NATALIE COLE TO RELEASE ‘LEAVIN’ HER 20th STUDIO ALBUM

Eight-time Grammy Award winner Natalie Cole is set to release her 20th studio album on September 26, marking an impressive milestone that speaks to her musicianship, her critically acclaimed abilities as a vocalist and her connection to her fans. Leavin’ also marks her first album of new material in nearly four years, a recording that returns Cole to her musical roots as one of our time’s best r&b/pop vocalists. The Verve Records release finds the acclaimed chanteuse, who has sold more than 30 million albums, working with Grammy Award winning producer Dallas Austin, a combination that has produced one of Cole’s most dynamic recordings to date. An eclectic mix of classic pop, r&b and rock tracks, the 12-song album mixes Cole’s stunning vocals with a list of classic songs from the likes of Fiona Apple, Aretha Franklin, Kate Bush, Sting, Shelby Lynne and others, as well as a new song, 5 Minutes Away, a writing collaboration between Cole, Austin and keyboardist Chanz Parkman.

The launch of the new CD will be led by a remake of the 1972 #1 Billboard R&B single, the Aretha Franklin smash Day Dreaming. Updated with a bit of hip-hop flavor, the song is the first single from the album, and marks the release of Cole’s first urban/pop single in nearly 16 years.The title track is a soulful recast of the Shelby Lynne song from her Grammy winning 2000 release I Am Shelby Lynne. She also tackles a rock standard by taking on Neil Young’s Old Man, an eloquent compliment to the original that shows the warmth and subtlety of her voice. Then there’s Fiona Apple’s hit Criminal, on which Cole and Austin gave a bluesy feel, as well as The More You Do It, a track that pays homage to her first husband and musical collaborator, the late Marvin Yancy. The track completes a trio of soulful cuts including the Isley Brothers Don’t Say Goodnight and the Etta James inspired Lovin’ Arms, each of which grants Cole the opportunity to move back to her 70’s roots with rich, shimmering vocals. Other highlights include remakes of songs written and made famous by Sting and Kate Bush.