Rickie Lee Jones Archives - Music Inside Out

Singer, songwriter and friend of Music Inside Out, Rickie Lee Jones, has a new book out. Last Chance Texaco: Tales of an American Troubadour hits the book world April 6th. To celebrate this event, we just rebroadcast our interview with Ms. Jones.

Here in New Orleans, the iconic Preservation Hall is hosting “An Evening with Rickie Lee Jones” in its courtyard. The event takes place at 6:00 pm on the book’s pub date — Tuesday, April 6th. Tickets include a signed copy of the book.

The evening will feature a ”lively and in-depth conversation with Jones and (local radio host) Jamie Dell’Apa. They will discuss Jones’s remarkable life and career and share excerpts from the memoir,” according to the press release.

Not in New Orleans? Not to worry — out-of-town virtual tickets are also available! These virtual ducats include tele-access to the discussion (including an opportunity to ask questions) as well as one signed copy of Last Chance Texaco. Out-of-town ticket-holders will get their copies via Media Mail shipping within the United States.

Find more information and ticketing options here.

But you don’t need to leave this page to hear a sample of Last Chance Texaco. Last week, we lugged our recording equipment to Rickie Lee Jones‘s living room, where she graciously agreed to read an excerpt from the book. It’s called “Chicken in the Pot” — which, it turns out, is more than just a refrain from her song “Danny’s All-Star Joint”:

It’s worth noting that Rickie Lee Jones also narrated the entire book at her home. Recording the unabridged audiobook took ”a few weeks,” she tells us. You can find it wherever fine audiobooks are sold … or streamed.

We don’t know if the audiobook version also includes music from West Side Story, but we’re eager to find out.

Our friend and neighbor Rickie Lee Jones has a lot going on, according to an article in the paper.

Don’t have the time? No problem. We’ve got the TLDR version, right here.

First of all, Jones says she’s going a little stir-crazy these days. (Aren’t we all…) So, she’s streaming a live Facebook concert tomorrow (Sunday, June 27, 2020) at 12 noon, Central. Needless to say we’re eager to hear that.

Rickie Lee Jones livestream "From My Living Room"

She’ll be accompanied by percussionist Mike Dillon and according to the article she’ll “showcase songs from throughout her career, with an emphasis on her … 1979 debut.” Which is one of our favorite albums, not the least because it lets us use the word “eponymous.” As in Rickie Lee Jones’s eponymous album, featuring Dr. John on piano:

Rickie Lee Jones album. Original release date: October 25, 1990

And now, after more than 40 years, Jones has recovered the rights to it. Which means she’ll be issuing a brand-new, remastered version later this year. Maybe even in vinyl (we hope).

Speaking of Dr. John, Rickie Lee Jones recorded with the late Doctor on a number of unreleased tracks. She says “Mac sounded a little weak, but what a unique voice he had. I always loved him. The more you hear him, the more you recognize, ‘What an important American figure.’”

Oh, and did we mention there’s an autobiography in the works? There is; it’s apparently being edited and typeset as we speak. She says, “I hope it reads well. It’s kind of like Forrest Gump as told by Charles Dickens.” Should be published early next year.

And a new album is coming, too — a follow-up to Kicks, which came out in 2019.

Heck, it may be time for another interview.