Never Too Late: Duets with My Friends
American music legend Jim Kweskin continues to create vital, heartfelt music some sixty years after releasing his first album. His latest effort, Never Too Late, is a very special project that has Kweskin performing duets with female singers with whom he has collaborated over his storied career. Among these talented vocalists are Samoa Wilson and Maria Muldaur, who was a member of Kweskin’s pioneering Jug Band, a group that played at many Newport Folk Festivals and made multiple appearances on national TV shows. In fact, Jim Kweskin & His Jug Band was proclaimed as one of the most influential bands of the early Sixties. Another one of Kweskin’s singing partners is his granddaughter Fiona Kweskin, who’s making her recording debut on this album. Kweskin’s backing band also is predominantly female, and features the acclaimed instrumentalists: fiddler Suzy Thompson, dobro & steel guitarist Cindy Cashdollar, and harmonica player Annie Raines. The 83-year-old musician has long been hailed for his vast repertoire of songs – from well-known tunes to highly obscure gems – that he has uncovered over the years. The songs that Kweskin hand-picked on Never Too Late, and paired with specific guest vocalists, all hold deep significance to him. “I love these songs. That is why I chose them,” he explains. This 18-track set encompasses song selections from Woody Guthrie, Memphis Slim, Irving Berlin, and the Carter Family. It is a range that epitomizes the genre-hopping, generation-spanning music that has been the hallmark of Kweskin‘s career.
Release Date: January 26, 2024