My Morning Jackets Jim James will launch a solo career under the name Yim Yames. The singer is currently working on his full-length debut and will also release an EP of George Harrison cover songs, Tribute To, next month. The tribute album will be released on July 7, featuring covers of selections like All Things Must Pass and My Sweet Lord. In a note James writes:

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Hello friends. Just like most everyone else under this crazy dome, I have been a fan of the Beatles since early childhood… But it wasn’t ‘till sometime in ’99 that an old pal turned me on to ‘All Things Must Pass’ and I quickly became even more enamored with the quiet beauty and majesty of all things George Harrison. He always seemed to be a beacon of good light unto the world, accomplishing the rare task of using his massive fortune and fame to promote peace – both within and around the World. I will always look up to and see him as a prime example of the healing power of music and how, in tune with it, all is possible._
The following are a selection of George’s songs I recorded back in 2001, a few days after he passed that were moving me so very much at the time… I recorded them live at above the Cadillac in Shelbyville, KY… On my cousin John’s ‘ol faithful’ Fostex 8 track reel2reel, then overdubbed a banjitar or b. vox here or there. I find comfort knowing that all things must pass, but that as all things do pass their spirits are still out there moving us somewhere… doing what they do, just as real as they ever were in this physical world… I hear them singing and I feel them in my blood.
As first reported by Relix and Jambands.com, James will release the first Monsters of Folk album with Conor Oberst and M. Ward this September. In addition, he is currently producing an album by Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore to benefit Appalachian voices and help stop the disastrous effect of mountaintop removal.