Itzhak Perlman, today marks his 81st birthday by announcing The Way We Were: My American Songbook, his first new album in more than a decade, featuring Jon Batiste

One of the world’s most celebrated violinists returns with his first new album in more than a decade; pre-order begins on his 81st birthday

One of the world’s most celebrated violinists, Itzhak Perlman, today marks his 81st birthday by announcing The Way We Were: My American Songbook, his first new album in more than a decade. Available October 30 from Green Hill Music, the collection celebrates beloved American Songbook classics through lyrical new orchestral arrangements and special guest collaborations. Beginning today, listeners can stream the album’s first single, “Summertime,” featuring GRAMMY Award winner Jon Batiste, and pre-order the full album.

Across more than seven decades of recording and performance, Perlman has become one of the world’s most admired musicians, earning generations of listeners through the warmth, humanity and unmistakable voice of his violin. With The Way We Were: My American Songbook, he turns to a collection of melodies that have remained close to his heart throughout his life, offering fresh interpretations of enduring works by George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Stephen Sondheim, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, Leonard Bernstein and others.

The album’s first single, “Summertime,” features Jon Batiste on a new interpretation of the George Gershwin classic. The collaboration finds Perlman’s violin in conversation with Batiste’s vocals in a performance that blends classical artistry with the spontaneity of jazz.

“Jon Batiste is a lot of fun. He’s terrific,” Perlman said. “He’s a wonderful improviser, and playing with someone like that was exciting because every take was a little different. That’s the beauty of making music together; you follow the inspiration wherever it leads.”

“This recording is different because it’s a songbook. It’s something I’ve never done before,” continued Perlman. “The repertoire I chose is very romantic, lyrical and poetic. Because so much of this music began as songs, I approached it as a singer would. The violin is a singing instrument, and this album became a natural way to let those melodies speak through it.”

Produced by three-time GRAMMY Award-winning producer David Lai and co-produced and arranged by Or Matias and Natalie Tenenbaum, The Way We Were: My American Songbook pairs Perlman with a full orchestra that helps give the collection the warm, romantic sound he envisioned. Special guest performances add another dimension to the album, with Josh Groban joining the collection alongside Batiste and a newly created performance built around the legendary voice of Ella Fitzgerald.

“For generations, Itzhak Perlman has shown us that great music speaks to the heart, regardless of genre,” said Blake Davis, General Manager of Green Hill. “With The Way We Were: My American Songbook, he brings new life to songs that have become part of our shared musical heritage, honoring them with extraordinary warmth, imagination and artistry. It’s a beautiful reminder that timeless melodies never stop finding new audiences.”