Exclusive Q and A: Lee Ann Womack Readies Her Next Album

posted in: Country • Exclusive Interviews

The rumors are true! Lee Ann Womack plans to release new music this year.

Perhaps the writers at Billboard summed it up best when they recently wrote: “When you consider the quality of her albums, any time Womack releases a new album is truly an event!”

Fair enough. Just consider the popular and critical excitement over her last album, Call Me Crazy. The 2008 album set the bar high for those that hope to meld contemporary and traditional country. What you hear in Womack’s music is flavorings from both sides that can only be from this very modern artist with a love for country greats of the past.

Although Womack is knee-deep in work, she took some time out to talk to OurStage about her new album, future acoustic shows and just what you might expect if you spent an evening at her house!

OS: I know you’ve just done the tour ” Girls with Guitars and a Piano Man” with Sara Evans, Sunny Sweeney, Joanna Smith and Phil Vassar, and I hear that you’ll be doing more intimate shows in the future, too. What prompted your interest in acoustic shows?

LAW: I was on stage opening for George Strait last year. I spent two years doing that, well, for this round actually. I did it earlier in my career, too. He’s a great man and I love his music and it was a great experience, of course. But we were in these huge venues. The problem in those situations is that those buildings aren’t built for [concerts].”
My band and I would set up back stage in a dressing room and kind of play all day and all night, just to make it sort of like a listening room. We had such a great time! Everyone said “Go out on the road with this. Take it out and show people how music is built.”

OS: So do you tell stories when you do those shows?

LAW: Yes, we tell the stories behind the songs. It is sort of like it would be in the living room at our home. We constantly have songwriters and musicians in our house so these concerts are kind of like an evening there.

OS: What do you like so much about those smaller shows?

LAW: It’s really about the music. It’s not all cluttered up with different things. And you can really get close to your audience, see your audience. It’s a great opportunity for any performer.

OS: Can you tell us anything about the rumored new album you have coming out. It’s the first one in three or four years, correct?

LAW: Oh, let’s say three and a half years. Then it doesn’t sound that long!

The new album is sort of the brainchild of my husband (Producer Frank Liddell, who is well known for his work with Miranda Lambert). He, too, was one of the people that wanted me to put (an acoustic) show together so it all kinds of goes hand in hand.

When he sat down with the co producers and musicians that will be playing on this record, he talked about the way music is made these days. [Heavily produced] music is all we get these days. We don’t get the grittier, real stuff. So that’s what we will do.

OS: Did you write the songs on the album?

LAW: I haven’t cut anything that I have written and I probably won’t. I was kind of contemplating that, talking to Frank one night and he said “Listen, if Willie Nelson is not too good to cut other people’s songs, why should you be?” This town [Nashville] is known for its songwriting community. And my husband has a great respect for songwriters.

OS: So how are you making the sound grittier?

LAW: In this situation, we are just making everything more traditional. We recorded everything live, which isn’t done so much anymore. Now everything is layering, layering, layering. I mean, [not] everything on this record is live, but the bulk of it is. It harkens back to the way things were recorded.

OS: Are there any guests on the album?

LAW: Mac McAnally is singing and playing all over it! He’s a good friend and a very talented man. We haven’t even started doing background vocals so I don’t know who else will sing on the record. I would be willing to tell you if I knew! I would guess we’ll know soon.

OS: What is the atmosphere in the studio when you record? Do you keep it very private?

LAW: It’s definitely not a closed session. We have a few people (including friends) who are always there.  There’s a certain atmosphere that we like to have present even if we change out musicians.

OS: Do you see yourself doing more of these back-to-basics albums moving ahead?

LAW: I have been so wrapped up in making the record, I haven’t really thought about that. Those are the kind of things you think about once you bring your head up. First things first. Record the album and then get out and start promoting it.

Although new details about the album have yet to be announced, you can stay up to date on Womack’s news by checking her website.