In The Real World Eric Bibb

• 1 Take The Stage 05:37
• 2 Walk Steady On 03:36
• 3 Everybodys Got A Right 03:20
• 4 Best I Can 03:10
• 5 Make A Change 03:34
• 6 This River (Chains & Free) 04:08
• 7 Stealin' Home 04:15
• 8 If There's Any Rule 03:44
• 9 King of the Castle 02:56
• 10 Neshoba County 03:37
• 11 Dear Mavis 03:13
• 12 Roll On Buddy 03:23
• 13 Judgement Day 02:31
• 14 The Real World 04:00
• 15 Victory Voices 04:01
• Total Runtime 55:05

Info for In The Real World

In The Real World is the latest album from blues troubadour Eric Bibb, following his Grammy-nominated 2023 studio release, Ridin’ and Live at The Scala Theatre album, released earlier this year. Recorded at Peter Gabriel’s iconic Real World Studios and produced, arranged and mixed by Glen Scott, the new disc is a vivid representation of Bibb's musical and personal evolution, offering a glimpse into the world he's experienced and the hope he continues to foster through his music.

“There’s a wholeness about In The Real World that deeply moves me,” Bibb reflects. “It feels like Glen Scott and I have reached a milestone on our collaborative journey. Musically, the album feels like a self-portrait because it truly represents my influences.”

With a career spanning five decades, three Grammy nominations, and numerous Blues Foundation awards, Eric Bibb has solidified his legacy as a legendary figure in the blues and roots genre. In The Real World stands as a testament to his evolution as an artist, deeply rooted in the storytelling tradition of the blues; "It really tells me where I’ve been, where I am, and where I’m headed,” Bibb explains. “Thematically, it’s about the you-me-we connection. It’s about the world we’ve created for ourselves and the world we long for.”

Recording at Real World Studios provided the perfect backdrop for this deeply introspective album. “The sheer natural beauty of the grounds and the caring hospitality of the staff were inspiring, to say the least. We worked with a terrific engineer, Katie May. If I had to describe the sessions in one word, it would be ‘flow’,” Bibb shares. “What’s particularly enjoyable for me, listening to this album, is the prominence of my guitar. Glen Scott’s arrangements and production are a joy to hear. All the musicians involved made great contributions. Robbie McIntosh’s outstanding playing, in particular, is a treat. Every track is a favorite, and the duet with Lily James is a gift to my soul."

Eric Bibb’s In The Real World is a continuation of the vision that informs his artistry as a modern-day Blues troubadour. Grounded in the folk and blues tradition with contemporary sensibilities, Bibb’s music continues to reflect his thoughts on current world events and his own lived experiences, whilst remaining entertaining, uplifting, inspirational and relevant.

Eric Bibb, lead vocal, acoustic guitar, banjo, nylon string guitar
Glen Scott, drums, percussion, bass, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, Hammond organ, Wurlitzer, Synths, MiniMoog, Rhodes, mandolin, banjo, string arrangement, programming, backing vocals
Robbie McIntosh, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, slide guitar, solo electric guitar, lead electric guitar, solo slide guitar
Chuck Anthony, solo electric guitar, Wah electric guitar
Paul Robinson, drums
Esbjörn Hazelius, fiddle, cittern
Lily James, featuring vocals
Shaneeka Simon, solo Adlib vocals, backing vocals
Sepideh Vaziri, backing vocals, adlib solo Vocals
Arezo Vaziri, backing vocals
Sara Bergkvist Scott, backing vocals
Johnathan L Mongi, backing vocals
Emmanuel Enwokeforo, backing vocals
Emilia Franklin, backing vocals
David Davidson, violin
David Angell, violin
Monisa Angell, viola
Carole Rabinowitz, cello
Michael Jerome Browne, harmonica
Greger Andersson, harmonica

Eric Bibb
Like Josh White, Jr. — son of folk singer Josh White — singer, songwriter, and guitarist Eric Bibb was raised in the folk tradition, the son of folk singer Leon Bibb. Bibb's uncle was the world-famous jazz pianist and composer John Lewis, part of the Modern Jazz Quartet. Bibb was raised in a music-filled household, and family friends in the '50s and '60s included Pete Seeger, Odetta, Bob Dylan, and the late Paul Robeson, who was named Eric's godfather. Bibb got his first steel guitar at age seven, and some advice from Dylan that he never forgot: "keep it simple, forget all that fancy stuff." When he was 13, Bibb entered New York City's High School of Music and Art, where he studied double bass, vocals, classical guitar, and piano. When he was 16, his father asked him to play guitar in the house band for his TV talent show, Someone New.

In 1970, Bibb left New York City for Paris, where he met with guitarist Mickey Baker. There, he began to focus in on blues guitar, and, after moving to Stockholm, he became enamored with pre-war blues. He continued to write his own songs and perform during this time, and returned to New York in 1980 to pursue a career as a folk and blues singer. He moved back to Sweden five years later and continued performing, but also taught music in school. His debut, Spirit and the Blues, showcased the sounds of bouzouki, mandolin, accordion, and a gospel group, inspired by other recordings that married bluesmen like Leadbelly with gospel groups like the Golden Gate Quartet. He performed at the London Blues Festival in 1996, where he shared a set with Corey Harris and Keb' Mo', and he quickly followed up with 1997's Good Stuff. His third album, Me to You, featured performances and collaborations with some of his musical heroes, including Pops & Mavis Staples and Taj Mahal. He followed up the success of the album with tours of the U.K., U.S., Canada, France, Germany, and Sweden. He recorded and released Home to Me in 1999, Roadworks in 2000, Painting Signs and Just Like Love in 2001, and A Family Affair in 2001, which featured duets and solo tunes by Bibb and his father. Bibb joined Robert Cray on two U.S. tours in 2001 and 2002, and opened for Ray Charles in the summer of 2002. Bibb was nominated for a Grammy for "Shakin' a Tailfeather," and he has been nominated for many W.C. Handy Awards in a variety of categories.

Ever the prolific songwriter, forever brimming with new musical ideas and a freshness of appreciation with no dimming in his enthusiasm for performing, Bibb has kept up a hectic schedule of performing and recording since Home to Me and A Family Affair were released in 2001. He recorded Natural Light for Earthbeat in 2003, Roadworks and Sisters and Brothers in 2004, and Friends in 2004. His late-2000s recordings include A Ship Called Love, Diamond Days, and Twelve Gates to the City in 2006, and a collaboration with his father, Praising Peace: A Tribute to Paul Robeson. Not all of Bibb's releases are available in the U.S., but most can be found via the Internet. He released a live album in 2007, An Evening with Eric Bibb, for the Telarc Blues label. 2008's Get on Board on Telarc Blues features performances by Bonnie Raitt and Ruthie Foster. Bibb describes the sounds and songs on the album best when he says, it's "a further exploration into the place where blues meets gospel and soul." Troubadour Live, recorded at a December 9, 2010 concert in Stockholm, Sweden and featuring guest guitarist Staffan Astner, was released in 2011. Jericho Road, which found Bibb working once again with long-time collaborator, producer, engineer, and multi-instrumentalist Glen Scott, appeared in 2013.

This album contains no booklet.