Stephen Colbert is adding a new credit to his résumé ahead of his Late Show farewell: guest vocalist.
The Great Big Joy Machine, the self-titled debut album from the band formerly known as Louis Cato and the Late Show Band, dropped Thursday—and it includes a special appearance by the host himself.
Colbert revealed the news Thursday night on The Late Show, spotlighting both the album and his own contribution.
“Big news, our house band, the Great Big Joy Machine has released an album today,” Colbert told viewers, noting that proceeds will benefit MusiCares, the charitable arm of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
What’s Colbert’s role? A duet with bandleader Louis Cato on Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home to Me.”
“We did a little Sam Cooke—we did ‘Bring It On Home to Me,’” Cato explained on air. “Beautiful, by the way.”
Colbert added: “That’s right. Available wherever you stream music… Congrats. Thank you—thank you for asking me to do something on there.”
The track is a natural fit for Colbert, who has shown a fondness for the song before in an impromptu 2024 performance alongside Chris Stapleton on The Late Show.
The new album, recorded at the Ed Sullivan Theater, features 11 original songs along with the Cooke cover.
Regular Late Show viewers may also recognize another track: “This Is the Late Show Band,” which serves as the program’s nightly closing theme, appears as the album’s second-to-last track.
The release arrives just months after the group’s on-air rebrand to Great Big Joy Machine—seemingly positioning the band for life beyond the show. With The Late Show set to end its run next month, the album offers both a milestone and a bridge to what comes next.
Listen to Colbert’s duet with Cato in the embed below. A special vinyl edition of the album signed by the entire band is available for preorder now.
