Delicate Steve Shares Cover Of Donnie & Joe Emerson's "Baby"
Last month, Steve Marion, the guitarist known as Delicate Steve, announced a new album entitled Delicate Steve Sings. Out August 16th on ANTI-, the album's title might have implied a left turn for an artist known for his 5 albums of critically-acclaimed instrumental music and work as a guitarist for artists like Miley Cyrus, Paul Simon, Amen Dunes, Tame Impala and The Black Keys. However - as is so often the case in the world of Delicate Steve - the idea has a few more layers than it might initially seem.
Inspired by the Willie Nelson cover album Stardust, Marion was inspired to make a record on which he takes aspects of iconic music from the past and re-interprets them in a way that carries his own distinctive mark. However, not content to simply make his own covers record, Marion took a unique approach, blending a handful of more faithful covers with a collection of new compositions on which he channels the voices of other artists.
On the album's first single "I'll Be There," he built a composition inspired by the singing style of "Lean On Me" and "Ain't No Sunshine" singer Bill Withers. Today, Marion is sharing a second single, this time a cover of Donnie & Joe Emerson's "Baby."
An underground hit when Donnie & Joe Emerson's self-released 1979 album was re-discovered in 2012 and released by Light In The Attic, the original version of "Baby" has a ghostly quality that Marion leans into while imbuing the lead melody with a laid back swagger. It's a recording full of little details, and while Steve's guitar sings the lead, you might just be able to make out Marion's voice in the ethereal choir that handles the backing vocals.
Says Marion of the single:
"While I was working on Delicate Steve Sings, I only listened to one artist at a time when I listened to music. Whatever artist it was, that was all I wanted to listen to for about a month, until the next artist would find me. First it was Frank Sinatra. Then Fats Domino. Chet Baker came. Portishead after that. Donnie & Joe stopped by out of nowhere one weekend, and I found myself listening to Baby all over again while driving back and forth to recording sessions. It was in one of these moments that I decided to sing it."
In support of the album Delicate Steve will be embarking on a US tour. Full details of that run can be found below.
Tour Dates
10/2/24 - Boston - Middle East
10/3/24 - Boston - Middle East
10/4/24 - Burlington - Nectars
10/5/24 - Burlington - Nectars
10/8/24 - NYC – Sultan Room
10/9/24 - NYC – Sultan Room
10/10/24 - Philly - PhilaMOCA
10/11/24 - Philly - PhilaMOCA
10/12/24 - DC - Songbyrd
10/17/24 - Pittsburgh - Bottlerocket
10/18/24 - Toronto – Monarch Tavern
10/19/24 - Toronto – Monarch Tavern
10/21/24 - Chicago - Schubas
10/22/24 - Chicago - Schubas
10/23/24 - Milwaukee - Vivarium
10/25/24 - Madison - UW
10/26/24 - Minneapolis - 7th St