Eric Bibb has the perfect background for a folk/blues musician. His father was the renowned singer Leon Bibb which enabled Eric to mix with some of music’s greats – including Bob Dylan – in New York’s Greenwich Village scene of the 1960s. Eric has been recording and touring since 1972 but for many years has lived in Sweden which gives him a different perspective on his homeland. His last studio album was Dear America, released in 2021.
A year after the release of Dear America, a rumination on his home country, Bibb is preparing a new album, Riding, to be released in time for his visit to the Port Fairy Folk Festival and other gigs around Australia.
“I’m going to say it. It’s my best work yet,” confesses Bibb from his home in Sweden. “I’ve got a wonderful producer who I’ve been working with for years, Glen Scott, and we are just hitting our stride, really.”
“It didn’t all begin yesterday, so I think the solutions we need are going to be found if we have a really honest look at our past. But it’s a groovy album,” says Bibb of his forthcoming release. “It’s a foot-thumping album. It’s one of my best albums in terms of groovy, funky music as well as some really poignant stories, I think.”
“I’m looking forward to coming there,” he adds. “It’s been a while and it’s been a while since I’ve been on tour. So, this is going to be a big moment for me.”
You can read the full Eric Bibb feature in the latest Rhythms or listen to the Rhythms Podcast. You can also hear it at Apple Podcasts, Amazon and Spotify. Just search for Rhythms Magazine.
Eric will be appearing at the Port Fairy Folk Festival, March 10-13, 2023 (portfairyfolkfestival.com) and doing other dates. Check out his touring schedule at ericbibb.com.
This Rhythms Podcast is made possible by the Port Fairy Folk Festival – www.portfairyfolkfestival.com.