ROBERT PALMER : Music & Style

Good advice is not always costly. Robert Palmer, Carl’s best friend and musical mentor, gave the impetus in 1999. Impressed by Carl’s songwriting output and overall artistic charisma, he confronted him during one of their many joint productions: “Why not have your very own band? This seems to be long overdue, Carl…!”

…and yes, Robert Palmer (†2003), who achieved world fame with albums such as Sneakin’ Sally Through The Alley and blockbuster hits such as Simply Irresistible and Addicted To Love was absolutely right! Carl took Robert’s advice and founded The Songdogs with what you could call a “Champions League line-up” comprising numerous temporary muso friends in addition to the core troop. Robert Palmer, Levon Helm and Garth Hudson (both The Band), Bobby Keys, Sonny Landrethblessing for all rock ‘n’ roll lovers. The busy, always working at the limit artist Carlton, who as a guitarist, songwriter, producer and performer (Robert Palmer, Eric Burdon, Peter Maffay, Udo Lindenberg, Wolfgang Niedecken and many others ) would only follow one work mode: “Let’s get it on!”

With the Songdogs, Carl created the perfect platform for himself to implement his “No-Bullshit, – Keep On Swinging” approach together with all his musician friends, to present his songs, deeply rooted in Rock and Blues. The brilliant debut album from 2001 entitled Revolution Avenue, recorded at Dockside Studios, deep in the swamps of Louisiana, impressively reflects the Songdogs’ musical soul. In the following years, three further great Songdogs long players were released: Love & Respect (2003) – celebrated by critics and audiences alike, the live double CD Cahoots & Roots (2004) and Songs For The Lost And Brave (2008), recorded at Levon Helm’s barn in Woodstock NY. Two years later, after almost ten successful, very creative years, the Songdogs called for a break and parted in friendship, able to devote themselves to individual musical paths, until a reunion tour in 2019.

March 2020 is the moment when German actress Melanie Wiegmann lands on the small Maltese island of Gozo to visit her partner, musician Carl carlton in his home of choice.

Pandemic, quarantine, travel restrictions - nothing works. Carl, an internationally networked and renowned guitarist/producer, is forced to put all musical projects on hold. For Melanie, too, the trip becomes a caesura. She burns bridges and leaves the ongoing production of the ARD telenova Storm Of Love, with which she became a star.

Their originally planned four-day trip eventually turns into three years. The couple uses the forced break on the Mediterranean island to devote themselves to music. In the foreground are the sheer joy of playing music and the shared love for the songs.

No one is thinking of commercial exploitation. The common thread that connects all the songs: the eternal theme of love - with all its shades. Carl and Melanie develop arrangements and realize that not only their voices, but also their tastes harmonize. The Great Americana Songbook forms the basis; in addition to genre classics like Love Hurts and If I Needed You, the Beatles (Here, There And Everywhere) and gems from the catalogs of great songwriters like Leonard Cohen (Dance Me To The End Of Love), Tom Petty (Wildflowers) and John Prine (Long Monday) come into play.

When travel is possible again, the two pack their bags to visit carl's worldwide family of musicians. The songs are recorded in Ireland, Berlin and finally on Malta. The finishing touches for the album were done in New York by mastering legend Fred Kevorkian.

Glory Of Love is a warm-hearted musical diary that convinces with its idiosyncratic song selection, unpretentious arrangements and natural charm.

Perharps the nicest surprise is that not only two souls have found each other here, but also two wonderfully harmonizing voices.

Carl's longtime collaboration with Robert Palmer is unmistakable on the first single from the album, I'll Be Your Baby Tonight, a Dylan goodie with zydeco accordion and Caribbean flair, which Palmer covered with UB40 in 1990.

Carl Carlton and Melanie Wiegmann will be touring Germany at the end of the year in support of the album, starting on November 21, 2023 at the Jovel Music Hall in Münster, where Robert Palmer gave his final live concert with Carlton on September 13, 2003, only a couple of weeks before he died.

Together, they performed a few tracks from Drive and the inevitable Addicted To Love. Fortunately, the show was recorded and two tracks appear on Carlton's 2004 live album Cahoots & Roots.

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