Loretta Lynn to Release New Album “Wouldn’t It Be Great”
Loretta Lynn will celebrate her 85th birthday on Friday, April 14th, but there is no sign of the country music queen slowing down or retiring anytime soon. Announced ahead of a two-night stop at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium to celebrate her birthday, Loretta Lynn will release her newest album Wouldn’t It Be Great via Sony’s Legacy Recordings on August 18th. It will be Loretta’s second release on Legacy, and like her first one, it was recorded primarily at the Cash Cabin Studios in Hendersonville, TN, with producer (and Lynn’s daughter) Patsy Lynn Russell, and caretaker of the Cash Cabin Studios, John Carter Cash.
The new album features 13 songs, all of which were written or co-written by Loretta herself, and just like her first Legacy Recordings release, it will be a mix of new songs, and re-recordings of some of her most legendary cuts. Wouldn’t It Be Great includes the new songs “Ruby’s Stool,” “Ain’t No Time To Go,” and “I’m Dying For Someone To Live For.” Classic remakes include “Don’t Come Home A’ Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ On Your Mind)” and “Coal Miner’s Daughter.”
“I think you try to do better with every record you put out,” Loretta says about the new album. “It’s just everyday living–and everybody wants to know, ‘Well, what is it about your songs that people like?’ I think you’ve got to tell your stories. I just think it hits everybody, you know, the songs.”
Loretta Lynn’s previous album Full Circle received a Grammy nomination, and her 2004 record Van Lear Rose with producer Jack White was a Grammy winner. On August 25th, the Country Music Hall of Fame will unveil a special Loretta Lynn exhibit to help commemorate the museum’s 50th Anniversary.
Wouldn’t It Be Great is available for Pre-Order.
Wouldn’t It Be Great Track List:
- Wouldn’t It Be Great – (Loretta Lynn)
- Ruby’s Stool – (Loretta Lynn, Shawn Camp)
- I’m Dying for Someone to Live For – (Loretta Lynn, Shawn Camp)
- Another Bridge to Burn – (Loretta Lynn, Lola Jean Dillon)
- Ain’t No Time to Go – (Loretta Lynn, Patsy Lynn Russell)
- God Makes No Mistakes – (Loretta Lynn)
- These Ole Blues (Loretta Lynn, Patsy Lynn Russell)
- My Angel Mother — (Loretta Lynn)
- Don’t Come Home a Drinkin’ – (Loretta Lynn, Peggy Sue Wells)
- The Big Man – (Loretta Lynn, Shawn Camp)
- Lulie Vars – (Traditional, arrangement by Loretta Lynn)
- Darkest Day – (Loretta Lynn)
- Coal Miner’s Daughter – (Loretta Lynn)
April 13, 2017 @ 6:47 pm
This woman really is a terriffic talent. One of the local listener supported radio stations here in NYC airs about 2-3 hours of classic country/bluegrass music. Last weekend they squeezed in some old school LL between some Cash and someone else I can’t remember now. So ahead of her time in her lyrical content.
I really do revere her. She deserves all the praise and exposure.
April 13, 2017 @ 7:25 pm
Out of curiosity, what is the NY station?
April 13, 2017 @ 8:47 pm
Brandon, it’s WKCR 89.9 FM It’s 12 noon to 2pm The Tennessee Border Show.
https://www.cc-seas.columbia.edu/wkcr/content/tennessee-border-show
April 13, 2017 @ 8:49 pm
Just to add, Brndon, it’s the raio station of Columbia University.
April 20, 2017 @ 5:11 am
Loretta Lynn is one of the truly great musical artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. It is wonderful to see her still putting out high quality albums at 85 years young.
April 13, 2017 @ 7:09 pm
I think God Makes No Mistakes was also on Van Lear Rose.
I could do without the remakes, but look forward to the new material.
April 13, 2017 @ 7:18 pm
Yeah, I hear you. It would be easier to get excited for 13 new original songs, but I think this is Legacy’s way of keeping Loretta’s name out there and releasing a new album each year.
April 28, 2017 @ 8:52 am
Loretta has stated on stage during some of her concert performances in the past,one of the reasons she has re-recorded some of her old songs is because many people have told her they were unable to find those songs to purchase on CD.That’s why she’s re-recorded some of them.For all us fans (like myself) who love her.
As for the songs being hard to find on CD or vinyl,while no doubt many people have told Loretta this over the years (I’ve had people tell me the same thing,because they know I’m a Loretta fan,and want to know where they can find this song),really it depends on what CD or vinyl record your looking on,and of course,what song of Loretta’s you are looking for.By that I mean,before Loretta signed with Sony Legacy,MCA released various compliation CD’s on Loretta over the years,like “50 Year Anniversary” or “Loretta Lynn: All Time greatest Hits”,a couple of examples.Yet,many of those people don’t know about these CD’s,or if they see them in stores,they don’t think to look @ the CD’s for what ever reason.
But again,it depends on which Loretta song you are looking for,and which CD you look at.
