Top Names Unite for Cindy Walker Tribute Album
Cindy Walker was one of the most important and prolific songwriters in country music history, penning some 500 recorded songs, and some 400 of them charting in the Top 40, and often with the same song being recorded by different stars and in different decades. If you disappeared the legacy of Cindy Walker from country music, it would sound significantly different, and significantly more dull. That’s the reason her plaque rests in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Walker’s legacy has been cemented in country history, but her childhood home in Mexia, TX has fallen into disrepair. An effort to save the home has been underway for multiple years, and inspired by the preservation effort, country artist and famous voice actor Grey DeLisle has taken it upon herself to record a tribute to Cindy Walker called It’s All Her Fault: A Tribute To Cindy Walker, with streaming proceeds going to the Cindy Walker Foundation.
To be released on October 10th via Hummin’bird Records, the album features a who’s who of today’s country artists who are directly inspired by the Cindy Walker catalog, including Summer Dean, Kimmi Bitter, Rosie Flores, Amythyst Kiah, Brennen Leigh, Melissa Carper, Jolie Holland, and more. You also have some top musicians in traditional country appearing on the album, including pedal/lap steel player Chris Scruggs, Deke Dickerson, and drummer Lisa Pankratz.
Ahead of the album, Kelly Willis has released her version of “I Don’t Care,” first recorded by Webb Pierce, which became a 12-week #1 song in 1955 before being re-recorded as a Ricky Skaggs #1 hit in 1982.
“I first heard this song from a Ricky Skaggs record and loved love loved it,” says Kelly Willis. “But I first sang it with Bruce and Charlie Robison at their sister‘s wedding to our longtime bass player. And it was such a beautiful song to sing in that setting and at that occasion, and such a sweet, tender moment. I have just always loved that song, and so when asked which Cindy Walker song I’d like to sing to, it was my first choice.”
With executive producer Grey DeLisle doing a duet with Brennen Leigh on the album on “You’ve Got Me Heart Doing a Tap Dance,” this means all the Wonder Women of Country make an appearance on the record. Along with releasing a double LP earlier this year called The Grey Album, DeLisle has also appeared as a voice actor in The Simpsons, Scooby-Doo, SpongeBob SquarePants, and King Of The Hill among others.
It’s All Her Fault: A Tribute To Cindy Walker is now available for pre-save/pre-order.
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TRACK LIST:
1. You’re From Texas – Katie Shore
2. Don’t Talk To Me About Men – Summer Dean
3. Hey, Mr. Bluebird – Kimmi Bitter
4. Goin’ Away Party – Amythyst Kiah
5. It’s All Your Fault – Mozzy Dee
6. You Don’t Know Me – Rosie Flores
7. I Don’t Care – Kelly Willis
8. You’ve Got My Heart Doing A Tap-Dance – Brennen Leigh, Grey DeLisle
9. Take Me In Your Arms (And Hold Me) – Melissa Carper
10. Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream) – Mandy Barnett
11. The Warm Red Wine – Gail Davies
12. Don’t Be Ashamed Of Your Age – Jolie Holland
13. The Day You Left Me – Ginny Mac
September 23, 2025 @ 7:18 pm
A Gail Davies sighting? Amazing…
September 24, 2025 @ 2:04 am
I’ve been listening to the Willie’s Roadhouse channel daily while driving my route for years and have never heard a Gail Davies song. I have long wondered why. She’s apparently persona non-grata at Sirius Xm.
September 24, 2025 @ 10:58 am
The playlists are pretty narrow. Even the biggest artists have a narrow list of songs they play. Dropping in an occasional “lost hit” with a drop-in would make the listening experience more interesting for those who listen on the road or on their earbuds. A Gail Davies single or someone like Dottsy or even Jim Glaser who be a nice addition to the usual fare.
September 25, 2025 @ 10:43 am
It’s pretty difficult to get Jim Glaser material. I tried for my streaming channel and their is nothing out there unless you rip it off the album. I have a stack of albums that I intend to rip songs from (some were big hits) that have no other option. On my station I only have “If I Could Only Dance With You” and it is missing the reprise at the end. I found it deep in my computer on a compilation album. I have friends who would listen to classic country including Sirius and they would tell me I heard a song awhile ago by so and so and I would tell them well its one of these three songs. They would say how did you know. Because, that’s the only three songs they play by that artist. Even though they had 10 #1 songs and 30 top 20. The casual listener is ripped off. ” Rings”is a top ten song from the Glaser brothers that Jim sings lead on I have that on the station. I even thought about putting the Gary Puckett and the Union Gap tune “Woman” “Woman” on the station since Jim Glaser wrote it. But, decided against it. I still might. I thought about putting my streaming channel info on here, but that might not be proper protocol, trigger might object.
September 24, 2025 @ 6:44 am
For sure . Gail produced a tremendous tribute album on Webb Pierce called Caught In The Webb years ago. What a talent.
