Morgan Freeman has announced the upcoming release of his debut studio album, “Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience,” marking his first foray into the music industry at the age of 89, according to parade.com.
Scheduled for release on August 7 through Decca Records, the 12-track project is billed as a cinematic journey spanning a century of blues music.
To mark the announcement and coincide with the Juneteenth holiday on June 19, the Academy Award-winning actor released the album’s lead single, a cover of Son House’s classic track “Death Letter Blues”. The song features prominent American blues musician Taj Mahal on lead vocals and guitar. Freeman noted that releasing the track on Juneteenth directly reflects the historical origins and creators of the genre.
The album features a series of collaborations with established artists, including Keb’ Mo’, Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell, Shemekia Copeland and the Chineke! Orchestra. Freeman traced his connection to the genre back to his childhood in the American South, stating that he first heard the blues on his grandmother’s porch in the Mississippi Delta.
In support of the launch, Freeman will embark on a three-date United States tour later this year. The live performances are scheduled to begin in Houston, Texas, on August 7, followed by dates in Memphis, Tennessee, on September 26, and Gulfport, Mississippi, on October 17.
Though globally renowned for his prolific, decades-long film career and distinctive narrating voice, this project marks Freeman’s first official commercial venture as a musical curator and recording artist.
•Featured image: Morgan Freeman/Leon Bennett/Getty Images