Eliza Gilkyson Premieres New Album 2020 Today

Eliza Gilkyson, the two-time GRAMMY™-nominated folk singer, songwriter and activist, is premiering her thoughtful new album, 2020, today with Folk Alley syndicated radio as their "Hear It First" selection. One of the most respected musicians in Folk Roots/Americana music today, Eliza constructed these politically charged anthems to motivate listeners to reflect and inspire action during what she believes will be "the most important USA election of our lifetime." Now, with a pandemic affecting all of us during these uncertain times, these songs highlight a perspective that moves beyond politics into the international collective and our imperative to respect all of humankind and the natural world as united citizens of the earth.

Listen to 2020 and read the Eliza's interview with Folk Alley HERE

Produced by Eliza's son, Cisco Ryder, 2020 features songs that are designed to be audience sing-a-longs in the Pete Seeger tradition of motivational political anthems, from the call for unity of "Peace in Our Hearts," to blistering condemnations of the current regime's policies with "Sooner or Later" and "My Heart Aches." Along with these new songs (including two co-writes with students from her summer songwriter workshops in Taos, NM), she has recorded two folk favorites: Bob Dylan's "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" and Pete Seeger's "Where Have All the Flowers Gone." Gilkyson's timely new song, "Beach Haven," was drawn from a letter written by Woody Guthrie in 1952 directed to Beach Haven Apartment's landlord Fred Trump (POTUS' father) regarding his racist, segregationist renter policies. The song is Woody's joyful invitation to Trump to "open your doors" and "rip out the strangling red tape" that keeps the apartment from embracing all races.

"One More Day" finds Gilkyson reflecting on the sobering realities of climate catastrophe while celebrating her commitment to life, love, community and Planet Earth with the songs "Beautiful World of Mine," "We Are Not Alone" and "Promises to Keep."

Featured artists include Eliza's tried and true band of beloved Austin musicians: Mike Hardwick (Jon Dee Graham, Jerry Jeff Walker, Charlie Sexton) on pedal steel, slide and electric guitars, Chris Maresh (Eric Johnson) on bass, Bukka Allen (Alejandro Escovedo, Joe Ely, Terry Allen) on keyboards, Warren Hood on fiddle, mandolinist Kym Warner (Green Cards) and producer Cisco Ryder on drums, with cameo appearances by rising star Jaimee Harris, folksinger Betty Soo and the WEWIM Choir of Austin, a support group co-founded by Eliza and singer Charlie Faye to nurture local female musicians working to get their careers off the ground.

Gilkyson, daughter of folk artist Terry Gilkyson and sister of LA-based artist Tony Gilkyson, is held in high regard by critics and her fellow songwriters alike; she recently supported Richard Thompson on his fall 2019 U.S. and had her song "The Great Correction" covered in 2018 by Joan Baez.

Gilkyson says: "2020 was born out of a visceral impulse to promote unity, commitment and action during this epic and critical showdown of power versus people in the USA and our world today.

"May human decency prevail."

Go to http://elizagilkyson.com for updates.

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