Lori McKenna is set to release her latest album, The Tree, July 20 on CN Records via Thirty Tigers. The project features four tracks penned solely by McKenna, and also includes collaborations with Barry Dean, Luke Laird, Natalie Hemby, Aaron Raitiere, Hailey Whitters, Hillary Lindsey, and Liz Rose.
The Tree is McKenna’s eleventh studio album and second with producer Dave Cobb. Recorded at Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A, the 11-song album features McKenna (vocals, acoustic guitar), Cobb (acoustic/electric guitar, mellotron), Anderson East (electric guitar), Brian Allen (bass), Chris McKenna (mellotron), Chris Powell (drums, percussion) and backing vocals from Kristen Rogers, Natalie Hemby and Hillary Lindsey.
“I love people’s stories about their families—the way they tic and the ways we’re all crazy and love each other,” said McKenna. “I hope my songs shine a little light on that for a second. Maybe our stories remind us of our families and what they give us. It’s beautiful, and sometimes we take it for granted.”
In advance of the release, the album track, “People Get Old,” is premiering today.
McKenna will embark on “The Way Back Home Tour” in support of the new project this summer with stops in Boston, New York, DC, Chicago and Atlanta as well as Philadelphia’s World Café Live and Nashville’s CMA Theatre, among others.
Last year McKenna became the first songwriter to win back-to-back Best Country Song awards at the Grammys since Shania Twain in 1999-2000 with her solo-penned, No. 1 hit “Humble & Kind” (following 2016’s win for “Girl Crush” co-written with Liz Rose and Hillary Lindsey). Her current cuts include Carrie Underwood’s new single, “Cry Pretty,” also penned with Rose and Lindsey.
THE TREE TRACK LISTING:
1. A Mother Never Rests (Lori McKenna, Barry Dean)
2. The Fixer (Lori McKenna)
3. People Get Old (Lori McKenna)
4. Young And Angry Again (Lori McKenna, Barry Dean, Luke Laird)
5. The Tree (Lori McKenna, Natalie Hemby, Aaron Raitiere)
6. You Won’t Even Know I’m Gone (Lori McKenna)
7. Happy People (Lori McKenna, Hailey Whitters)
8. You Can’t Break A Woman (Lori McKenna, Hillary Lindsey, Liz Rose)
9. The Lot Behind St. Mary’s (Lori McKenna)
10. The Way Back Home (Lori McKenna, Luke Laird)
11. Like Patsy Would (Lori McKenna, Hillary Lindsey, Liz Rose)
About the Author
Hollabaugh, a staff writer at MusicRow magazine, has over 20 years of music business experience and has written for publications including American Profile, CMA Close Up, Nashville Arts And Entertainment, The Boot and Country Weekly. She has a Broadcast Journalism and Speech Communication degree from Texas Christian University, (go Horned Frogs), and welcomes your feedback or story ideas at lhollabaugh@musicrow.com.View Author Profile
