She was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1962 for Best New Artist, though she’s much better known for her acting and dancing career in such movies as Bye Bye Birdie, Carnal Knowledge, and opposite Elvis Presley in Viva Las Vegas. Now Ann-Margret has returned with a new album, Born To Be Wild, featuring collaborations with such music stars as Pete Townshend, Joe Perry, the Stray Cats’ Lee Rocker and Slim Jim Phantom, and more. The album arrived April 14, 2023, via Cleopatra Records. Listen to several tracks, including a cover of the Everly Brothers classic, “Bye Bye Love,” with Townshend and T.G. Sheppard, below.
“Being offered an opportunity to work with Ann-Margret, especially on an Everly Brothers song, was just too romantic to pass,” said Townshend in a statement. “Ann-Margret’s work on the Tommy movie back in 1974 (when she was most certainly not old enough to pretend to be Roger Daltrey’s mother) was a joy from beginning to end. Her sonorous voice, her Scandinavian beauty, her sense of humour, her stamina and her strength all shone through.”
“What fun I had, and then to find all of the great artists that lent their support for this project,” said Ann-Margret. “Reading the quote from my dear friend Pete Townshend brought back such great memories.”
Other artists participating on the album include Steve Cropper, the Oak Ridge Boys, Cliff Richard, the unlikely pairing of Pat Boone and Rick Wakeman on “Teach Me Tonight,” Paul Shaffer and the late Mickey Gilley. The complete track list and guest performers is below.
Ann-Margret Born To Be Wild Track List
1 Rock Around the Clock Feat. Joe Perry & Jim McCarty
2 Bye Bye Love Feat. Pete Townshend & T.G. Sheppard
3 Son of a Preacher Man Feat. Steve Cropper & Brain Auger
4 Earth Angel Feat. the Oak Ridge Boys & Harvey Mandel
5 Why Do Fools Fall in Love Feat. Robben Ford & Chip Z’nuff
6 The Great Pretender Feat. Paul Shaffer, Danny B. Harvey & Adam Hamilton
7 Can’t Take My Eyes Off You Feat. Cliff Richard & Rick Braun
8 Born to Be Wild Feat. the Fuzztones
9 Splish Splash Feat. Mickey Gilley, Linda Gail Lewis & the Rockats
10 Somebody’s in My Orchard Feat. Don Randi
11 Teach Me Tonight Feat. Pat Boone, Rick Wakeman & Damiano Della Torre
12 Volare Feat. Lee Rocker & Slim Jim Phantom
13 Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree Feat. Sonny Landreth
Related: Our story on Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret in 1964’s Viva Las Vegas
The actress and singer will turn 82 on April 28, 2023.
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4 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationSaw Ann-Margret at the Las Vegas Hilton with motorcycles on stage just like the picture on the new album cover. It was ’74 and I was 20 at the time. The maitre d’ sat me just where he knew the star would stroll to after her first song. Sure enough she came right up to me, had me stand up, asked my name and where I was from. I stood there blushing with her arm on my shoulder, voice nervously cracking in response realizing that she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen…and she was talking to ME! She told me (and the audience) about the new movie she’s making playing Roger Daltrey’s mother being only two years older than him. Having already been a huge WHO fan seeing them in concert at least three times by that time, I couldn’t wait for the movie.
Ann-Margret is an entertainment legend and a cultural icon as are Pete and the boys.
Totally cool ! I loved her since she was Ann Margo rock on the Flintstones..with Elvis…the whole ride
Got quite a cast of artists on this new cd but weird choice of material. Splish slpash, Volare, Earth angel, yikes. Guess they only had a limited studio time.
WOW Just turned 82 on April 28, 2023. This woman is amazing.