Tanya Tucker Announces New Album “Sweet Western Sound”
The last time Shooter Jennings and Brandi Carlile joined forces to produce an album for Tanya Tucker, it resulted in two Grammy Awards and four nominations. Now in the wake of Tucker being named as the newest member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, she has announced the release of her latest album called Sweet Western Sound reuniting with Shooter and Brandi. It will be released on June 2nd via Fantasy Records.
“’Sweet Western Sound’ is another revelation and I’m excited to see what folks think of our new endeavor,” says Tucker. “It’s always a trip working with Brandi and Shooter. I didn’t know if we’d be working together again on a new album after ‘While I’m Livin’.’ But we did it! Lots of new things we did this time and I even co-wrote some of the songs, which means a lot to me. Brandi says we’re magic together, and I’m starting to believe her!”
Despite the critical acclaim of Tanya Tucker’s previous album, some were a little concerned why so much of the material was written by Brandi Carlile and her twins Phil and Tim Hanseroth. Sweet Western Sound sees some of that as well, but Tucker has a much greater hand, while Shooter and Outlaw legends Billy Joe Shaver and Billy Don Burns also walk away with credits. JT Nero of Birds of Chicago and Craig Dillingham receive song credits as well.
Tanya Tucker announced the album in style. Coinciding with the Hall of Fame press conference announcing her induction, Tucker took to horseback, and with a mounted police escort, she went prancing down from the Hall of Fame toward the Ryman Auditorium where she’s scheduled to play album release shows on June 3rd and 4th.
Ahead of the new album, Tanya Tucker has released the song “Kindness” written by Phil and Tim Hanseroth, back-dropped with Western scenes from Tanya Tucker photo shoots. Born in Seminole, TX, raised in Wilcox, Arizona, and starting her career as a singer in Henderson, Nevada near Las Vegas, Tanya Tucker knows a thing or two about the West. It will be interesting to see if Sweet Western Sound takes on a Western flavor.
Sweet Western Sound is now available for pre-sale/pre-order.
Track List:
- “Tanya” (written by Billy Joe Shaver, Tanya Tucker)
- “Kindness” (written by Tim Hanseroth, Phil Hanseroth)
- “Breakfast In Birmingham,” featuring Brandi Carlile (written by Brandi Carlile, Bernie Taupin)
- “Waltz Across a Moment” (written by Shooter Jennings)
- “Ready As I’ll Never Be” (written by Brandi Carlile, Tanya Tucker)
- “The List” (written by Brandi Carlile, Tanya Tucker)
- “Letter to Linda” (written by Tanya Tucker, Shooter Jennings)
- “City of Gold” (written by JT Nero)
- “That Wasn’t Me” (written by Brandi Carlile, Tim Hanseroth, Phil Hanseroth)
- “When the Rodeo Is Over (Where Do the Cowboys Go?)” (written by Billy Don Burns, Craig Dillingham)
April 5, 2023 @ 7:12 pm
I really hope the co-writes and the Shooter, Shaver, and Burns songs are more interesting than “Kindness.” But, I’m afraid Carlile will make it all sound dull and adult contemporary. I want a country album with pedal steel and fiddle from Tanya! Her voice is still strong and being wasted on Americana production.
I got spoiled when she collaborated with Leroy Virgil on “You Better Hope You Die Young” and thought a late career comeback would sound more like a country music
https://youtu.be/WHn2VUiylOg
April 7, 2023 @ 6:22 am
Yeah, I don’t get the deal with sleepytime sadsville Americana production. Music needs to be fun. And if there’s one to thing Americana does well, it’s definitely not fun.
Tanya needs to channel that “when I die I may not go to heaven” energy and get a hot band behind her, because that’s where she shines. And 100pct guarantee this production crew won’t bring that energy.
April 5, 2023 @ 7:55 pm
Affinity for presentation aside, this lady really embodies what it means to age gracefully in the entertainment scene, while still producing quality, impactful work
I would argue that it was not the strength of her commercial hits that earned her a Hall of Fame nomination. In fact, I would argue that those commercial hits did nothing at all to earn the distinction, but her later career releases, much like Porter Wagoner, Don Williams, Bobby, bear, Vince Gill, and so many others, I think Tanya Tucker has managed to put out some of her best work later in life just for the sake of doing it, without having to worry about whether or not the radio will play it or whether or not the charts will pay it any mind
April 6, 2023 @ 5:57 pm
Gotta disagree with you there, Fuzzy.
It’s Tanya’s timeless, Gothic early hits–“Delta Dawn,” “Blood Red,” “What’s Your Mama’s Name,” “Field of Stone,” and more–that did everything to earn her H-o-F status. The later releases,–“If It Don’t Come Easy,” “Strong Enough to Bend,” “Two Sparrows in a Hurricane,”–are more in the area of radio fluff and are not what earned her place in the Hall.
April 6, 2023 @ 5:06 am
Interesting that Elton John’s personal writer Bernie Taupin has a credit on here.
April 6, 2023 @ 8:55 am
There is an Elton/Brandi connection. He played on her song, Caroline, from 2009. When I saw her live a few months back she talked a lot about their friendship and time together.
