Unreleased Stephen King-John Mellencamp Musical Album Ghost Brothers of Darkland County Coming in March

By Adam Hetrick
November 16, 2012

An unreleased studio album of the Stephen King-John Mellencamp musical Ghost Brothers of Darkland County, which was recorded in 2010 prior to the musical's debut at the Alliance Theatre, will be released in March 2013, according to Rolling Stone.

The album boasts performances by Kris Kristofferson in the role of the father, Joe; Elvis Costello as the satanic character The Shape; Roseanne Cash as the mother, Monique; and the sons portrayed by Will Daily (Frank), Dave Alvin (Jack), Phil Alvin (Andy) and Mellencamp (Drake). Sheryl Crow voices Jenna with Neko Case as Anna, boxing legend Joe Frazier as caretaker Dan Coker and novelist King in the role of Uncle Steve. Glenn Morshower serves as the narrator.

The musical's blues-tinged score is by Mellencamp. "Carrie," "Misery" and "The Shining" novelist King authored the book.

The album was reportedly produced like a radio play, with a full book of text, as well as two CDs that include all dialogue and songs and a third CD with only the music. Full details of the new release, scheduled for March 19, 2013, have not been revealed, though it is billed as a CD/DVD deluxe package, with a "making of" featurette about the musical.

A New York reading took place this past year, but there are no firm plans to bring Ghost Brothers to New York. The musical debuted to a lukewarm reception in Atlanta last spring. The cast included Tony Award winner Shuler Hensley, Tony nominee Emily Skinner and Justin Guarini.

Here's how the work is billed: "In the tiny town of Lake Belle Reve, Mississippi in 1957, a terrible tragedy took the lives of two brothers and a beautiful young girl. During the next 40 years, the events of that night became the stuff of local legend. But legend is often just another word for lie. Joe McCandless knows what really happened; he saw it all. The question is whether or not he can bring himself to tell the truth in time to save his own troubled sons, and whether the ghosts left behind by an act of violence will help him — or tear the McCandless family apart forever."

The track list follows:

"That's Me" (Elvis Costello)
"That's Who I Am" (Neko Case)
"So Goddamn Smart" (Dave Alvin, Phil Alvin, Sheryl Crow)
"Wrong, Wrong, Wrong About Me" (Elvis Costello)
"Brotherly Love" (Ryan Bingham, Will Dailey)
"How Many Days" (Kris Kristofferson)
"You Are Blind" (Ryan Bingham)
"Home Again" (Sheryl Crow, Dave Alvin, Phil Alvin, Taj Mahal)
"You Don't Know Me" (Rosanne Cash)
"My Name Is Joe" (Clyde Mulroney)
"Tear This Cabin Down" (Taj Mahal)
"And Your Days Are Gone" (Sheryl Crow, Dave Alvin, Phil Alvin)
"Jukin'" (Sheryl Crow)
"What Kind of Man Am I" (Kris Kristofferson, Phil Alvin, Sheryl Crow Dave Alvin, Taj Mahal)
"So Goddamn Good" (Phil Alvin, Dave Alvin, Sheryl Crow)
"Away From This World" (Sheryl Crow)
"Truth" (John Mellencamp)