Checking Russ Taff's Cover Story (with Taff, Steve Taylor and John Mark Painter)

           
6-time Grammy winner Russ Taff’s voice has defined the emotional
potential of Gospel music for over half a century. His perfectly
raspy tenor transcends genre and era, first as the lead vocalist
for Gospel legends The Imperials, then as a phenomenally
successful solo artist. That legacy now takes on a whole new
depth as Taff unveils Cover Story, a collection of rock, soul,
and Americana songs that resonate deeply with the struggles he
has privately endured throughout his life onstage. Longtime fans
may be surprised to find the Gospel singer interpreting tunes by
The National, Prince, Blind Willie Johnson, Bob Dylan, U2, Duran
Duran, Bill Withers, Paul Simon, and others. However, students of
Roots Gospel, Americana, Soul, and Blues will immediately see the
thread. These are songs of spiritual survival. (Don't miss
executive producer Steve Taylor’s Kickstarter campaign to release
the project on vinyl and raise funds to promote it to a wide
audience.)


 


           
In a surprising – and risky – move for a Gospel singer, Taff
decided to go public with his long struggle with addiction,
recovery, relapse, and ultimate inner healing via the revealing
2018 documentary Russ Taff: I Still Believe. Instead of ending
his career singing in churches and at Bill Gaither’s Homecoming
events, audiences responded with deep appreciation for his candor
and humility. A recent conversation on the recovery-themed Soft
White Underbelly YouTube channel is currently generating similar
enthusiasm. Taff, now 18 years sober and free of the need to hide
anything, is more excited than ever to share music – and his
story – with audiences around the country and the world.


 


      Taylor, (the artist, professor, songwriter,
producer, and filmmaker connected to projects by Sixpence None
The Richer, Newsboys, Chevelle, and others) had pulled his
critically acclaimed but ill-fated mainstream rock band Chagall
Guevara (MCA) together for a one-time reunion show at Nashville’s
historic Ryman Auditorium. A special post-show afterparty at Jack
White’s Blue Room included an on-stage jam with several musical
luminaries, including Taff (who had worked with Chagall members
Lynn Nichols and Dave Perkins on several projects.) Taff’s
impromptu jam on Charlie Peacock’s “Down In The Lowlands”
thrilled the small crowd. Hearing Taff slay those songs, Taylor
remembered an idea his longtime friend, bandmate, and musical
collaborator John Mark Painter had suggested much earlier. What
if they took their old friend into a recording studio with a
slate of great songs and captured that raw, guttural energy and
emotional honesty? They have now done just that. We are thrilled
to sit down with Taff, Taylor, and Painter on this very special
episode of the podcast, and to give our audience a first listen
to Cover Story.


 


BACK the Kickstarter Campaign HERE (closes September 9th, 2024)


 


For the full list of songs, links, and a video of the infamous
"Down In The Lowlands" jam at Jack White's Blue room, see the
full Show Notes at TrueTunes.com/Russ


 


Get all of the info about host John J Thompson’s new novel “The
Ballad of the Lost Dogs of East Nashville” at
TrueTunes.com/ballad.


 


 


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