Delmore uncovers lost Jay Bolotin recordings 1970-75

Jay Bolotin's No One Seems To Notice That It's Raining is due November 9 from Delmore Recordings. 

Here's the scoop from Delmore's Mark Linn...

I found a copy of Jay Bolotin's 1970 self-titled debut album at a record shop in Nashville back in 2008.  I immediately loved it, and in no short order began wondering what had become of the artist, and if additional recordings might exist.  On the internet there were references to a visual artist of the same name, with images displayed unlike anything I'd ever seen before.  It turned out to be the same Jay Bolotin.

Further reading on the websites of galleries and museums where his art had been displayed revealed mentions of his music, and specifically to his time in Nashville. Artists like Kris Kristofferson, Mickey Newbury, and Merle Haggard were named as being involved with Bolotin in those bios, which of course turned my intrigue level up to 11.

At the time, I was nearing the end of a ten year odyssey, discovering and compiling Kris Kristofferson's earliest publishing demos for release. To say that the process transformed me from being a Kristofferson fan into an obsessive would be an understatement.  So now I was really curious!  I loved the Bolotin record, but couldn't compute a connection to Merle Haggard.  I eventually tracked down Jay, who had recently been tracked down by Numero, who were about to release a song from his self titled debut on their Wayfaring Strangers comp called "Dear Father". It took several months or maybe a year  before Jay and I really started communicating.  But when mentions of Kristofferson, et.al.  started appearing in stories related to the Numero release, I had to ask Jay to unravel the mystery.



As it turned out, none of those now legendary folks had ever heard that record, because Jay never mentioned it to any of them.  What those artists were referring to were the songs Jay wrote and recorded mostly in Nashville a couple of years later. After a disappointing experience trying to record a followup LP in NYC,  Jay headed south, closer to where he grew up in Kentucky. Once in Nashville, there were many ups and many downs, publishing deals, recording sessions at Quadrafonic Sound produced by Norbert Putnam, close calls with record companies; and alot of songs, mostly on reel to reel tapes, and mostly being stored by his friend Owsley Manier (the original owner of the fabled Exit / In club in Nashville).

Several months or maybe years passed before the tapes would be carefully transferred, catalogued, and debated upon.  There were at least three records of strong material found, including an almost finished record produced by Haggard!  A box set was discussed, but Jay was concerned that nobody knew who he was, and it would be an impossible task to sell.  We finally arrived at the songs for a single album, which really capture a moment in time. Early 1970s Nashville, when things felt more open and free, and possible; and just before the out of town "suits" descended and the doors slammed shut to anything out of the norm.

Jay Bolotin's music then and now, is anything but the norm, even though some of his songs sound instantly familiar.  I've spent years immersing myself in these recordings, and it's a great honor - and relief! - to finally be ready to share.  On November 9, Jay Bolotin - No One Seems To Notice That It's Raining (Previously Unreleased Recordings 1970-75) will be available everywhere fine music is sold and streamed.        – Mark Linn, Delmore Recordings

You can pre-order a copy of Jay Bolotin's forthcoming album right here.