Description

(released October 17, 2025)

NOTE: WE ARE PRESSING A VERY LIMITED NUMBER OF CDs … this is 2025, after all. When they’re gone, it’ll be available via streaming and download only, If you want to listen via CD, act soon …

Every Town: Anne Hills

Hand & Heart Music HHM2025

 
I first met Michael Smith when I moved to Chicago in 1978. We began our musical collaboration when he accompanied Best of Friends on bass. I released my first collection of Michael’s songs in 1993 (October Child, Flying Fish #621), and Peter Erskine helped me assemble a great group of musicians for the project in LA. After many years of touring, writing, and recording together, we lost Michael in August of 2020. The always brilliant Scott Petito (along with Peter, again) helped me to bring together a similarly stellar cast of musicians to give you eleven more songs from Michael’s incredible catalog. I miss him so much. — Anne

Here’s a track list with a few excerpts:

1. Ballad of Elizabeth Dark (5:54)  
   
2. The Ghost of Lash LaRue (4:58)
3. Memory of August (4:33)
4. Vampire (5:46)
5. Crazy Mary (3:50)
6. What’s the Sea Done to the Sailor? (3:50)  
   
7. Sure Has Grown (3:46)
8. Spoon River (4:27)
9. Portland Fancy (4:21)
10. Every Town (A Real Good One) (3:01)
11. We Become Birds (6:03)

All songs by Michael Smith
© Bird Avenue Publishing, ASCAP

Click HERE to download the complete lyrics for the release.

The Musicians:
Anne Hills: vocals
Scott Petito: basses, guitars, keyboards, etc.
Peter Erskine (courtesy of Fuzzy Music): drums & percussion
Clifford Carter: piano (3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11)
Cindy Cashdollar: lap steel (2), steel (3) Dobro (6)
Jay Collins: tenor & baritone sax (7)
Benjamin Fingland: clarinet (11)
Pat Fleming: electric guitar (1)
Steve Gillette: backing vocals (2)
John Gorka: duet vocals (8)
Mike Maineiri: vibraphone (4) marimba (5)
Chris Pasin: trumpet (7)
Allen Power: arrangement (11)
John Sebastian: harmonica (5, 8)
Michael Smith: guitar (10)
Hamilton Sterling: thunder & whip (2)
Keve Wilson: oboe (11)
Garo Yellin: cello (11)

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Scott Petito at NRS Recording Studio, Catskill, NY
Co-Produced by Anne Hills and Peter Erskine
*except “Every Town” recorded “live” by Bruce Roper in Chicago,
Drum tracks recorded at Puck Productions, Santa Monica | Engineered by Aaron Walk

Cover photo by Robert Corwin
CD Design by Mark D. Moss

If you’d prefer to send a check or money order, you can print an order form to mail with your payment.