David Rawlings, Gillian Welch Unveil a New Machine

Chances are, you recognize David Rawlings from his work with artists like Old Crow Medicine Show, Bright Eyes, and Robyn Hitchcock. There’s also that argument with Ryan Adams concerning Morrissey.

But Rawlings is most commonly known as bluegrass chanteuse Gillian Welch’s main sidekick, and while we haven’t had an album from those two in six years, we did recently get wind of The Dave Rawlings Machine, which is effectively another Rawlings/Welch effort, just with a few changes. As the title indicates, they’ve turned the usual format on its head this time around, with Rawlings moving over to center stage and assuming the role of lead singer.

The project’s debut album, the aptly titled A Friend of a Friend, will drop later this month, with members of Old Crow Medicine Show, Heartbreakers’ Benmont Tench, Nate Walcott of Bright Eyes, and Karl Himmel contributing.

According to a recent article in American Songwriter, a new Gillian Welch album is planned, but not before The Dave Rawlings Machine does a lengthy tour that will keep the crew busy through January.

While we await that, here’s Rawlings and Welch performing Bob Dylan’s “Queen Jane Approximately” earlier this past August:

A Friend of a Friend is out November 17 via Acony.

Friends:
01 Ruby
02 To Be Young (Is to Be Sad, Is to Be High)
03 I Hear Them All
04 Method Acting/Cortez the Killer
05 Sweet Tooth
06 How’s About You
07 It’s Too Easy
08 Monkey and the Enginner
09 Bells of Harlem

Dates:
11/28 Athens, GA – The Melting Point
11/29 Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel
11/30 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle
12/01 Knoxville, TN – Bijou Theatre
12/03 Nashville, TN – Exit/In
12/04 Louisville, KY – Headliners
12/05 Bloomington, IN – Bluebird Nightclub
12/06 Chicago, IL – Abbey Pub
12/07 Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon
12/09 Minneapolis, MN – Cedar Cultural Center
12/10 Omaha, NE – The Waiting Room
12/11 Lawrence, KS – Granada Theatre
12/13 Austin, TX – The Parish
12/14 Austin, TX – THe Parish
12/18 Nashville, TN – The Grand Ole Opry
12/19 Nashville, TN – The Grand Ole Opry