Elton John and Leon Russell to Release First Single from Forthcoming Album August 24

Tony Award winner Elton John and Grammy award-winning musician and songwriter Leon Russell will release the single “If It Wasn’t for Bad,” on August 24 on iTunes and all digital retailers. This is the first single to be made available from their previously reported forthcoming new album The Union, which is set for an October 19 release from Decca Records in the U.S. and an October 25 release from Mercury Records in the U.K.

The album, the first the artists have worked on together since 1970, will be produced by Oscar and multiple-Grammy winning producer T Bone Burnett. It will feature songs written by John and lyricist Bernie Taupin, as well as in combination with Russell and Burnett. The 16 tracks on the album feature a variety of musical genres from R&B, soul, gospel, country, pop and rock. “If It Wasn’t For Bad” is written by Russell, and features vocals by John and piano and vocals by Russell.

This live studio recording will feature John and Russell on dueling pianos, as well as guest vocals by Neil Young and Brian Wilson along with R&B organist Booker T. Jones, steel guitarist Robert Randolph, and a 10-piece gospel choir.

John is currently represented on Broadway by his scores for Billy Elliot and The Lion King. He received the Tony Award for his score to Aida, and also wrote the score for Lestat. In addition, he was one of the producers of the Broadway play, Next Fall. One of the world’s most successful singer-songwriters, his many hits include “Your Song,” “Daniel,” “Benny and the Jets,” “Philadelphia Freedom,” and “Crocodile Rock.”