Valerie June’s deluxe edition of her 2021 album The Moon And Stars: Prescriptions For Dreamers, released on Friday (21), includes her take on timeless singer-songwriter Nick Drake’s “Pink Moon.”
It’s part of a generous selection of unreleased material on the expanded version of the acclaimed, Grammy-nominated set, released last June. Also included are the acoustic rendition of “Why the Bright Stars Glow” featuring Mavis Staples, which came out ahead of the deluxe edition in late October. There are acoustic takes on the album’s “Within You,” “You and I,” “Smile,” “Stardust Scattering,” and “Stay,” as well as a cover of John Lennon’s “Imagine” and of Stephen Foster’s 19th-century composition “Beautiful Dreamer.” Watch the live performance video of the Drake cover here.
“Pink Moon” was the title track from the third and final album by Drake, released in February 1972. The song featured his trademark vocals and acoustic guitar, as well as his piano playing. As with all of the ill-starred musician’s work, the album did not sell well in his lifetime, but has come to be universally revered by later audiences. Pink Moon achieved gold certification in the UK in July 2013.
June received a Grammy nomination for the album’s “Call Me A Fool,” featuring soul great Carla Thomas, which is shortlisted for Best American Roots Song. June begins an extensive tour on March 31 with Sunny War, Buffalo Nichols, and Chastity Brown.
Buy or stream the deluxe edition of Valerie June’s The Moon And Stars: Prescriptions For Dreamers.
Valerie June’s tour dates are as follows:
March 31 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
April 1 – Vancouver, BC @ The Commodore Ballroom
April 2 – Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater
April 3 – Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater
April 5 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
April 6 – Berkeley, CA @ The UC Theatre
April 8 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
April 9 – San Diego, CA @ Belly Up
April 22 – Kennett Square, PA @ Longwood Gardens Open Air Theatre
May 3 – Northampton, MA @ Academy of Music Theatre
May 4 – New York, NY @ Town Hall
May 5 – Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore
May 6 – Munhall, PA @ Carnegie Music Hall at Homestead
May 7 – Ithaca, NY @ State Theatre
May 10 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
May 11 – Ferndale, MI @ Magic Bag
May 13 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
May 14 – Columbus, OH @ The Athenaeum Theatre
May 15 – Indianapolis, IN @ HI-FI Annex
May 16 – Bloomington, IL @ The Castle Theatre
May 18 – Chicago, IL @ Old Town School
May 19 – Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall
May 20 – Minneapolis, MN @ Pantages Theatre
May 21 – Iowa City, IA @ Englert Theatre
May 22 – St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall
May 24 – Louisville, KY @ Paristown Hall
May 25 – Cincinnati, OH @ Memorial Hall
May 27 – Harrisburg, PA @ Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center
May 28 – Annapolis, MD @ Ram’s Head On Stage