Plus Bernie has other country connections , such as Mendocino County Line which he co-wrote. Back in 2002, Willie and Lee Ann Womack had a minor hit with.
April 12, 2023 @ 8:07 am
If Bernie’s lyrics are anything like the ones he wrote for this track on Elton’s “Don’t Shoot Me, I’m Only the Piano Player,” the reaction here should be fascinating. (Warning: language!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd9iMjlgpqk
April 6, 2023 @ 5:47 am
Hoptown,
You have nailed the essence of my thoughts on this whole thing. The reality is, Brandi and the Hanseroth twins are essentially a very talented rock act who found a home in Americana. I will say regarding the previous Tucker album, I was initially vexed by their non- country production, and felt it wasnt a fit for Tanya. Over time, begrudgingly i have started to see the genius in that record. It really has its moments. Mustang Ridge, Bring me my Flowers Now, are definite highlights. And the reality I keep coming back to, is Brandi and Shooter made it happen. Sure, there are plenty of folks who could have made a more classic country record with her, and I wish they had, but they didn’t. ( can you imagine an all star group like Brent Mason, Paul Franklin, Chris Scruggs and company backing Tucker? ) No, It was Jennings and Carlisle, and not only did they revive the Tanya Tucker brand, they brought her back to relevance again.
I agree with you that having some different writers including Billy Don, Tanya herself and Shaver might make for some intrigue. And I hope it’s a great record. Agree the lead single is underwhelming.
It’s a great album cover, the western vibe works well with Tanya’s image. She’s been involved with horsemanship her entire life. Will see how the final product sounds.
April 6, 2023 @ 7:02 am
Is it “Sweet Western World,” or “Sweet Western Sound?” The title of the article vs. the title of the album.
April 6, 2023 @ 7:51 am
Sweet Western Sound.
April 6, 2023 @ 8:52 am
I have said it a million times on here. I didn’t feel like Brandi’s production, last album felt like a Tanya record. I liked some of the songs, but was looking for more fiddle & steel. I felt like Nora Jones could have made the same album. I hope this one is better.
April 6, 2023 @ 1:37 pm
I too wish Tanya would ditch the twins and Brandi and connect with a really awesome, solid country band.
Also agree that Brandi’s productions are kinda vanilla. The Secret Sisters album she produced is bland as can be…what a shame.
April 6, 2023 @ 2:11 pm
I wonder if Brandi Carlile and Bernie Taupin were in Birmingham, Ala. or Birmingham, England and were they going for grits or the Continental Breakfast when they wrote “Breakfast In Birmingham.”
April 6, 2023 @ 4:03 pm
What irks me the worst about the Brandi-fication of Tanya is that Tanya’s most memorable hits have been up-tempo, high-energy numbers such as “Lizzie and the Rainman”, “San Antonio Stroll”, “If It Don’t Come Easy”, “Down to My Last Teardrop”, “If Your Heart Ain’t Busy Tonight”, “It’s a Little Too Late”, and “Tell Me About It”. Tanya still puts on an excellent live show and doesn’t shy away from those high-energy songs, but Brandi seems determined to shoehorn her into this saccharine crooner persona that does not fit Tanya. For instance, Tanya was the final performer for this year’s Rose Parade, and what number did she get stuck singing? “Ready As I’ll Never Be”. For an event that is so vibrant and energetic, I felt like I was at a funeral. I know that Tanya is grateful to both Brandi and Shooter for revitalizing her career, but Tanya needs songwriters and producers that can capture that electricity that has been central to her career.
April 6, 2023 @ 9:15 pm
I agree with so many of you…I miss the old Tanya sound. Loved all the albums she did with producer Terry Crutchfield. Great stuff… Would love to hear more like that again. Fortunately, she is a great talent and that will never change.
April 8, 2023 @ 9:52 am
Her comeback feels shoved down everyone’s throats –
80% PR, 20% talent.
April 8, 2023 @ 1:45 pm
Compared to some artists still hitting the road whose voices are past their prime (Marty Roe with Diamond Rio has every song in a lower key, Ronnie Milsap relies heavily on his band and backup vocalists), Tanya is still pretty good vocally. The PR angle is definitely more about getting Brandi Carlile’s name all over everything; even “The Return of Tanya Tucker” has “Featuring Brandi Carlile” in the film’s official title. If this whole thing was about Tanya, they wouldn’t keep giving her funeral dirges to sing; it’s all about Brandi.
May 23, 2023 @ 10:59 pm
You are off your rocker. She is drawing crowds with sellout performances. I have been to her concert and absolutely loved it. Much, much better than a lot of the smoke and mirror performances. Guess you don’t appreciate older women that can entertain better than the younger junk.
May 23, 2023 @ 10:54 pm
I have read some comments here that are pure junk. I love most of the songs that Brandi helped write and think they are appropriate for her at 64. She is not 30 anymore and it would be hard for her to sing many of the fast songs in a row. This way, we hear the words and get to watch her at her age. Her voice is beautiful and who can complain about winning a Grammy?
I no longer listen to the smoke and mirrors that so many country singers do now. I love Tanya as a person and I have been to a concert that I was thrilled with. Get off your crazy thoughts and enjoy her just the way she is. Bring me flowers is as good as Delta Dawn!