It’s been almost two years since guitarist Neal Casal has passed away. In memory of the late The Cardinals guitarist, multiple artists joined together to create the tribute album Highway Butterfly: The Songs of Neal Casal. The massive record will drop on November 12th, with 41 tracks honor the work of the guitarist who was also an integral member of The Chris Robinson Brotherhood and others. Featured on the charity cover album are about 130 artists in total, including Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks, Shooter Jennings, Steve Earle, Fruit Bats, Bob Weir and more.
Part of the proceeds of the album will go to the newly formed Neal Casal Music Foundation, which has subsequently provided musical instruments and lessons to students in New Jersey and New York state schools where Casal was born and raised. The other part will go to organizations like MusiCares and Backline, which are both working to help musicians struggling with mental health. The album was produced with the help of Casal fans donating to the project’s Kickstarter.
Longtime manager and close friend of Casal, Gary Waldman, who thought of making the album says, “For years we were always trying to get people to cover his songs, and we just never had much luck.” He continues, “But the songs are so good—why aren’t they being interpreted by other artists? And now you hear this record, and it really works. I’m thrilled with it; I think it’s beautiful, and it’s a great testament to how many cool songs he wrote.”
Besides the vinyl or CD, the box set will also contain multiple rarities and memorabilia of the late artist, including a48-page booklet filled with song lyrics, photographs by Casal and an essay by Jim Cardillo.
Highway Butterfly: The Songs Of Neal Casal Track Listing:
1. Traveling After Dark – Aaron Lee Tasjan
2. Need Shelter – Jaime Wyatt
3. You Don’t See Me Crying – Beachwood Sparks w/ GospelbeacH
4. No One Above You – Marcus King w/ Eric Krasno
5. Feathers For Bakersfield – Fruit Bats
6. All The Luck In the World – Billy Strings w/ Circles Around The Sun
7. Sweeten The Distance – Dori Freeman w/ Teddy Thompson
8. Time Down The Wind – Hiss Golden Messenger
9. Me & Queen Sylvia – Johnathan Rice
10. Wisest Of The Wise – Mapache
11. Freeway To The Canyon – Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band
12. Feel No Pain – Leslie Mendelson
13. Detroit Or Buffalo – Jonathan Wilson w/ Hannah Cohen
14. Day In The Sun – Susan Tedeschi & Derek Trucks
15. Bird With No Name – Jimmy Herring w/ Circles Around The Sun
16. Maybe California – Shooter Jennings
17. White Fence Round House – Vetiver
18. December – Todd Sheaffer
19. Grand Island – Courtney Jaye
20. Superhighway – Oteil Burbridge, Nick Johnson, Steve Kimock, John Morgan Kimock & Duane Trucks
21. Willow Jane – Britton Buchanan
22. Too Much To Ask – Kenny Roby w/ Amy Helm
23. Time And Trouble – Bob Weir w/ Jay Lane & Dave Schools
24. Death Of A Dream – J Mascis
25. The Cold and The Darkness – Tim Heidecker
26. Free To Go – Warren Haynes
27. So Far Astray – Rachel Dean
28. Highway Butterfly – Steve Earle & The Dukes
29. Angel And You’re Mine – Victoria Reed
30. Pray Me Home – Jason Crosby
31. Lost Satellite – Lauren Barth
32. The Losing End Again – Jesse Aycock
33. These Days With You – Puss N Boots
34. Cold Waves – Tim Bluhm, Kyle Field
35. Best To Bonnie – Zephaniah Ohora w/ Hazeldine
36. Let It All Begin – The Mattson 2
37. You’ll Miss It When It’s Gone – Cass McCombs, Ross James, Joe Russo, Farmer Dave Scher & Dave Schools
38. Fell On Hard Times – Angie McKenna
39. Raining Straight Down – The Allman Betts Band
40. Soul Gets Lost – Hazy Malaze w/ Jena Kraus
41. I Will Weep No More – Robbi Robb
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