Anzie Blue Records and Apple Music Release "By Any Means: The Album
News related to:Anzie Blue Records · 2 min read
Anzie Blue Records and Apple Music have collaborated to release a special episode of Color Me Country Radio, featuring the album "By Any Means: The Album." The episode, available on Apple Music's Color Me Country Radio show page, includes a conversation with the album's musical director, Pynk Beard, and performing artists Steve Ray Ladson and Denitia. The special, which will air globally on Apple Music 1 at 5 PM Eastern Time on Sunday, November 15, delves into the making of the album and its significance.
The project, inspired by the feature film "BY ANY MEANS," stars Mark Wahlberg and Yahya Abdul-Matteen II, and is distributed domestically by Paramount Pictures. Directed by Elegance Bratton, the film was inspired by the true story of Mississippi civil rights activist Vernon Dahmer Sr. The album reimagines iconic civil rights-era hits through a powerhouse lineup of contemporary Black roots artists, including Brandy, Kashus Culpepper, Keb' Mo', Tone Stith, and others. The album is bookended by the original title track, "By Any Means," written by 17-time Oscar® nominee Diane Warren, performed by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees The Isley Brothers and Nashville singer-songwriter David Kushner.
The "By Any Means" original title track makes The Isley Brothers the latest of more than 40 Rock Hall inductees to release a Diane Warren composition. The album, which brings together artists across generations and genres, was recorded at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, in less than a week. The studio has deep roots in American soul music and is Pynk Beard's home state.
The album is inspired by the spirit of the 1960s and serves as a living testament to community, authenticity, and "joy as resistance." It includes songs such as "We Shall Overcome," "What a Difference a Day Makes," "Hit the Road Jack," "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," "These Arms of Mine," "Please Mr. Postman," "Talking About My Baby," "I Love Your Lovin' Ways," "Stand by Me," and more. The "By Any Means" music video, directed by Fran Strine, has been nominated for a Hollywood Music in Media Award (HMMA) for Best Music Video.
Net proceeds from the album benefit the Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC), supporting the organization's work to advance equity, expand opportunity, and create pathways for the next generation of artists, creatives, and music industry professionals. The album's tracklisting includes 17 songs, each with a rich history and cultural significance. The project also includes a 37-minute highlight video of the Apple Music studio conversation, available for playing on the Apple Music artist pages for Pynk Beard, Steve Ray Ladson, Denitia, and Rissi Palmer.
The "By Any Means: The Album" tour, which launched in Palmer's hometown of St. Louis on November 6, features Pynk Beard and Ladson, plus album artists Elsie and Stella Prince, with special guests Tone Stith, 2'Live Bre, and Tatiana Marie Clark at select shows. The tour coincides with Ole Smoky Roadshow's coast to coast Music & Moonshine: The By Any Means Album Tour, which will take place in various cities across the United States.