I might add,the songs “The Darkest Day” was released on her”You Ain’t Woman Enough” CD,but,as fas as I know,the song “My Angel Mother”,while it was released on her “Here’s Loretta Lynn” vinyl record from years ago,has never been released on CD.
Anyway,that’s why Loretta stated on stage she’s re-recorded some of her songs,because people kept telling her they could not find that song.(What ever song that is they were looking for).
April 28, 2017 @ 12:59 pm
We’re seeing a lot of older artist re-recording their old songs for numerous reasons. Kris Kristofferson did it recently as well. Sometimes it is because the music is out-of-print, sometimes the artists don’t get paid for the old music due to bad contracts. I’m not opposed to the practice, but my brain tends to like the first version of whatever song it hears.
April 14, 2017 @ 5:30 am
I generally agree, the remakes rarely live up to the originals and in the case of someone like Loretta, how could they?? At the same time, it’s sometimes revealing to hear the songs in the context of a fresh musical setting or from the artist’s perspective now several years removed from the original. Charlie Louvin’s acoustic record on Tompkins Square from 2007 was a good example of this, and Loretta took a similar approach with these sessions, ably assisted by John Carter Cash – whose affection for the artist and respect for her legacy really helped make “Full Circle” such a wonderful record. Looking forward to the next installment from these sessions.
April 13, 2017 @ 7:09 pm
Wonder how many unrecorded songs she has? If I remember from that ‘American Masters’ episode about her she has a whole book of songs she has written over the years.
April 13, 2017 @ 7:15 pm
She also has a lot that are recorded, just not released. When the news first broke that she was recording at Cash Cabin, the number thrown out there was I think 80 songs she had in the can, and that’s not considering that she’s probably been recording more since then.
April 13, 2017 @ 7:21 pm
Going to be releasing material for years I’d bet. Could be a hell of a boxed set someday for collectors.
April 18, 2017 @ 3:13 pm
Her book HONKY TONK GIRL is a collection to the lyrics of all her published songs, including unreleased or not recorded ones.
I don’t really have a problem with the remakes given the album contains thirteen songs so it’s I believe eight songs she’s never released before. I do think I would have preferred for a collection of all new stuff though. The title song must be one of Loretta’s personal favorites (and certainly one of the most autobiographical she’s ever written) as it’s her third time recording it and the first time it barely charted as a single. Regardless, any new recording by Loretta Lynn is cause to celebrate – I’d be happy if she sang the ABC’s.
April 13, 2017 @ 7:15 pm
Shawn Camp has had a fascinating career. Couple of minor hits in the nineties and that was it but has become a producer and frequent writing partner for Loretta in the last few years.
April 14, 2017 @ 4:42 am
She seems immortal, I bet she’ll release a new album or two every year until she’s 110.
April 14, 2017 @ 7:34 am
Here’s a good rendition of I’m Dying for someone to live for done by the Gibson Brothers….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY5RnfQfP1E
April 14, 2017 @ 8:30 am
Her voice is very different now (at least to me), so I really enjoy hearing her hits sung anew.
In a few years we’ll have lots of them, I can’t wait to put them all into a playlist and listening to them all day long.
April 14, 2017 @ 9:36 am
She needs to turn off the 24-hour news cycle.
It’s the reason there wasn’t a single, memorable, new song on 2016’s Full Circle.
She’s filling up her head with all the sewage draining out of Washington.
It’s left her with very little head-space for original, creative thoughts.
April 14, 2017 @ 10:11 am
Troll.
April 14, 2017 @ 2:50 pm
She’s 84 years old. I doubt she’s writing new songs now, but if she is, I’ll leave it to her to listen to whatever the hell she wants to come up with ideas.
April 14, 2017 @ 9:53 am
Loretta makes me think of a well-built old car. There may be some rust and a few dents, but the guts are still running fine- and, God willing, they’ll continue to.
April 14, 2017 @ 10:12 am
Interesting that the song “Wouldn’t It Be Great” isn’t on the album ….
April 14, 2017 @ 10:15 am
Never mind … I must be losing it. The song is the first song on the album. Duh!
April 14, 2017 @ 11:29 am
In my book,Loretta is forever 22! (I say in my book she’s 22,that I won’t be lying,because I’m going by my book.) Happy birthday Loretta!
It’s interesting too,this is the third time Loretta cut “Wouldn’t it be great”.She recorded it in 1985 on her “Just a Woman’ LP,later released the song as a single.Later in 1995,she recorded it with Dolly & Tammy on her “Honky Tonk Angels” CD.Now,it will be released again.
Hey,a great song is a great song.Right? But then again,in my book,all Loretta Lynn songs are no.1,and are great!
She will forever be my no.1 favorite singer! That will never change! Happy Birthday Loretta! Keep singing,performing,and recording.We Love You!!!
April 28, 2017 @ 8:57 am
And,in response to Debra Miller on the Saving Country Music face book page,Loretta is touring,and has been touring for quite some time.Go to Loretta’s official web site,and click on the events link on the web page.You will see Loretta’s tour schedule,