| Jerry Jeff | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Steve Earle & the Dukes | ||||
| Released | May 27, 2022 (2022-05-27) | |||
| Studio | Electric Lady Studios (New York,NY) | |||
| Length | 36:56 | |||
| Label | New West | |||
| Producer | Steve Earle | |||
| Steve Earle & the Dukes chronology | ||||
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Jerry Jeff is a studio album by American rock bandSteve Earle & The Dukes. It was released on May 27, 2022, viaNew West Records. Recording sessions took place atElectric Lady Studios in New York City. Production was handled by Steve Earle himself. The album covers ten songs written by American country and folk singer-songwriterJerry Jeff Walker, who died from throat cancer on October 23, 2020, at a hospital inAustin, Texas at the age of 78, payingtribute to the late musician.
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 81/100[1] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [2] |
| American Songwriter | [3] |
| Classic Rock | [4] |
| Mojo | [5] |
| Record Collector | [6] |
| Spectrum Culture | 79/100%[7] |
| Uncut | [8] |
Jerry Jeff was met with universal acclaim frommusic critics. AtMetacritic, which assigns anormalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received anaverage score of 81, based on four reviews.[1]
Lee Zimmerman ofAmerican Songwriter found that the album "serves the purpose well by turning the spotlight on an artist that deserves greater attention within theAmericana arena. Earle's effort to share his songs will hopefully contribute to that added appreciation".[3]Sylvie Simmons ofMojo praised the album, saying "it just sounds so good. Warm and natural. And Earle's voice has rarely sounded better".[5] Nick Hasted ofUncut wrote: "'Mr Bojangles', sung with cornpone syrup by Dylan, here earthily returns to the drunk-tank cell where Walker met its subject, a broken-down, alcoholic tap-dancer his song invests with heel-clicking magic. The tune defiantly climbs, strings waltz and Earle stores sentiment 'til the end".[8] In his mixed review forClassic Rock, Stuart Bailie stated: "he delves into lesser-known parts, like "Wheel", a 1973 song about tragic, rural cycles, and he sings "Old Road", as a sparse holler, akin to the original. Other songs celebrate the 'gonzo country' aims of Jerry Jeff, but "Mr Bojangles" and his worn-out shoes is still best in show".[4]
All tracks are written byJerry Jeff Walker.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Gettin' By" | 3:57 |
| 2. | "Gypsy Songman" | 2:36 |
| 3. | "Little Bird" | 2:59 |
| 4. | "I Makes Money (Money Don't Make Me)" | 2:42 |
| 5. | "Mr. Bojangles" | 5:15 |
| 6. | "Hill Country Rain" | 4:23 |
| 7. | "Charlie Dunn" | 3:29 |
| 8. | "My Old Man" | 4:58 |
| 9. | "Wheel" | 4:28 |
| 10. | "Old Road" | 2:09 |
| Total length: | 36:56 | |
| Chart (2022) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[9] | 20 |
| UK Country Albums (OCC)[10] | 1 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC)[11] | 9 |
| USTop Album Sales (Billboard)[12] | 30 |
