Little Feat Announce Release of Remastered Albums ‘Sailin’ Shoes’ and ‘Dixie Chicken’

By Peter Burditt

Little Feat, founded by Lowell George and Bill Payne in 1969, has announced the release of their remastered albums Sailin’ Shoes and Dixie Chicken. 

After the band’s origin in 1969 in Los Angeles, Little Feat released Sailin’ Shoes in 1972 and Dixie Chicken shortly after that in 1973. Both albums were a hit back in their day and included some of their most popular songs: “Willin,” “Fat Man In the Bathtub,” and “Dixie Chicken.” 

The remastering of the album Sailin’ Shoes includes numerous outtakes from the albums recording sessions and alternative versions of “Cold Cold Cold,” “A Apolitical Blues,” and “Willin’.” Furthermore, the deluxe edition also features a recently discovered and unreleased recording of the band’s performance at the Palladium in Los Angeles on August 28, 1971. The songs from the album included in the live recording are “Tripe Face Boogie” and “Teenage Nervous Breakdown.” 

Much like Sailin’ Shoes, the remastered Dixie Chicken obtains a vast amount of session recordings, newly revised, and alternative tracks, some of those being: “Roll Um Easy,” “Juliette,” and “On Your Way Down.” All the unreleased music present within this album was recorded at Paul’s Mall Studio in Boston on March 1, 1973.

The band’s most successful album marked a transitional time for the group, as, during this period, the band started toiling with the New Orleans-style of funk music thanks to the addition of three new members: guitarist Paul Barrere, percussionist Sam Clayton, and bassist Kenny Gradney.

In light of the remastering and re-release of these albums, the band will hit the road this fall on The Albums Tour in hopes of celebrating their revamped music. The tour will include back-to-back night performances at a handful of select venues. 

The two albums will be available on digital, CD, and vinyl on June 23. Pre-order the albums HERE.

Little Feat Tour Dates:

June 25 Northampton, MA – The Green River Festival

July 12 Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Symphony Hall

July 13 Louisville, KY – Iroquois Amphitheater

July 15 Chesterfield, MO – Chesterfield Amphitheater

July 16 Decatur, IL – Devon Lakeshore Amphitheater

July 18 Cedar Rapids, IA – McGrath Amphitheater

July 19 Omaha, NE – Orpheum Theater

July 21 Greenwood Village, CO – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheater

July 22 Grand Junction, CO – Amphitheater At Las Colonias Park

July 23 Salt Lake City, UT – Red Butte Garden

July 26 Seattle, WA – Moore Theater

July 27 Portland, OR – Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

July 29 San Francisco, CA – The Warfield

July 30 Reno, NV – Grand Sierra Resort

Aug 1 San Diego, CA – Humphrey’s Concert By The Bay

Aug 2 Las Vegas, NV – The Smith Center

Aug 3 Phoenix, AZ – The Celebrity Theater

Aug17 Spartanburg, SC – Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium

Aug 18 Richmond, VA – Carpenter Theater At Dominion Energy Center

Aug 19 Cockeyville, MD – Hot August Music Festival

The Albums Tour Dates:

Sept 29 Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium+

Sept 30 Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium#

Oct 3 Washington D.C. – Warner Theater+

Oct 4 Washington D.C. – Warner Theater#

Oct 6 New York, NY – The Town Hall+

Oct 7 New York, NY – The Town Hall#

Oct 9 Boston, MA – The Wilbur+

Oct 10 Boston, MA – The Wilbur#

Oct 12 Collingswood, NJ – Scottish Rite Auditorium+

Oct 13 Collingswood, NJ – Scottish Rite Auditorium#

Oct 15 Chicago, IL – The Vic Theater+

Oct 16 Chicago, IL – The Vic Theater#

Oct 20 Los Angeles, CA – Theater at Ace Hotel+

Oct 21 Los Angeles, CA – Theater at Ace Hotel#

+performing Sailin’ Shoes in its entirety

#performing Dixie Chicken in its entirety

Photo by Elizabeth George / Courtesy Rhino