Blues/Rock

Steve Cropper’s final studio album will be released later this year, featuring appearances from some of rock and blues’ biggest names, including Eric Clapton, Brian May, Billy Gibbons, and Ronnie Wood.

Steve Cropper & The Midnight Hour will release Watching The Tide on August 28 via Provogue/Artone Label Group. The album arrives following Cropper’s passing in December 2025.

The first single from the album, “Ticket First,” features Clapton on guitar. The song originated from a joke Cropper shared with songwriter and producer Jon Tiven.

“Steve had a joke about a woman who rubs a magic lamp. The genie comes out and says, ‘You’ve got one wish’. The woman says, ‘I want to win the lottery’. And the genie says, ‘Sorry, you’ve got to get a ticket first’. When Roger and I heard that, we said, ‘Oh, that’s a song title’. I sent out some emails to guitar players I knew who had a great affinity for Steve and two days later, I got an email back from Eric Clapton’s manager, saying he’d be in Nashville for a concert and could we do it then. He did, I believe, 11 takes on guitar. At the end, Steve and I looked at each other and said, ‘Man, you just turned the song inside out. I think we’re gonna have to give you a writer’s credit’. Eric looked pretty stunned by that. And he said: ‘Well, anything to get my name next to Steve Cropper’s…’”

Tiven said Cropper was eager to make another album following the success of 2024’s Grammy-nominated Friendlytown.

“Making music was Steve’s greatest joy,” explained Tiven. “Steve was so encouraged by Friendlytown. He was adamant he wanted to do another record.”

The album was recorded at Nashville’s RCA Studio C and features Midnight Hour vocalist Roger C. Reale, Ana Grosh on vocals, Nioshi Jackson on drums, and Eddie Gore on keys and percussion.

According to the press release, the album title references Cropper’s co-write of Otis Redding’s classic “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay.”

Additional guest appearances include May and Gibbons on the song “My Angels Are Calling,” while Wood contributes slide guitar to “Until Now.” Tiven also performs lead guitar on “Blood From A Stone” and “Here & Gone.”

“Brian is singing from Steve’s point of view,” says Tiven of the Queen guitarist’s contribution to “My Angels Are Calling,” “looking back over his life and his road. It’s very powerful.”

Tiven also praised vocalist Ana Grosh, who appears on “Here & Gone” and “Stand Right Here.”

“We met Ana at the Grammys and I heard immediately that this 21-year-old had something,” recalls Tiven.

Tiven said Cropper was able to hear nearly the entire finished album before his death.

“I finished the mixes about a week-and-a-half before Steve passed and we brought a CD to him at the medical facility,” remembers Tiven. “He called me the night before he passed to tell me how much he loved it. He was playing it for everyone who came to visit him, telling them it was the best record he’d ever made.”

“I know this record provided great joy to Steve in the last year of his life,” says Tiven. “And I’m so glad he was able to have this great creative burst that was so strong…”

TRACK LIST

Tandoori Chicken
Ticket First (feat. Eric Clapton)
My Angels Are Calling (feat. Brian May & Billy F. Gibbons)
Until Now (feat. Ron Wood)
Blood From A Stone
Here & Gone (feat. Ana Grosh)
It’s Gonna Get Worse
Down & Out
Stand Right Here (feat. Billy F. Gibbons & Ana Grosh)
Tipoff To The Ripoff
House Of Cards
Tandoori Chicken Part 2

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Along with fellow wonderkid Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd (KWS) was once branded the heir to heroic, blues revivalist Stevie Ray Vaughan (SRV). Even if you dismiss the triple-pronged, abbreviated initials that both guitarists are best known for, shrugging off the dogged critics and straight-up ‘SRV-clone’ accusations can’t have been easy in those early days for such a prodigious talent. 

Bringing in the entire Double Trouble band for his second LP Trouble Is… (1997) probably didn’t help matters either, but it’s not every day you’re a self-taught, Fender Strat-wielding teenager. But just like the gusty first few lines that buccaneer this record, Kenny defiantly surfaced ‘up from the ashes, out of the flames’ and now stands as one of the most respected and electrifying guitarists on the planet.

It’s hard to believe 30 years has passed since his breakout debut Ledbetter Heights (1995), which helped redefine modern blues rock. Going gold within months, pinching Platinum by early 1996, it’s a scorching listen of raw, youthful energy, and fulminating, guitar-driven blues, named in honor of a historic neighborhood in his hometown paying tribute to blues legend Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter.

