Ruthie Foster – “War Pigs” (video) (premiere)

Blues/folk/soul singer Ruthie Foster is a roots music wunderkind. From those aforementioned three genres and into gospel and rock, Foster refuses to be penned in, but rather allows her muse to take her where it will and we the audience are just left shaking our heads in collective amazement. What resonates with me the most about Foster is that she’s a pure musical force of nature, a master musician and an artist graced with one of the finest vocal instruments in the roots world.

Foster has been going through some life changes with an end to a relationship and used music as a form of therapy, pouring her many conflicting feelings into a set of 10 songs that form her new album, Joy Comes Back, releasing in March. We have an exciting preview for today as Foster covers the Black Sabbath tune “War Pigs”, converting metal to the blues in a stunning cover.

“I wanted something unexpected that would be cool to do at festivals,” Foster says. “To get people out of their seats or tents to find out what the heck is that? Who is this little ol’ short black woman doing Black Sabbath on a resonator?”

Meanwhile, producer Daniel Barrett says, “Ruthie suggested this song, to my delighted surprise. That told me she was ready to say something deep and unexpected on this record. We imagined Son House jamming with Black Sabbath. Simon Wallace from my band of 16 years (Porterdavis) guested on harmonica. Larry Fulcher’s deep, funky bassline is haunting. That’s Ruthie tearing it up on ‘Jessie Mae’, her resonator slide guitar.”

Ruthie Foster’s new album Joy Comes Back releases 24 March via Blue Corn Music and is available for pre-order now. Pick up the single “War Dogs” at iTunes.