Aaron Neville at Celtic Connections Festival at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

Aaron Neville - Images by Ross Gilmore

On the occasion of his 71st birthday, Aaron Neville celebrates the authentic, indomitable spirit of his beloved hometown, New Orleans, having once more revisited his original love of gospel – absorbed literally at his granny’s knee – in his 50th year of recording, with 2010’s passionate, prayerful I Know I’ve Been Changed. Reuniting Neville with fellow Big Easy icon Allen Toussaint, who produced the singer’s debut studio session in 1960, it’s his first gospel release since losing his home to Hurricane Katrina, then his wife of 47 years to cancer. But even as he mourns, Neville’s inspirational voice discovers hope and joy both in the album’s longer, full-circle perspective, and at the wellspring of his lifelong faith.