Walter Egan’s most celebrated stretch is getting a proper reissue. Edsel Records has announced ‘Walter Egan – The Album Collection 1977-1980,’ a 4-CD set due June 26 gathering his four Columbia studio albums, ‘Fundamental Roll,’ ‘Hi Fi,’ ‘Not Shy,’ and ‘The Last Stroll,’ together for the first time.
Now into his sixth decade as a working musician, Egan has long been the definition of a songwriter’s songwriter. He’s been a protégé of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, a songwriter for Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris, and a near-bandmate of the Eagles and Jackson Browne. Between 1977 and 1980 he cut these four records with the cream of L.A.’s golden-era players and producers, with ‘Fundamental Roll’ produced in its entirety by Buckingham.
The Fleetwood Mac connection runs deep on these sessions. The collection boasts vocal arrangements by Stevie Nicks, with both Nicks and Buckingham lending backing vocals right around the time ‘Rumours’ sent their own band into the stratosphere.
The era’s highlights include the 1978 US Top 10 hit “Magnet and Steel,” Egan’s enduring calling card, which later turned up in films like ‘Boogie Nights’ and ‘This Is 40.’ “Hot Summer Nights” has been covered by artists in France, Denmark, and Japan, and was sampled by Dr. Dre for Eminem’s 2009 single “We Made You.” It’s a diverse body of work rooted in Egan’s dedication to following his creative instincts.
The set comes in deluxe 7-inch packaging with a 12-page illustrated book, plus sleeve notes from music writer Jason Draper drawn from a new interview with Egan reflecting on his career. A special signed edition, limited to 1,000 copies, will also be available.