September 24, 2025 @ 8:09 am
That album is amazing. I want to see someone do a similar tribute to faron young
September 23, 2025 @ 10:10 pm
Interesting that Rosie Flores gets to tackle You Don’t Know Me. Wonder if she’s going to put a unique spin on the song that first her style more. Might not be a bad idea since the song has been sung a million times. Very excited by this project though.
September 23, 2025 @ 10:16 pm
Todd I agree, I haven’t heard anything from are about Gail Divies in years. I have started a streaming classic country station and I knew she had some top 10 songs, but I ended up with 15 mediocre hits in my station catalog by her. I have a new appreciation for her and her talent.
September 24, 2025 @ 10:52 am
I don’t listen to streaming music. I might be better off starting to stream music.
Even satellite radio has narrow playlists, so a Gail Davies doesn’t get any play save for an occasional countdown show highlighting a chart showing. She has a pretty large skillset and most fans have no idea.
September 24, 2025 @ 1:58 am
Can you imagine the royalties Cindy earned with “You Don’t Know Me?” My God! Everybody and his brother did a version of that song through the years!
September 24, 2025 @ 2:19 am
Well deserved.
Maybe, one day, someone will do a tribute to the likes of Ted Daffan, Rex Griffin, Tommy Collins, Floyd Tillman, Merle Travis and the other guys from the 40’s and 50’s. Jesse Dayton should give it a shot.
September 24, 2025 @ 3:02 am
…that scoring ratio would put her among the greatest goalgetters in soccer, easily.
September 24, 2025 @ 4:39 am
Great news, Willie Nelson did a tribute album years ago which was brilliant, still play it a lot
Chet Garner of Texas Day tripper show visits Cindy’s home in Mexia Texas in an April 2025 show, usually can watch on Youtube. Not sure if this is the same home as her birth home, but it was saved and the show is a great watch!
September 24, 2025 @ 6:00 am
Willie Nelson is from Abbott, TX (my hometown as well) which is about an hour away from Mexia, TX. Fun Fact. Glad to see this happening.
September 26, 2025 @ 1:18 pm
One my absolute favorite Willie albums. Her songs and Willie’s (and trigger’s) voice are two (maybe three) peas in a pod.
September 24, 2025 @ 8:24 am
The featured song “I Don’t Care” sung by Kelly Willis was beautiful. I’ve been a fan of hers since cassette tape days. I’m wondering if Emmylou Harris ever recorded this song ? I used to have every ELH album until a flood destroyed them and I don’t recall hearing it. Not to take away from Kelly’s version but I’d love hear Emmylou sing this. I’ll be buying this album for sure to hear all the ladies sing, looking forward to listening!
September 24, 2025 @ 9:02 am
I always loved hearing Don Walser sing Cherokee Maiden live whether at Babes, Jovitas, Threadgills or wherever.
About 25y ago, I heard a great interview with Cindy on WFUV. She called from her Texas home. It was a real treat to hear from the legend.
September 24, 2025 @ 2:10 pm
Yes a great rendition, I miss Don so much, got to meet him one day In Austin, he was a real gem.
I’m so happy that Cindy is getting so much recognition today. We need more of music of the like that she wrote !
September 25, 2025 @ 2:46 am
I had the honor of getting to know Don very well during my time in Austin. A true prince of a man with a wonderful wife in Pat. His mobility was severely limited in later years which prevented him from doing what he loved – walking around and meeting the fans. Pat and Don were very kind to my mom when my dad died. Her favorite song was Mexicali Rose and when he played it, Pat would call my mom on the cell so she could hear Don sing it.
That’s not a tear in my eye – I must be allergic to something here.
September 24, 2025 @ 9:35 am
This is cool. I’m glad to see the artists that are involved.
Loretta Lynn recorded Cindy’s “I Walked Away From The Wreck” and it’s remained one of my fave Loretta songs.
September 24, 2025 @ 9:41 am
I was thinking of the Willie Nelson tribute album which was great when I read this headline. This should be another wonderful album by a great under-the-radar monumental songwriter and lots of cool artists!
September 24, 2025 @ 10:13 am
Cindy Walker’s speech upon being inducted into the Hall of Fame is monumental, to say the least. If you want to cut through the songs to get to her speech, go to about the 4 minute mark, and then be absolutely enraptured by her words.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sbp03R5nsU&t=175s
September 24, 2025 @ 12:03 pm
I could listen to Kelly Willis sing any damn song and love it.
September 24, 2025 @ 12:41 pm
One of my favourite Willie Nelson albums is You Don’t Know Me….it is a great tribute album to Cindy Walker, This tribute looks good.
September 26, 2025 @ 8:05 am
I wish Cindy Walker was here to enjoy this tribute. She was a dear person. Having no heirs, she left her songwriting royalties to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
September 26, 2025 @ 10:53 pm
It’s always nice to see Cindy being remembered and celebrated.