Liela's adventure

Duke Spirit's Liela Moss records with Jerry Lee Lewis and Ronnie Wood

13 January 2009 - Frontwoman of The Duke Spirit, Liela Moss, revealed she has been singing backing vocals on a new record by American rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis, with a stellar line-up of musicians.

Also performing were the Rolling Stones bassist Ronnie Wood, Neil Young’s bassist Ricky Rosas and Bob Dylan’s drummer Jim Keltner.

Moss had just returned from Memphis and wrote to 6 Music about her, “most random adventure,” before she set off to Germany to play five dates lasting until Sunday 18 January.

Her message reads: “Last Wednesday night (7 January) I got phoned up be some people in the USA, who look after Jerry Lee Lewis, and got asked to fly over to Memphis to sing backing vocals on a few songs on the session they were about to record.”

"Mental. Legends. Jerry Lee - still got it. It was so ace I just had to tell because I’m so excited."
Liela Moss

She said that on and off recording sessions with Jerry Lee Lewis have been taking place for a year, for an album that will be out later in 2009.

“Ronnie Wood was playing too,” Moss continued, “And having come to our recent LA show, he'd said; ‘What about that Liela from the Duke Spirit, is she still on tour over here?’

“So I went on this crazy last minute dash via three cities and got to the studio in Memphis. The band was composed of Neil Yong's bass player Ricky Rosas, and Jim Keltner on drums who has played with Dylan forever.

“Mental. Legends. Jerry Lee - still got it. It was so ace I just had to tell because I’m so excited.”

Watch this space for an update on when the fruits of their labour will see the light.

The Duke Spirit play the Lido in Berlin tonight (13 January).

Georgie Rogers