Ringo Starr announced a follow up record to last year’s Look Up. Long Long Road sees him reuniting with cowriter and producer T Bone Burnett, as well as collaborators like Molly Tuttle and Billy Strings. The 10-song collection also includes special guests Sheryl Crow, Sarah Jarosz, and St. Vincent.
No Depression spoke with Starr and Burnett in advance of Look Up for the Spring 2025 issue of the journal and the album hit No. 7 on our Critics' Poll from 2025. Starr said the following in a press release about the new LP:
I’m blessed to have T Bone in my life right now and working with me on these records. ...After we did the last record, which I love listening to, this one just sort of happened. I like to say sometimes I make the right moves, like you can go left or right at any point, and one of the right moves was hooking up with T Bone for 'Look Up,' and now for this one, which I’m calling 'Long Long Road,' because I’ve been on a long long road.
Long Long Road was also co-produced by Daniel Tashian and Bruce Sugar, is due out April 24 via UMe.
The Bob Dylan Center and Universal Music Publishing Group announced the return of the Bob Dylan Center Songwriter Fellowship, which according to the Center, was "created to refine songwriting skills while forging meaningful connections with music industry creative executives through the resources of the Bob Dylan Center."
Winners receive $25,000 toward a musical project, as well as roundtrip airfare and travel accommodations to Tulsa, home of the Bob Dylan Center. Once in Tulsa, recipients will have exclusive access to the Center's archives, mentorship opportunitites from songwriters and executives with Universal Music Publishing Group, and time to record at Leon Russell's studio, The Church Studio.
The 2026–2027 Fellows will be selected by Lucy Dacus (also known for her work with boygenius), Ezra Koenig (Vampire Weekend), James Mercer (The Shins), and Dan Wilson.
Applications are now open for the fellowship, which runs from August 2026 - July 2027. The submission window closes April 27.
Five-time Grammy-winning soprano Renée Fleming and 19-time Grammy-winning banjo virtuoso Béla Fleck announced a collaborative album titled The Fiddle and the Drum, honoring the bluegrass and folk music of Appalachia. The LP is due out May 29 via Renée Fleming Records/Thirty Tigers and features additional special guests Jerry Douglas, Vince Gill, Sierra Hull, Sarah Jarosz, and Aoife O'Donovan. The lead single, an contemporary rendition of “In The Pines,” featuring Dolly Parton, is out today.
Bluegrasser Dirk Powell announced his first album in six years, titled Wake. The multi-instrumentalist (fiddle, banjo, and accordion) and singer teamed up with daughters Amelia and Sophie Powell, as well as Rhiannon Giddens, Darrell Scott, Kai Welch on the new album, which is due out April 17 via The Last Music Company.
For those who were intrigued by Aoife O'Donovan's announcement a few weeks ago about her tour around Ireland, Mike Compton and Joe Newberry shared they have a similar style musical journey throughout "The Green Isle" via Ireland Along The Way. Learn more about the trip here.
As we shared a few weeks ago, Luck Reunion this weekend will feature a tribute to Todd Snider. The organizers just shared that the performance will be live-streamed exclusively via Nugs.net.
Finally, RIP to guitarist Wayne Perkins, who played with Bob Marley, The Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynrd, Joni Mitchell, and more. Read more about his storied life via Rolling Stone.
In a bit of uplifting news, music fans and zoning rights activists notched a win this week, as a historic musical landmark in East Nashville must be rebuilt, according to Metro Nashville’s Historic Zoning Commission. Read more at WSMV4. Additionally, those who remember the song "867-5309/Jenny," by Tommy Tutone, will be pleased to know the famous phone number now points to a cancer support hotline. Read more at People.
WHAT WE'RE LISTENING TO
Gladie - No Need To Be Lonely
Amsterdam Klezmer Band - Diaspora
Bonnie Montgomery and Melissa Carper - "Rather Have Love"
Andy Thomas f/ Dori Freeman - "Nothing I Wouldn't Do (For You)" (from his forthcoming album Highway Junkie, due out March 27)
Merce Lemon - "Watch Me Drive Them Dogs Wild"
Joseph Terrell f/ Viv & Riley - "Genuine American Hero (Talking Blowback Blues)"
NEW RELEASES - 3/20/26
Leah Blevins - All Dressed Up
Ben Brandt - Solid Ground
Joshua Burnside - It’s Not Going to Be Okay
Robert Lester Folson - If You Wanna Laugh, You Gotta Cry Sometimes: Archives Vol. 3, 1972-1975
The Montvales - Path of Totality
Son Little - CITYFOLK
Jack Studer - Falling Forward
The Alexis P Suter Band featuring Garth Hudson - Just Stay Live
Tedeschi Trucks Band - Future Soul
COMING SOON - 3/27/26
Calder Allen - Fault Lines
Big Harp - Runs to Blue
Selwyn Birchwood - Electric Swamp Funkin Blues
Charlotte Cornfield - Hurt Like Hell
Drayton Farley - A Heavy Duty Heart
Flatland Cavalry - Work of Heart
Robert Francis - Phantasmagoria
Jose Gonzales - Against the Dying of the Light
Jim Lauderdale - Country Super Hits Volume 2
Melanie Martinez - Hades
Andy Thomas - Highway Junkie
Anthony Vaccero/Helicopter Leaves - Sabrina Nickles
The Westerner - Andy Hedges
Luke Winslow-King - Coast of Light
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