Highway Butterfly: The Songs of Neal Casal

by Highway Butterfly: Songs Of Neal Casal / Various

Overview

Highway Butterfly: The Songs of Neal Casal is yet another tribute album, but it's as different from others as producer Hal Willner's gloriously themed tributes to Nino Rota and Thelonious Monk were. Casal died in 2019 at age 50. A fine guitarist, songwriter, bandleader, and sideman, he left behind 14 albums, played with Hazy Malaze, Beachwood Sparks, GospelbeacH, and Circles Around the Sun. He did long stints with Blackfoot, Ryan Adams & the Cardinals, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, and Hard Working Americans, and amassed hundreds of studio credits with Willie Nelson, Lucinda Williams, Amanda Shires, Gin Wigmore, and others. This multi-disc collection features more than 130 musicians performing 41 Casal songs. Longtime manager Gary Waldman envisioned it after a live tribute raised more than $25,000 to create the nonprofit Neal Casal Music Foundation. He undertook a crowdsourcing campaign for this charitable project and enlisted Dave Schools and Jim Scott as co-producers. Sessions commenced at Scott's L.A. studio in February 2020 and completed in 2021. Among the dozens who contribute are Hiss Golden Messenger, Phil Lesh, Shooter Jennings, Dori Freeman and Teddy Thompson, Vetiver, Victoria Reed, and Allman-Betts Band. Casal's songs are a seamless, high-quality match for the studio talent. Aaron Lee Tasjan's deeply moving rendition of "Traveling After Dark" opens the collection: "We all want something real/And we're all hoping to find/A closer way to feel/Just one thing to remind/Just one way to forgive..." His resonant tenor rises above jangly electric 12-string guitars, tambourine, and a Hammond B-3. The Nilsson-esque "You Don't See Me Crying" is wonderfully performed by a combined Beachwood Sparks and GospelbeacH. Marcus King and Erik Krasno offer a souled-out read of "No One Above You. "Detroit or Buffalo" by Jonathan Wilson and Hannah Cohen and the haunted "Day in the Sun" by Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks close disc one. The second kicks off with the instrumental "Bird with No Name" from Circles Around the Sun with guest guitarist Jimmy Herring. Later, Kenny Roby and Amy Helm team for the gospel-tinged, horn-drenched Americana of "Too Much to Ask" before Bob Weir delivers the biting, bluesy "Time and Trouble." J Mascis renders "Death and a Dream" with garage band intensity before Tim Heidecker offers the anthemically sad "The Cold and the Darkness." Warren Haynes offers a forlorn "Free to Go" to close the side. The final disc opens with Rachel Dean's tender, indie pop-meets-Doc Pomus read of "So Far Astray." It precedes Steve Earle's poetic, world-weary version of the title track. Zephaniah OHora and Hazeldine perform the country song "Best to Bonnie." Robbi Robb's closing take on "Weep No More" is interspersed with Casal's disembodied voice from an interview. The package contains a large booklet adorned with Casal's photos, lyrics, and discographical info, with a moving liner essay by Jim Cardillo. Highway Butterfly is remarkable because there isn't a weak song or performance included. Hopefully, its release will spur serious interest in reissuing Casal's catalogue. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	02/18/2022
Label:	Royal Potato Family
UPC:	0020286235385
Rank:	62733

