Roseanne Cash Heads Into Studio With English Folk Singer Billy Bragg

Billy Bragg, is an English alternative rock musician who blends elements of folk music, punk rock and protest songs- his lyrics mostly deal with political or romantic themes. His music career has lasted more than 30 years, and he has collaborated with Natalie Merchant, Johnny Marr, Hank Wangford, Florence and the Machine, Kate Nash, Leon Rosselson, members of R.E.M., Michelle Shocked, Less Than Jake, Kitty Daisy & Lewis, Kirsty MacColl, and Wilco.  He'll soon add Rosanne Cash to that list.

According to the UK Guardian:

Billy Bragg's next album will be a collaboration with singer Rosanne Cash, he revealed this week. The English rabble-rouser has already started writing new songs, and plans to record with Cash and producer Joe Henry in Los Angeles this November.

Cash, the daughter of country legend Johnny Cash, met Bragg at the Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele festival in Germany. "We had a great time singing together and since then we've been plotting on trying to get into the studio," Bragg told Billboard. They were reportedly invited to the event by Henry, who had curated a series of song-cycles featuring jazz players Bill Frisell and Brad Mehldau.

"I spend a lot of time on my own records in the driver's seat," Bragg said, "so it will be nice to sit back in [Joe's] basement with his musicians and Rosanne and sort of chip in and ... riff." Henry, who is also a singer-songwriter, has previously produced albums by Loudon Wainwright III, Elvis Costello, Salif Keita and Ramblin' Jack Elliott. Cash, who has released 12 albums since 1978, is "a great songwriter", according to Bragg. The singer cited 2006's Black Cadillac, written after the death of Cash's parents and stepmother, June Carter Cash, as an "incredibly powerful album".