And yes, there’s more than a few rampant shades of SRV with the patented Strat tone down pat and emotive phrasing, but what blues players in recent times haven’t been influenced by the iconic Texas bluesman? It’s certainly nothing to be ashamed of. Given he was just 17 when he recorded the album, it’s fascinating to hear Shepherd’s seasoned maturity on this highly polished revisit, with all 12 tracks evolving into more richer and deliberate arrangements. 

Of course, the most noticeable difference is the presence of Noah Hunt — the long-time, unique voice of KWS’s band since 1997, replacing stellar blues vocalist Corey Sterling, who was the raspy lead singer during the original recording. 

While Kenny’s technical prowess is still on full display and the fiery fretwork still smokes, there’s plenty of subtle tweaks and tinkering to be discovered on Ledbetter Heights (30th Anniversary Sessions). The brakes are firmly applied to the tempo of sprawling opener “Born With A Broken Heart” with the keyboard taking its fair share of the limelight, while Kenny’s solo continues to pick up steam and inevitably burn the house down.

Hunt lends emotional depth and mellowness to the intoxicating, powerful potion of “Deja Voodoo.” It’s blues with a big punch, as Kenny’s spellbinding guitar wig-out makes every note talk. The tone, the licks. Wow. The same can be said for the pure emotion of “Shame, Shame, Shame,” where the keyboard is again off the charts and Hunt’s soulful touch taking Kenny’s wailing guitar to a place us mere mortals could only dream of landing.

Legendary drummer Chris “Whipper” Layton (a founding member of SRV & Double Trouble) is once again the rhythmic engine, keeping the wander crisp and tight on the greatly refined “One Foot On The Path.” Those fingers once more effortlessly dance across the strings on the melodic and meaningful “Everybody Gets The Blues,” before “Riverside” is trickled down in cadence and given a fresh identity.

The funky title track “Ledbetter Heights” brings the passage of time full circle, as Kenny lets rip on the 1995 guitar rig he used for the original recordings, only this time it’s entouraged by years of touring, recording, and collaboration.

I’m sure many other KWS fans always wondered what this album would sound like with Noah Hunt at the helm. While it’s impossible to recapture the fearlessness and groundbreaking nature of the original, there’s a deeper picture of nuance and intention on this rare second look, manifested by the coruscating chemistry that emanates between Shepherd’s undeniable six-string mastery and the hauntingly beautiful vocals of Hunt.

Both these men have been flying high for well over a couple of decades and like a fine wine, age is only staggering them to greater heights. And Ledbetter ones at that.

The Review: 8.5/10

Can’t Miss Tracks

– Deja Voodoo
– Shame, Shame, Shame
– Everybody Gets The Blues

The Big Hit

– Deja Voodoo

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Eliza Neals is back with new music, and Blues Rock Review is exclusively premiering the official video for “Thunder in the House,” the title track from her latest album, Thunder In The House.

Released earlier this year, the record marked Neals’ return with her 13th studio album and another bold statement from one of modern blues rock’s most distinctive voices. Rooted in her Detroit upbringing and shaped by a wide range of influences, the album blends blues, rock, soul, and spiritual themes into a nine-song collection packed with energy and emotion.

The title track showcases Neals at full strength. Driven by pounding rhythms, sharp guitar work, and her unmistakable vocals, “Thunder in the House” captures the fierce spirit that runs throughout the album. Neals handles vocals and piano on the track, joined by Michael Puwal on guitar, Doug Woern on bass, and Steve Lacross on drums.

The album also earned high praise from Blues Rock Review, receiving a 9/10 score from reviewer Moe Moore, who wrote, “The musicianship, vocals, and songwriting across this recording are consistently solid. Neals’ voice carries a gravelly, coarse texture that makes everything she sings sound bluesy, soulful, and powerful.”

Moore also noted, “Thunder In The House is a recording that listeners will likely enjoy revisiting time and again.”

Longtime collaborator Puwal co-produced the album alongside Neals, with mastering handled by Dave Feeny. The project also features contributions from several respected Detroit-area musicians and special guests, further adding to the album’s depth and character.

Watch the exclusive premiere of Eliza Neals’ “Thunder in the House” below.

The post Premiere: Eliza Neals – “Thunder in the House” video appeared first on Blues Rock Review.