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Jonathan Wilson   Primary Artist,Vocals
Johnathan Rice   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Hannah Cohen   Primary Artist,Vocals (Background)
Mapache   Primary Artist
Britton Buchanan   Primary Artist,Vocals,Tambourine,Guitar (Electric)
The Allman Betts Band   Primary Artist
Nick Johnson   Primary Artist,Guitar
GospelbeacH   Primary Artist
Circles Around the Sun   Primary Artist
Dori Freeman   Primary Artist,Vocals
Marcus King   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Lauren Barth   Primary Artist,Vocals,Handclapping,Guitar (Acoustic),Vocals (Background)
Zephaniah OHora   Primary Artist,Guitar (Acoustic),Vocals
Robbi Robb   Primary Artist,Vocals
Victoria Reed   Primary Artist,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Jena Kraus   Primary Artist,Vocals
Ross James   Primary Artist,Guitar,Guitar (Electric)
Kenny Roby   Primary Artist,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar,Vocals
Hazy Malaze   Primary Artist
Jesse Aycock   Primary Artist,Vocals,Lap Steel Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background),Hi String Guitar (Acoustic)
Hiss Golden Messenger   Primary Artist
Farmer Dave Scher   Primary Artist,Keyboards,Handclapping,Slide Guitar,Lap Steel Guitar,Vocals (Background)
Teddy Thompson   Primary Artist,Vocals
Phil Lesh & Friends   Primary Artist
Phil Lesh   Primary Artist,Guitar (Bass)
Jimmy Herring   Primary Artist,Guitar (Electric)
Steve Kimock   Primary Artist,Guitar
Aaron Lee Tasjan   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Puss N Boots   Primary Artist
Billy Strings   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic)
John Kimock   Primary Artist,Percussion
The Mattson 2   Primary Artist
Duane Trucks   Primary Artist,Drums
Jason Crosby   Primary Artist,Piano
Jay Lane   Primary Artist,Drums
Leslie Mendelson   Primary Artist,Piano,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Dave Schools   Primary Artist,Guitar (Bass)
Tim Bluhm   Primary Artist,Piano,Guitar,Vocals
Tim Heidecker   Primary Artist,Vocals
Hazeldine   Primary Artist
Kyle Field   Primary Artist,Vocals (Background)
Rachel Dean   Primary Artist,Vocals,Handclapping
Bob Weir   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
J Mascis   Primary Artist,Vocals
Todd Sheaffer   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic)
Joe Russo   Primary Artist,Drums,Piano
Fruit Bats   Primary Artist
Amy Helm   Primary Artist,Vocals
Shooter Jennings   Primary Artist,Piano,Vocals
Steve Earle & the Dukes   Primary Artist
Susan Tedeschi   Primary Artist,Vocals
Angie McKenna   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic),Vocals (Background)
Jaime Wyatt   Primary Artist,Vocals
Beachwood Sparks   Primary Artist
Cass McCombs   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Eric Krasno   Primary Artist,Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Warren Haynes   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Derek Trucks   Primary Artist,Guitar
Vetiver   Primary Artist
Courtney Jaye   Primary Artist,Vocals
Oteil Burbridge   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guitar (Bass)
Trevor Beld Jimenez   Drums,Percussion,Guitar (Bass),Vocals (Background)
Kacey Johansing   Vocals (Background)
Arthur Vint   Drums
Johnny Stachela   Guitar (Electric)
Lauren Baba   Violin
Michele Aguis   Vocals (Background)
John Shannon   Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Mark Levy   Drums
Eleanor Masterson   Vocals (Background)
Grahame Lesh   Guitar,Vocals (Background)
Sam Blasucci   Guitar,Vocals
Jonny Niemann   Piano
Elliot Kalan   Mellotron,Shakuhachi
Clay Finch   Guitar,Vocals
Lauren Monroe   Vocals (Background)
Jaime Douglas   Drums,Bongos,Handclapping
John Lum   Drums
Jacob Ungerleider   Piano
Tim Ramsey   Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Daryl Vandruff   Drums
Isaiah Gage   Cello
Jonathan Mattson   Vocals,Percussion,Drums
Ben Knight   Guitar,Ukulele,Guitar (Acoustic),Vocals (Background)
Dave DeCastro   Guitar (Bass)
Scott Metzger   Guitar (Electric)
Eric D. Johnson   Vocals
Shawn Barton   Vocals (Background)
Chris Pasin   Trumpet
Elliott Peck   Vocals (Background)
Nathan Graham   Drums
Alex Koford   Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic),Vocals (Background)
Emma Scott   Vocals (Background)
Carol Scott   Vocals (Background)
Tim Gray   Handclapping,Guitar (Acoustic)
Dan Fadel   Drums
Joe Wilkinson   Guitar (Electric)
Erik Deutsch   Piano,Univox
R. Scott Bryan   Drums
Brian Whelan   Piano,Guitar,Tambourine,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Norah Jones   Drums,Vocals
Duane Betts   Guitar,Vocals (Background)
Leslie Stevens   Vocals (Background)
Jon Shaw   Guitar (Bass)
Adam MacDougall   Clavinet,Keyboards,Tambourine,Synthesizer,Handclapping,Vocals (Background),Organ,Piano
Jared Mattson   Guitar,Vocals,Keyboards,Synthesizer,Guitar (Bass)
Danny Louis   Keyboards
Jay Collins   Saxophone
Jeff Hill   Cello,Guitar (Bass),Vocals (Background)
John Keane   Guitar (Acoustic)
Jim Scott   Flute,Shaker,Cowbell,Toy Piano,Tambourine,Handclapping,Indian Bells,Sleigh Bells
Alice Ping Yee Ho   Viola
Chuck Wood   Percussion
Gary Waldman   Banjo,Guitar (Tenor)
M.C. Taylor   Guitar,Vocals
Devon Allman   Vocals
Dan Horne   Guitar (Bass)
Alan Parker   Hi String Guitar,Guitar (Electric)
Tonya Lamm   Vocals (Background)
Sasha Dobson   Vocals,Guitar (Electric)
Marcus Randolph   Lap Steel Guitar
Danny Eisenberg   Keyboards
John Hummel   Drums
Bob Glaub   Guitar (Bass)
Jon Graboff   Guitar,Tambourine,Guitar (Bass),Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Guitar (String Bender),Guitar (Electric Baritone),Guitar (12 String Electric),Hi String Guitar (Acoustic)
Brad Pemberton   Drums
Brent Rademaker   Vocals,Guitar (Bass)
Andy Cabic   Vocals,Keyboards,Guitar (Acoustic)
Pinson Chanselle   Drums
George Sluppick   Drums
Steve Earle   Guitar,Vocals
Berry Oakley   Guitar (Bass),Vocals (Background)
Ted Russell Kamp   Handclapping,Guitar (Bass)
Catherine Popper   Vocals,Guitar (Bass),Guitar (Electric)
John Ginty   Organ,Piano
Greg Leisz   Lap Steel Guitar,Guitar (Baritone),Guitar (Electric),Guitar (Electric Baritone)
Don Heffington   Drums,Shaker,Tambourine
Eric Gorfain   Violin
Cameron Ralston   Guitar (Bass)
Tony Leone   Drums,Congas,Shaker,Tambourine

