For Immediate Release:

SWAMP DOGG RELEASES NEW TRACK
“WAKA WAKA WAKA” FEATURING GARY U.S. BONDS
OUT NOW FROM FORTHCOMING ALBUM
SWAMP DOGG CONTEMPLATES THE AFTERLIFE
COMING JUNE 19

SPECIAL EVENTS ANNOUNCED TO CELEBRATE NEW ALBUM:
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSIC – JUNE 6
GRAMMY MUSEUM – JUNE 9

(Designer: David Gorman, Download Hi-Res Here)

“Waka Waka Waka,” out today, is the third album track to be made available in advance of the June 19 release of the Swamp Dogg Contemplates The Afterlife full length album on S-Curve Records.  The Juneteenth release is just a few weeks in advance of the 84^th birthday of the legendary soul/roots icon. The song finds Swamp Dogg, a/k/a Jerry Williams, Jr. coming full circle to an earlier part of his fabled career when he collaborated on multiple hits with R&B flame keeper Gary U.S. Bonds,

Ultimately, Bonds and Williams became a songwriting and production team whose partnership was most fruitful in the 1970s before a falling out that left them estranged from each other for five decades. Within the last year, Swamp Dogg Contemplates The Afterlife producer and S-Curve chief Steve Greenberg approached Swamp Dogg about inviting Bonds to contribute to the album. Swamp Dogg instantly blessed the effort, and the result is “Waka Waka Waka” with Bonds serving as a featured lead vocalist on the Swamp Dogg composition.

“Waka Waka Waka” Streaming pivot link:

https://orcd.co/swampwaka

Gary U.S. Bonds/photo by John Cavanaugh

Near the end of “Waka Waka Waka,” Swamp Dogg interjects with his feelings for Bonds: “Hey Gary, Gary U.S. Bonds! Man, you the best friend I ever had and I’m so glad you decided to sing with me and help me get this hit. You know what hits feel like and I love you man.” Gary U.S. Bonds, on the eve of the single’s release commented, “It’s so nice to be working with my friend Swamp Dogg again. Keep on rockin’!”

“Waka Waka Waka” YouTube Visualizer:

Today’s release of ”Waka Waka Waka” was preceded last month by “Searching For Heaven,” a Swamp Dogg-penned song  reflective of the album’s overarching theme, and its virtual flip side, “Acid Tongue,” written by Jenny Lewis, who had earlier joined forces with Swamp Dogg on his 2024 album, “Blackgrass: From West Virginia to 125^th Street.” 

Swamp Dogg Contemplates The Afterlife is thought to be the artist’s 27^th full length and finds the artist participating in a broad range of promotional activities in support of the album, including tour dates and pre-release special events in New York, Nashville and Los Angeles. These include a discussion and performance event at the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville on June 6, followed a special “The Drop” event at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles on June 9. On June 17, Swamp Dogg will perform an album release show at New York’s Mercury Lounge as part of the Blue Note Jazz Festival. Additional summer dates are listed below.

The album was produced by Jerry “Swamp Dogg” Williams, Michael Mangini, Sam Hollander and the aforementioned Steve Greenberg, who collectively came to the Swamp Dogg project having worked with a range of artists including Joss Stone, Andy Grammer, Tom Jones, the O’Jays, Betty Wright, Jonas Brothers and Hanson. The album was recorded at Brooklyn’s Mission Sound studios with guitarist Sherod Barnes, bassist Jerry Barnes, drummer Steve Wolf, trumpet player Jesse Klirsfeld, organ/piano player Raymond Angry and saxophonist Morgan Price, as well as Moogstar, Swamp Dogg’s live-in keyboardist.

Pre-save Swamp Dogg Contemplates The Afterlife

https://orcd.co/swampdogg

Swamp Dogg Contemplates The Afterlife track listing

1. Searching For Heaven

2. Acid Tongue

3. Knock Knock (Memories)

4. Waka Waka Waka (feat. Gary U.S. Bonds)

5. A Million Tears Ago

6. Unhappy Song

7. Please Don’t Bury Me

8. Hot To Trot

9. Daddy’s Little Girl

10. Final Approach

Confirmed Swamp Dogg tour dates

June 17           New York, NY             Blue Note Jazz Festival

June 18           Woodstock, NY           Bearsville Theater

June 19           Greenfield, MA            Green River Festival 

June 20           Portland, ME               SPACE Gallery

June 21           Manchester, VT          Earth Sky Time Farm concert series

July 11            Venice, CA                  Venice West (Swamp Dogg’s 84^th Birthday Concert)

For inquiries, please contact:

Bob Merlis / MFH:
bobmerlis@bobmerlis.com                                       

Ben Merlis / MFH:
ben@bobmerlis.com

Jim Merlis
jim@bighassle.com