Pitchfork

Photo by Joshua Black Wilkins

Like any country musician worth his salt, Charlie Louvin knows a thing or two about good and evil. The octogenarian singer will explore both on a pair of albums he will release this year.

The first record, Louvin's self-proclaimed "gospel record," is called Steps to Heaven and comes out September 16 via Tompkins Square. It features versions of 8 traditionals and two Louvin Brothers tunes.

The second record, Charlie Louvin Sings Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs, is Louvin's exploration of the darker side of life. It comes out December 9 via Tompkins Square, and it borrows nine songs from the label's recent compilation, People Take Warning! Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs, 1913-1938. Those songs are supplemented on the record by the appearance of new versions of a couple songs from the first Louvin Brothers album, Tragic Songs of Life.

Mark Nevers of Lambchop, who has worked on records by Bonnie "Prince" Billy and Andrew Bird, produced, recorded, and mixed both albums.

Louvin has dates scattered throughout the rest of the year (even one for next year already), including a show in Nashville on July 30 opening up for M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel's She & Him.
Steps to Heaven:

01 Love at Home
02 How Beautiful Heaven Must Be
03 Precious Lord, Take My Hand
04 There's a Higher Power
05 Where We'll Never Grow Old
06 If We Never Meet Again This Side of Heaven
07 Just Rehearsing
08 When the Roll Is Called up Yonder
09 I Feel Like Traveling On
10 I Am Bound for the Promised Land

Charlie Louvin:

07-13 Winnipeg, Manitoba - Winnipeg Folk Festival
07-18 Athens, GA - Melting Pot
07-26 Palmer Rapids, Ontario - TBA
07-30 Nashville, TN - The Mercy Lounge *
08-08 Moss Point, MS - Moss Point
09-06 Sparta, NC - Sparta High School
09-20 Berea, KY - College Berea (Spoonbread Festival)
09-21 Chattanooga, TN - Chattahippie Music Festival
10-17 Austin, TX - Cactus Cafe
10-18 Durant, OK - TBA
11-01 Mobile, AL - Alabama Pecan Festival
01-17 Tampa, FL - 6th Annual Bell Buckle Cruise

* with She & Him