Technical Credits

Jonathan Wilson   Engineer,Instrumentation
Benjamin Knapp   Engineer
Michele Aguis   Executive Producer
Kevin Dean   Engineer
Grahame Lesh   Engineer
Jamie Landry   Mixing
Shubham Mondal   Assistant
Colin Mohnacs   Engineer,Producer
Tim Ramsey   Engineer,Producer
Sam Evian   Engineer
Nick Falk   Engineer
Robbi Robb   Engineer
Jason Reed   Engineer
Eric D. Johnson   Instrumentation
Bruce Watson   Engineer
Damian Calcagne   Engineer
Chris Boerner   Engineer
Dan Fadel   Engineer
Jim Cardillo   Liner Notes
Jason Kingsland   Engineer
Chris Bilheimer   Design,Art Direction
Vadim Canby   Engineer
Barbara Keith   Composer
Phil Magnotti   Engineer
Neal Casal   Composer,Liner Notes,Photography
Todd Divel   Engineer
John Kimock   Engineer,Processing
The Mattson 2   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Bobby Tis   Engineer
Jay Collins   Horn Arrangements
Jeff Hill   Engineer,Producer
John Keane   Engineer
Pete Lyman   Mastering
Ray Kennedy   Mixing,Engineer
Jim Scott   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Chris Turnbaugh   Engineer
Marq Spusta   Cover Lettering
Daniel Bacigalupi   Assistant
Gary Waldman   Executive Producer
Dave Schools   Producer
Tim Bluhm   Engineer
Kyle Field   Engineer
Jon Graboff   Engineer
J Mascis   Engineer,Instrumentation
Chris Bittner   Engineer
Andy Cabic   Producer
Adrian Olsen   Engineer
Ari Rios   Engineer
Neil Baldock   Engineer
Joe Russo   Engineer
Paul Antonelli   Engineer
John Ginty   Engineer,Producer
Eric Gorfain   String Arrangements