‘Almost Famous’ original Broadway cast album out April 21st

The original Broadway cast recording of “Almost Famous” will be released on April 21 by Sony Masterworks Broadway. The album’s fifth single, “1973,” is now available to be streamed.

“Almost Famous” began previews on Oct. 3, 2022, and officially opened on Nov. 3 at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on Broadway. It closed on Jan. 8 after only 30 previews and 77 regular performances. 

Directed by Jeremy Herrin, the show featured a mix of known songs and original music by Tom Kitt with lyrics by Cameron Crowe and Kitt. The cast album will contain over 20 tracks of the music from the stage adaption of Crowe’s beloved film.

Broadway’s “Almost Famous” featured Chris Wood, Anika Larsen, Solea Pfeiffer, Drew Gehling, Casey Likes, Rob Colletti, as well as ensemblists Matt Bittner, Chad Burris, Gerard Canonico, Julia Cassandra, Brandon Contreras, Jakeim Hart, Van Hughes, Jana Djenne Jackson, Katie Ladner, Danny Lindgren, Erica Mansfield, Alisa Melendez, Kevin Trinio Perdido, Andrew Poston, Emily Schultheis, Daniel Sovich, Libby Winters and Matthew C. Yee.

The album is produced by Scott M. Riesett, Kitt and Crowe, with Scott Farthing and Lia Vollack serving as executive producers. The musical was produced on Broadway by Vollack and Michael Cassel.

The musical is based on the 2000 film of the same name ‘Almost Famous’ that was directed by Cameron Crowe. The story follows a young aspiring journalist, William Miller, who is given the opportunity to go on tour with an up-and-coming rock band, Stillwater, for an article in Rolling Stone magazine. Along the way, he experiences the ups and downs of life on the road, falls in love with a groupie, and ultimately learns about the music industry and himself.

The film was loosely based on Cameron Crowe’s real-life experiences as a teenage music journalist for Rolling Stone in the 1970s. Crowe also wrote the screenplay for the film, which was critically acclaimed and won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

Almost Famous features an all-star cast, including Patrick Fugit as William Miller, Kate Hudson as Penny Lane, the charismatic and mysterious groupie, Billy Crudup as the lead guitarist of Stillwater, and Frances McDormand as William’s overprotective mother. The film also features appearances by Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jason Lee, and Zooey Deschanel.

The film’s soundtrack features classic rock songs from the 1970s, including tracks by Led Zeppelin, The Who, and Elton John, as well as original songs by the fictional band Stillwater.

Almost Famous was a box office success, grossing over $47 million worldwide. It has since gained a cult following and is considered a classic of its genre, capturing the essence of the rock and roll era of the 1970s.