As Grace Potter & The Nocturnals take to the road for their annual summer travels, their ranks have swelled by two. In the wake of Bryan Dondero's departure for a more sedentary lifestyle, Catherine Popper has stepped in the bassist role. Formerly of Ryan Adams' Cardinals, Popper will likely enjoy taking a step down on the diva scale in her new role with the eminently down to earth Potter. Guitarist Benny Yurco will also be joining up with the Nocturnals. Having seen Yurco play over the winter with Scott Tournet, Matt Burr and Blues & Lasers, he will definitely blend in well with the Nocturnals and give them the potential for a two pronged guitar attack that can hang with any band out there.

In addition to a revamped touring lineup, Potter & The Nocturnals are in the final stages of completing their third studio album. The yet-to-be-titled album had T Bone Burnett behind the board and Potter describes it as "a soul record at its core, like the Velvet Underground backing Aretha Franklin." Perhaps that means that when Aretha sang "What you want, baby, I got it," she had heroin.

Tonight, Potter & The Nocturnals will return to the studio but this time it will be in Memphis at the legendary Sun Studio to lay down more tracks for the Sun Studio Sessions. A little over a year ago when the project first started, Potter & The Nocturnals played the very first session. Last night, they also recorded a few brand new tracks that were left over from the work with T Bone.

Labels: Grace Potter and The Nocturnals