A new tribute album to David Olney puts the late songwriter’s poetic lyrics in the hands of artists like Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, and Mary Gauthier. Can’t Steal My Fire: The Songs of David Olney will be released Oct. 18 via New West Records.
Ahead of the album’s release, two songs are available now: a rare live recording of Townes Van Zandt, who ranked Olney alongside Mozart, Lightnin’ Hopkins, and Bob Dylan, singing “Illegal Cargo,” and the Steeldrivers’ version of “If My Eyes Were Blind.”
Born in Rhode Island in 1948, Olney moved to Nashville in the early Seventies and, inspired by a Van Zandt concert, pursued a career as a songwriter and composer. Oleny’s songs touched on folk, country, and roots rock, and in 1986 he released his first solo album, Eye of the Storm. The LPs Deeper Well, Roses, When the Deal Goes Down, and Don’t Try to Fight It all followed, culminating with his final album, 2018’s This Side or the Other.
Olney died in 2020 from an apparent heart attack following a performance at the 30A Songwriters Festival in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. He was 71.
Other artists on the upcoming double album include Janis Ian, Jimmy Dale Gilmore, the McCrary Sisters, Dave Alvin, Buddy Miller, and Jim Lauderdale.
Can’t Steal My Fire: The Songs of David Olney tracklist:
1. “Deeper Well,” Lucinda Williams
2. “Sister Angelina,” Steve Earle
3. “Voices on the Water,” The McCrary Sisters
4. “Jerusalem Tomorrow,” Buddy Miller
5. “If My Eyes Were Blind,” The Steeldrivers
6. “Women Cross the River,” Willis Alan Ramsey
7. “1917,” Mary Gauthier
8. “ Always the Stranger,” R.B. Morris
9. “If It Wasn’t for the Wind,” Jimmie Dale Gilmore
10. “Running From Love,” Anana Kaye
11. “That’s My Story,” Greg Brown
12. “Sonnet #40,” David Olney
13. “Titanic,” Afton Wolfe
14. “Steal My Thunder,” Dave Alvin with the Rick Holmstrom Trio
15. “Delta Blue,” Jim Lauderdale
16. “She’s Alone Tonight,” Janis Ian
17. “Illegal Cargo,” Townes Van Zandt