Bobby Weir Announces 50th Anniversary Edition Of ‘Ace’
Bobby Weir has announced a 50th anniversary edition of his solo debut, Ace, to be released on 13 January 2023.
Ace: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition will be released as a 2CD set featuring a remastered new mix of the original album and a complete set from April 2022’s Ace 50th anniversary shows. The remastered new mix will also be available on custom “high roller” pearl white vinyl from Dead.net. A black vinyl version will follow on 3 February. The remastered new mix of Cassidy is available digitally now.
Pre-order Bobby Weir, Ace: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition now
When Weir started working on Ace at Wally Heider’s Studio in San Francisco in early 1972, he wasn’t planning for the Grateful Dead to be his backing band. It just happened. “I pretty much knew in the back of my mind what would happen,” Weir told Crawdaddy a few months after the sessions. “I go and get the time booked and start putting the material together. Everybody gets wind of the fact I got the time booked and I may be going into the studio. So, one by one, they start coming around…”
It made sense, the band was already familiar with most of the music, having road-tested six of the album’s eight songs, including Greatest Story Ever Told, Mexicali Blues, and Playing In The Band, destined to become one of Weir’s signature tunes. Ace also marked the beginning of Weir’s long-running collaboration with lyricist John Perry Barlow and includes early standouts Cassidy and Looks Like Rain.
Weir celebrated the 50th anniversary of Ace on stage in April with two special shows at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall. On both nights, he performed the entire album live with his group Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros featuring The Wolfpack, a string and brass quintet, pedal steel player Barry Sless, and special guests Tyler Childers and Brittney Spencer. Fans can now experience that show on Ace: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition.
Ace: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition Tracklisting
Disc One: Original Album (2023 Remaster)
1. Greatest Story Ever Told
2. Black-Throated Wind
3. Walk In The Sunshine
4. Playing In The Band
5. Looks Like Rain
6. Mexicali Blues
7. One More Saturday Night
8. Cassidy”
Disc Two: Live at Radio City Music Hall, New York NY (4/3/22)
1. Greatest Story Ever Told – featuring Tyler Childers
2. Black-Throated Wind
3. Walk In The Sunshine – featuring Brittney Spencer
4. Playing In The Band
5. Looks Like Rain – featuring Brittney Spencer
6. Mexicali Blues – Intro
7. Mexicali Blues
8. One More Saturday Night
9. Cassidy
Pre-order Bobby Weir, Ace: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition now