This week’s free “Song From The Ballroom” is “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”. This song by Hank Williams is one of my very favorites ever, and righteous proof of Hank Williams’ front-row seat in the songwriters’ pantheon. When I recorded it, I was playing the piano every day, mostly jazz standards from the 50s and 60s, trying to immerse myself in that classic songbook vibe. Thus the dissonances and explorations that go further afield with every verse. I’ve often thought it would be interesting to get really good at the piano and do a tour of songs like this – country meets jazz, or whatever it is. Maybe it still can happen.

Anyone can receive this track for free for the next couple of weeks by joining my emailing list (Please see link at lower left to sign up). “Songs From the Ballroom” is a series of free unreleased tracks, demos, live versions and rarities just for fans on my e-mail list. It’s been going for awhile now, and I think we’ll keep it going for a few more months at least. I hope you enjoy it.

British singer/pianist (and now guitarist) Birdy and I wrote a batch of songs together for her upcoming album, including this one, “All You Never Say.” I love her voice and her ideas and you’ll see why when you listen to this track. The album is jam-packed with great songs, by the way.

This week’s free “Song From The Ballroom” is “Annie’s Song” by John Denver. I’ve always loved his music, “Country Roads” and “Rocky Mountain High” being especially burned into my memory. One day a while back I got an e-mail from Rick Rubin which said something like, “How about covering a John Denver song, that one where the title isn’t part of the lyrics?” Took me a minute to figure out what song he was talking about. This is it.

Anyone can receive this track for free for the next couple of weeks by joining my emailing list (Please see link at lower left to sign up). “Songs From the Ballroom” is a series of free unreleased tracks, demos, live versions and rarities just for fans on my e-mail list. It’s been going for awhile now, and I think we’ll keep it going for a few more months at least. I hope you enjoy it.

Everyone, I’m doing another Stage-It concert from my music room, on Wednesday, July 24th at 7:00 PM PDT. You buy a ticket for what seems like the right price to you, then watch from your laptop in your home. Or wherever you happen to be. Yes, I’ll try to figure out how to turn on the fireplace this time but no guarantees. We’re going to hold the tickets to 100 total so the question-and-answer interactive element is doable while I play.

I’m going to do it as a “Words and Music by Dan Wilson” show – that is, I’ll be telling stories about the songs and talking about how they came about and also how I do what I do. Stage-It concerts are 30 minutes with 20 minutes additional for encores. Let’s just assume I’ll play the encore

To purchase tickets, click here.

All proceeds from the show are going to the Sheridan Story, which is a North-Minneapolis-based charity focussed on sending hungry kids home on Fridays with food for the weekend.

Finally! My brother Matt & I have completed our new live album, and it’s ready for purchase. Dan and Matt Wilson: Minneapolis 2013. The album includes all 22 songs that we played at our two shows earlier this year, January 31st at the Bryant-Lake Bowl and February 1st at The Pantages Theatre.

Minneapolis 2013 is a download-only album, and there are two versions: Click to learn more.

This week’s free “Song From the Ballroom” is “The Coolest Thing,” and it rocks! Okay, that’s what I hope it does. It’s me playing all the instruments and letting my Beatles roots show in a big way. The only things I didn’t play on the track are the horns, which are by Probyn Gregory. I met Probyn in February at the Wild Honey Benefit for the Autism Think Tank. Probyn was playing trumpet, sitar and various other instruments for this amazing Beatles tribute. Singing “Penny Lane” with them was one of the high points of my year.

Halfway through “The Coolest Thing” that’s Probyn letting fly on the trumpet, flugelhorn and tuba.