Musicians from across generations and across genres have come together to honor Neil Young with a new tribute album, Heart of Gold: A Tribute to Neil Young Volume I. Out April 25th via Cinema Music Group and Killphonic Records, the 14-track compilation will benefit The Bridge School with covers by Eddie Vedder, Brandi Carlile, Stephen Wilson, Lumineers, Steve Earle, and more.
The wide range of participating artists is a testament to Young’s influence, with indie-folk hitmakers Mumford & Sons alongside yacht rockers The Doobie Brothers with Allison Russell, New Orleans-adopted bluesman Anders Osborne next to art-pop singer-songwriter Fiona Apple, and more. The full tracklist includes Courtney Barnett, Sharon Van Etten, Rodney Crowell, Chris Pierce, and Charlie Green.
Along with the announcement, Killphonic Records shared covers from Australian slacker rocker Courtney Barnett and former Neil Young opener Chris Pierce. Barnett offers a timely update to Comes A Time‘s “Lotta Love” that makes it into a soft indie anthem for the times, while Pierce strips “Southern Man” back to its bare bones for a stirring gospel hymn.
“Time and time again, I’m reminded of the power of Neil Young’s songs,” Pierce said of his cover. “I’m reminded every time I spin one of his albums at home, when his songs play on the radio, and this was particularly evident when I recently had the honor of being the opening act for his solo tour. When I was presented with the privilege to be a part of Heart of Gold – The Songs of Neil Young his impactful song ‘Southern Man’ came to me in a dream. The early morning session at Village Recorders, gallantly led by producers David Resnik and Niko Bolas was an experience that I’ll never forget. I felt that the spirits of my ancestors visited us in the studio during the recording of this song, and I was in tears while singing it with the soulful congregation of stellar musicians in the room.”
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Proceeds from the album will benefit The Bridge School, started by Neil’s late wife Pegi Young to ensure people with severe speech and physical impairments have the ability to participate in their communities. Since 1986, The Bridge School has used augmentative and alternative means of communication (AAC) and assistive technology (AT) applications to offer innovative lifelong education strategies to its students. From 1986 to 2016, Neil Young hosted an annual Bridge School benefit concert which staged stripped-back performances from A-list artists, some of whom are on the new tribute album.
Heart of Gold: A Tribute to Neil Young Volume 1 is available here for pre-order, with details for Volume 2 coming soon. Scroll down to check out the full tracklist and album artwork, plus the covers from Courtney Barnett and Chris Pierce.
Courtney Barnett — “Lotta Love” [Official Video]
Chris Pierce — “Southern Man” [Official Video]
