Yallwire News

Academy Award-winning actor Jeff Bridges, who earned the 2009 Oscar for his portrayal of a country singer in the film Crazy Heart, has signed a deal with EMI's Blue Note Records, and is set to release his debut album for the label in late summer.

The project will reunite Jeff with longtime friend, and multiple-Grammy-winning songwriter, musician and producer T Bone Burnett. The two first met more than 30 years ago when country music icon Kris Kristofferson introduced them during the filming of 1980's Heaven's Gate.

T Bone has since had a role in selecting songs that appeared on the soundtrack to the 1998 film The Big Lebowski and he co-wrote several songs for the Crazy Heart soundtrack, including "The Weary Kind," for which he (and songwriter Ryan Bingham) earned the Oscar (and a Golden Globe) for Best Original Song.

The upcoming album will feature several of Jeff Bridges' own songs as well as contributions from other writers. Rosanne Cash will be among the guest vocalists on the album.

More details about the CD will be released in coming months.