Singled Out: Pierce Crask's Sparkle and Shine

Chicago singer-songwriter Pierce Crask released the vinyl version of his latest album Rising River late last year and to celebrate we asked him to tell us about his take on the Steve Earle classic "Sparkle And Shine." Here is the story:

"Sparkle And Shine," written by the legendary Steve Earle, has been one of my favorite songs since I first heard him perform it live in 2008. From that time on, it has become a staple of my live sets and an audience favorite, leading me to record it for my 2023 album Rising River.

Of the thousands of love songs I've heard in my lifetime, "Sparkle And Shine" is up there with the greatest. The marriage of a beautiful melody and direct, heartfelt lyrics by a master songsmith make it a timeless classic.

This version features Marc Edelstein on stand-up bass, Heath Chappell on drums, Ellis Clark on keys, background vocals, and production, along with myself on vocals and acoustic guitar. Our goal was to do the song justice without it being a note-for-note copy, and it feels to me like we succeeded.

"Sparkle and Shine" first appeared on Steve Earle's 12th studio album Washington Square Serenade, which was released in 2007 via New West Records and won a Grammy award for "Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album."

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen and watch for yourself below and learn more about the album here

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