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Yusuf (Cat Stevens) will perform his first US shows in over 35 years in December, following a number of European dates. The singer will perform classic hits and songs from his forthcoming rhythm and blues album “Tell ‘Em I’m Gone”.

The US leg of “The Peace Train … Late Again” tour begins on December 1 at Massey Hall in Toronto and concludes on December 14 at Nokia Theatre LA LIVE in Los Angeles, CA.

The Peace Train…Late Again North American tour dates:

• 1 December – Massey Hall, Toronto
• 4 December – Citi Performing Arts Center Wang Theatre, Boston
• 7 December – Beacon Theatre, New York City
• 9 December – The Chicago Theatre, Chicago
• 12 December – The Masonic, San Francisco
• 14 December – Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE, Los Angeles.

The European tour dates are as follows:

• 4 November – Hammersmith Eventim Apollo, London, UK
• 9 November – Forest National, Brussels, Belgium
• 11 November – Mediolanum Forum, Milan, Italy
• 13 November – Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria
• 16 November – Zenith, Paris, France
• 20 November – Tempodrom, Berlin, Germany
• 23 November – CCH 1, Hamburg, Germany
• 25 November – Mitsubishi Electric Hall, Dusseldorf, Germany

On the “Tell ‘Em I’m Gone” album, Yusuf has returned to the American blues and R&B music that inspired him as a youth, with each song exploring the themes of freedom and peace. The album comprises original material in the R&B style, including “I Was Raised In Babylon” and “Cat And The Dog Trap,” as well as covers of well known blues and pop standards such as “Big Boss Man” and “You Are My Sunshine”.

Yusuf says of the new album:

Although I was to venture through many lyrical terrains, melodious valleys and cadences during my fifty-year musical and spiritual exploration, and though many would agree that I have covered a lot of ground, there was always one path I meant to take. Hidden in the background behind my renowned troubadour persona lurked an R&B alter-self waiting to be let free.

What’s powerful and profound, to me, is the overall message which emerged, lyrically. It suddenly stared me in the face: the innate struggle for Freedom! Isn’t that what most human beings dream of? Music and the Blues particularly was a means of escape for many chained to the destiny of the rich and powerful.

“Tell ‘Em I’m Gone” tracklist

• I Was Raised In Babylon (Yusuf)
• Big Boss Man (Luther Dixon-Al Smith)
• Dying To Live (Edgar Winter)
• You Are My Sunshine (Jimmie Davis-Charles Mitchell, arr. Yusuf)
• Editing Floor Blues (Yusuf)
• Cat And The Dog Trap (Yusuf)
• Gold Digger (Yusuf)
• The Devil Came From Kansas (Gary Brooker-Keith Reid)
• Tell ‘Em I’m Gone (originally “Take This Hammer,” arr. Yusuf)
• Doors (Yusuf).

Here’s Yusuf’s cover of Edgar Winter’s “Dying To Live”.

“Tell ‘Em I’m Gone” features contributions from Richard Thompson, blues harmonica legend Charlie Musselwhite, singer-songwriter Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Tuareg group Tinariwen, and guitarist Matt Sweeney. The album was produced by Yusuf and Rick Rubin and was mixed by Yusuf and Paul Samwell-Smith.

The album will be released on October 27. American fans who pre-order “Tell ‘Em I’m Gone” on Amazon.com by Sunday, September 21 at 11:59pm PDT will receive early access to purchase tickets to the US tour dates. Go to the “Tell ‘Em I’m Gone” ticket offer page for further information.

If buying after the cut-off date or not interested in the ticket deal, you can pre-order the album via the links below.

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