before me.”
The album features twelve original songs written or co-written by Collie, plus three rockabilly classics – “Hey Boba Lou” by Ronnie Hawkins, Jacqueline Magill and Robbie Robertson of The Band fame, “Night Train to Memphis” written by Country Music Hall of Fame member Owen Bradley along with Marvin Hughes and Beasley Smith, and the rockabilly standard by Carl Perkins, “Matchbox.” The album was co-produced by Kenny Greenberg (whose producer credits include Allison Moore, Josh Turner, Toby Keith and the Mavericks) and Chad Cromwell (whose credits include his work with Joe Walsh, Neil Young, Willie Nelson and Boz Scaggs).
The co-writers with Collie reads as a who’s who of songwriter elite, including Collie’s long-time friend Billy Bob Thornton who combines with him on the title cut, Tom Douglas, Gary Nicholson and John Scott Sherill, as well as Jonathan Hensleigh and co-producers Greenberg and Cromwell.
Track Listing with songwriters:
1. Book of My Blues with Billy Bob Thornton (Mark Collie, Billy Bob Thornton)
2. Born Ready (Mark Collie, Kenny Greenberg, Gary Nicholson)
3. On the Wings of Your Love (Mark Collie)
4. Right This Wrong (Mark Collie, Kenny Greenberg)
R. Matchbox (Carl Perkins)
5. Holly Springs (Mark Collie, Kenny Greenberg, Chad Cromwell)
6. Unfinished Hurting (Mark Collie, Tom Douglas)
7. Queen of A Hungry Heart (Mark Collie, Kenny Greenberg, Chad Cromwell)
8. Sinking Sand (Mark Collie, Kenny Greenberg, Chad Cromwell)
H. Hey Boba Lou (Ronnie Hawkins, Jacqueline Magill, Robbie Robertson)
9. Put the Gun Down (Mark Collie)
10. Walk the Floor, Kill the Lights, Slam the Door (Mark Collie, John Scott Sherill)
11. A Little Every Day (Mark Collie, Kenny Greenberg, Chad Cromwell)
12. The Son of a Gun (Mark Collie, Jonathan Hensleigh)
M. Night Train to Memphis (Owen Bradley, Marvin Hughes, Beasley Smith)
