Bonnie “Prince” Billy shares new song “Hey Little”

Bonnie “Prince” Billy – the persona/stage-name of musician Will Oldham - will release a new studio record titled We Are Together Again on March 6th. Today he shares the 2nd single from the album “Hey Little” accompanied by a video directed by Brent Stewart & Maya Stewart.

Oldham says of the track:“Hey Little” was written years ago for someone else to sing. Now I am a father; the lyrics are realigned and rearranged. Catherine Irwin sings with great soul. I asked Ryder McNair to listen to Madonna’s “Dear Jessie” for inspiration on the string arrangements. Brent Stewart and his daughter Maya brought a creative partnership to the video-making process. The shoot was seamless and joyful. Brent spoke of wanting to incorporate double-exposure (they shot on film) and I mentioned the Burt Lancaster film The Swimmer. Both Maya and Brent jumped on that idea with gusto, and friends here in Louisville let us film in their indoor pool in the dead of winter. Notable of course is Thomas Deakin’s beautiful clarinet solo. And the real live goats.

The follow-up to The Purple Bird, Oldham began working on this set before his Nashville-sojourn to record that album, and picked them up again last spring, taking these 10 songs into End of an Ear Studios in Louisville with his current tour mates Jacob Duncan (flute and saxophone) and Thomas Deakin (clarinet, whistle, baritone electric guitar, accordion, cornet), along with Ryder McNair, Chris Bush, Ned Oldham and Erin Hill.

Oldham notes: “This record was made closer to the Ohio River than any I’ve been involved with since 1993’s Palace Brothers Th.ere Is No-One What Will Take Care of You. Louisville’s current-and-past vital musical community is highlighted on every song. Catherine Irwin, who sang on the BPB release Ease Down the Road, is back here on “Hey Little” and “Vietnam Sunshine”. Lacey Guthrie, Tory Fisher and Katie Peabody, the three front women of the band Duchess, sing together on the opening and closing songs, parallel odes to the beast that is fear.“

Jim Marlowe engineered the sessions and co-produced it with Oldham.