Marking a bold new chapter in Batiste’s catalog, Big Money is rooted in American traditions — from gospel and soul to blues, folk, and rock & roll. Batiste introduced the nine-track project with its title track, “Big Money,” a groove-forward anthem anchored by his guitar and the soaring vocals of The Womack Sisters, granddaughters of soul legend Sam Cooke. He followed with “Lonely Avenue,” a soulful, piano-driven collaboration with Randy Newman that reimagines the Doc Pomus classic made famous by Ray Charles. Co-produced with longtime collaborator Dion “No I.D.” Wilson, the album also features a standout duet with Andra Day. Big Money caps a landmark year that included Batiste’s Super Bowl performance, two GRAMMY wins for his work on American Symphony, and the chart-topping success of Beethoven Blues, which spent nine weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Classical Albums chart.