Little Feat has announced its first album of new original material in 13 years, Strike Up The Band, and shared the lighthearted lead single, “Too High To Cut My Hair”.
Building on the success of the band’s recent Grammy-nominated blues cover album, Sam’s Place, Strike Up The Band marks a pivotal point in Little Feat’s storied 56-year career. Having earned a cult following in the ’60s and ’70s with an eclectic mix of blues, country, funk, rock, and jazz, the band influenced such legendary artists as Bonnie Raitt, The Rolling Stones, and even Phish. With its 17th studio album, Little Feat honors that legacy while continuing to explore new musical territory.
“When discussing the album with the band and where it sits in our canon, our predecessor to this record in my mind was Let It Roll. We are in a similar position to introduce Little Feat once again with this new collection of songs,” said bandleader Bill Payne. “It is my feeling that, from what we had been playing over the last few years, there’s no question the overwhelming majority of fans would accept the album for what it is: an unmistakable iteration of Little Feat that highlights, with great songs and musicianship, the very best of an ongoing legacy, expressly evoking and expanding upon what people think of when they hear Little Feat.”
Due out May 9th via Hot Tomato, Strike Up The Band was produced by Vance Powell (Phish, Chris Stapleton, Jack White) and includes collaborations with Molly Tuttle, Blackberry Smoke’s Charlie Starr, Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter, and more.
Guitarist Scott Sharrard said, “Strike Up The Band really began in the winter of 2019 when I was subbing for Paul Barrere, and he passed away on the day of that first show, continuing through the pandemic shut down (and a lot of practicing and songwriting during that time), to our return to the road in 2021. Then on to our recording field trip to Memphis that resulted in the Grammy Nominated blues album of classic blues covers Sam’s Place. That one gave us all the chance to tighten up as a band and re-visit the Rosetta Stone of rock and roll, The Blues. We have paid a lot of dues to get here, and all roads have led us to this new album.”
Little Feat offered the first preview of the new album with “Too High To Cut My Hair”, a playful, funky number based on the true story of when guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Fred Tackett, who wrote the song, asked his wife for a trim in a New Orleans hotel room, but she decided she was too stoned for the task.
“People love the humor in our records,” said Bill Payne. “So I’m happy this song displays that humor, and in full. It’s also got the classic Sam Clayton doing his, three octaves below middle C voice in there.”
Check out the music video for “Too High To Cut My Hair” starring Lilly Winwood below and click here to stream the track on your preferred platform. Pre-save/pre-order Little Feat’s new album, Strike Up The Band, here and scroll down to view the full tracklist and album art.
Little Feat will return to the road in May for the Strike Up The Band Tour. The band will also link up with Nitty Gritty Band in June to kick off summer with the Dirty Feat Tour and join Tedeschi Trucks Band on the Live in 25 Tour in October.
Little Feat – “Too High To Cut My Hair”
Little Feat Strike Up The Band Tracklist:
4 Days of Heaven 3 Days of Work
Bayou Mama
Shipwrecks
Midnight Flight
Too High To Cut My Hair
When Hearts Fall
Strike Up The Band (feat. Larkin Poe)
Bluegrass Pines (feat. Molly Tuttle, Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams)
Disappearing Ink
Love and Life (Never Fear)
Dance a Little
Running Out of Time with the Blues
New Orleans Cries When She Sings