The Letter (Lemar album)

Background

The Letter was recorded at the legendary EastWest Studios in Los Angeles, where Frank Sinatra recorded "My Way" and Marvin Gaye made "Let’s Get It On". The album is a combination of reinterpreted soul classics and original tracks.

Lemar stated The Letter is a record he has long wanted to make. It is primarily a soul record with a deliberate vintage sound, recorded live, showcasing Lemar's distinctive vocals. Lemar has reinterpreted tracks by a who’s who of classic soul singers, including Al Green, Sam Cooke and Van Morrison, while purposely avoiding the obvious track choices. Discussing the covers Lemar said: "For me, the artists who have made this type of album – interpreting other people’s work – and done it convincingly have taken a no-holds-barred approach. Basically, if I was going to do this, I had to do it properly. My versions had to be raw and gritty. They had to expose the essence of the songs."

Legendary producer Larry Klein, who has worked with the likes of Tracy Chapman, Norah Jones and Joni Mitchell produced the album. Klein is not the only collaborator, with The Waters, who previously worked with Diana Ross, Michael Jackson and more recently Adele, taking up backing vocalist duties on the album. Lemar remarked: "The calibre of musicians and the vibe in the studio made it magical. So many great artists have recorded there. It's hard to write a happy song when you're down. Being in those rooms, knowing who had been before me, was inspirational."