Peter Levin joined us for his deeply expressive No Depression Session at Chelsea Studios in New York City. Backed by drums, bass, guitar, and saxophone, Levin settled behind a Hammond B3, filling the room with his singular sound.
The set opened with “I’ll Be Doggone,” a Smokey Robinson song most closely associated with Marvin Gaye, though Levin’s arrangement drew more from the version on Solomon Burke's 1969 album Proud Mary.
Between songs, Levin spoke candidly about new material and the life experiences shaping it, including a near-fatal 2021 heart transplant that permanently altered his perspective and his playing too.
That spirit carried us into a Stevie Wonder deep cut “Maybe Your Baby,” re-imagined by Levin with a "bluesy kind of minor gospel kind of feel."
Stick around for the session after the session, a loose jam built around Marvin Gaye's “Inner City Blues” and captured by a single camera. It was just too good not to share with you!
Setlist:
“I'll Be Doggone” (Smokey Robinson)
"Maybe Your Baby" (Stevie Wonder)
"Inner City Blues" (Marvin Gaye)
Read next
Emotional and Geographic Changes Helped Margo Cilker Make New LP ‘Little White Cross’
There comes a time in the journey of many singer-songwriters when they find themselves drawn to Texas. “Choosin’ Texas,” this is not. It’s chasing the ghosts of its famous (and sometimes infamous) songwriters — Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Joe Ely, Doug Sahm, and a myriad of others. It’
A Postcard From Laura Cortese
EDITOR’S NOTE: No Depression’s “Postcard From” series features dispatches from artists' daily lives on the road, in the studio, or anywhere in between. Our next installment comes from Belgium-based singer, songwriter, and fiddler Laura Cortese. Her new album, Lucky Water, is due out this Friday, October
No Depression's Best of September 2026 Playlist
September's new music releases really illustrated the breath and depth of what roots music encompasses. Longstanding No Depression favorites like Mary Gauthier returned with a new batch of instant folk classics and Buddy Miller released his first solo album in more than 20 years. Plus, September saw up-
Comments ()