Steve Martin to release album in May on Rounder Records

After a successful run with a limited release of The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo, multi-talented Grammy® and Emmy winning actor/comedian/musician and bestselling author Steve Martin will release the album on Rounder Records on May 19, 2009.

Originally released exclusively through Amazon.com on January 27, The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo reached #1 on Billboard’s Top Bluegrass Albums chart, #7 on Billboard’s Top Internet Albums chart, #38 on Billboard’s Top Independent Albums chart and reached #2 on Amazon’s Top Music Sellers. All of the songs on The Crow were written by Martin.

The Rounder release will feature an instrumental version of “Calico Train” as a bonus track that was not on the Amazon version. Rounder will also release a deluxe version of The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo, with several additional tracks and special pop-up artwork, the details of which will be announced shortly.

Martin will make his Grand Ole Opry debut on May 30. Lifelong friend John McEuen (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) who produced the album and assembled an all-star cast to record with Martin, will appear on the show along with Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Stuart Duncan, Tim O’Brien and more. The artists will be performing select songs from The Crow album, and Martin will sing his composition “Late for School.” The only other time Steve performed this song live was when he hosted Saturday Night Live for the 15th record-breaking time on January 31, 2009.

Steve Martin is a three-time Grammy® winner, the latest for his collaboration with Earl Scruggs on Foggy Mountain Breakdown (2001) and two for comedy albums Wild and Crazy Guy (1978) and Let’s Get Small (1977.) After playing on the Grammy® Award winning Foggy Mountain Breakdown with Earl Scruggs, Martin began writing a string of new banjo songs, some with lyrics and some as instrumentals.

An album 45 years in the making, The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo features special vocal appearances by Mary Black, Vince Gill, Tim O’Brien, Dolly Parton and instrumental guests spots by Earl Scruggs, McEuen, Stuart Duncan, Jerry Douglas, Pete Wernick and Tony Trischka. The Crow was recorded in Dublin, Hollywood, Nashville and New Jersey.

For more information on Steve Martin, including message boards, tour dates and more, please visit www.stevemartin.com.