Don Felder Announces New Solo LP Featuring Bob Weir, Chad Smith, Slash, & More; Shares First Single [Listen]

Former Eagles guitarist Don Felder has announced the forthcoming release of his first solo album since 2012’s Road To Forever. His star-studded album, titled American Rock ‘N’ Roll, is scheduled to arrive on April 5th via BMG. The 11-song album will have a much more of an expansive sound than his last effort, which heard the rock musician playing all of the guitar parts on his own. Felder has recruited the help of a few well-known musicians to play on the album this time around, including Bob Weir, Slash, Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, Chad Smith, and Mick Fleetwood.

Felder shared the album’s title track to go with his announcement on Thursday. “American Rock N’ Roll” sticks pretty close to the traditional classic rock sound, acting as a tip of the ‘ol cap to some of America’s rock heroes ranging from Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin to Duane Allman and Guns N’ Roses, all of whom are mentioned in the song’s lyrics. The song’s recording process actually featured two different drummers, with Mick Fleetwood coming in first and Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ Chad Smith taking over in the latter half. Fans can listen to the audio-only video for “American Rock ‘n’ Roll” below to see if they can hear when Fleetwood’s playing ends and Smith’s begins. Listeners should be warned, though, that an impressive guitar solo courtesy of Slash also comes in just after the song’s halfway mark.

Don Felder – “American Rock ‘N’ Roll” – Official Audio

[Video: Don Felder]

“I wanted to bring in as many people as possible to share the experience with me,” Felder explained in a statement about his desire to work with as many of his musician friends on this album as possible on the new record. “I knew it should be bright, cheery and fun or it wouldn’t be worth doing. It should be a labor of love, not a labor of work.”

Related: Sammy Hagar Taps Bob Weir, Dave Grohl, & More For “Acoustic-4-A-Cure” Benefit Concert

Felder kicked off his 2019 concert campaign earlier this month with a show at the Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, California on January 18th. His 2019 winter tour continues next week with a performance in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Fans hoping to catch Don Felder on the road this winter can click here to reference his full tour schedule and ticket information. Fans can also click here to preorder American Rock ‘n’ Roll prior to its April 5th release.

[H/T Rolling Stone]