Legendary singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Taj Mahal will release a new album, Time, on May 1 through Resonatin’ Records/Thirty Tigers.
The album includes the title track “Time,” a previously unreleased song written by Bill Withers. The track originated from a demo that had not been officially recorded before being brought to Taj Mahal by producer and music executive Steve Berkowitz with approval from Withers and his estate.
On Bill Withers and the origin of the song, Taj stated, “My former wife went to school with Bill Withers’ wife, so they knew each other, and I got a chance to spend some time around him. I had a lot of respect for the brother because of what he brought to music. Bill could walk out with an acoustic guitar and sing something like ‘Grandma’s Hands,’ and it would resonate so deeply with people. He wasn’t jumping up and down or trying to be flashy — he just had his own time and his own way of doing things. That honesty in his music meant a lot. So when this song came along, I listened to it a couple of times and felt that movement and that message in it. And we were grateful to receive his blessing to record it.”
Producer Tony Braunagel explained how the song came together during the sessions, “During the recording process of the forthcoming album Time, producers and members of the Phantom Blues Band, myself and Larry Fulcher, engaged longtime friend Steve Berkowitz as an advisor to help navigate record company connections for the release. Steve, a deeply creative and seasoned executive who previously ran Sony Legacy, had an inspired idea. While working with Bill Withers, when he was still with us, they had come across one of Bill’s unrecorded demos titled “Time.” It dawned on Steve that the song would be a perfect fit for Taj. With the album still in progress, he shared it, and it was immediately embraced. The lead vocal is earnest and heartfelt, capturing the depth and weight at the core of the Bill Withers original. Once the finishing touches were added and the track was mixed, it secured a permanent place on the album. The song conveys a shared human experience, Withers’ vision now honored and celebrated through Taj and his gifted collaborators, ready to be heard and embraced.”
In an interview with Variety, Taj Mahal reflected on his connection to Withers, stating, “When we did get to talk with one another, it was like we could see each other across the universe, and we just pulled all that distance out of the way. He was real folks. And I’ve always admired his work, his concerts, the musicians that he played with, his ideas. All you have to do is hear one note and you already know who you’re listening to, you know? … Once he walked away from the business, that’s when I met him the second time. I think he was in New York, putting up some shelves for his daughter at college, and he was just Bill Withers in overalls.”
Time was originally recorded in 2010 with Taj Mahal’s longtime backing group, the Phantom Blues Band. The sessions included Tony Braunagel on drums, Larry Fulcher on bass and Johnny Lee Schell on guitar, with Schell also serving as a producer alongside Berkowitz. Additional contributors include pianist Jon Cleary and organist Mick Weaver. The album was recorded at Ultratone Studio in Studio City, California.
The record also features a version of Bob Marley’s “Talkin’ Blues” with guest vocals from Ziggy Marley, along with tracks such as “Wild About My Lovin’” and “You Put The Whammy On Me.”
Taj Mahal has remained an active force in roots music across a career spanning more than six decades. In 2025, he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and also won Best Traditional Blues Album for his collaboration with Keb’ Mo’ on Get On Board.
Tracklist for Time:
Life of Love
Wild About My Lovin’
Crazy About A Jukebox
Time
You Put The Whammy On Me
Talkin’ Blues
Sweet Lorene
Ask Me About Nothing (But The Blues)
It’s Your Voodoo Working
Rowdy Blues
Tour Dates:
Apr. 9 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – The Parker
Apr. 10 – St. Petersburg, FL – Tampa Bay Blues Festival
Apr. 12 – Jacksonville, FL – Florida Theatre
Apr. 13 – Charleston, SC – Charleston Music Hall
Apr. 14 – Wilmington, NC – The Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College
Apr. 16 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse
Apr. 17 – Knoxville, TN – Bijou Theatre
Apr. 18 – Newberry, SC – Newberry Opera House
Apr. 20 – Decatur, AL – The Princess Theatre Center for Performing Arts
Apr. 21 – Cleveland, MS – Bologna Performing Arts Center
Apr. 23 – Miramar Beach, FL – Sun, Sand and Soul Festival
July 4 – Orillia, ON – Mariposa Folk Festival
July 7 – Buffalo, NY – Asbury Hall at Babeville
July 8 – Cleveland, OH – Music Box Supper Club – Concert Hall
July 10 – Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre
July 11 – Munhall, PA – Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall
July 12 – Alexandria, VA – The Birchmere
July 14 – Troy, NY – Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
July 15 – Northampton, MA – Academy of Music
July 17 – Wilmington, DE – The Grand Opera House
July 18 – Trumansburg, NY – GrassRoots Festival
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