This is one of many album that are slated to be forthcoming in 2024 that I was truly excited about because when certain artists record albums of their own favorite artists, it brings you closer to where they are as people. Marty Stuart and Connie Smith are two of my most favorite artists because of their overwhelming love for the history of Country Music.
Her version of “Country Girl” made popular by Dottie West was one of the best parts of the album, along with her version of the “world Of Forgotten People”, by Loretta Lynn. That song is quite obscure and one of her earlier songs from 1962 when she was working with Owen Bradley. It was only ever released as a single, and it never appeared on an album. When I saw that she recorded it on this album, I was excited.
From the press release:
Nashville, TN – Today, Country Music Hall of Fame singer Connie Smith releases the vinyl and CD versions of her 55th album Love, Prison, Wisdom and Heartaches on Fat Possum Records. On the album, Smith reinterprets songs that were originally sung, played or written by fellow country legends; Dottie West, Skeeter Davis, Liz Anderson, The Glaser Brothers, Loretta Lynn, Jim & Jesse, George Jones, Roy Acuff, Merle Haggard and Dallas Frazier. By revisitng these classics, she not only pays homage to the original artists but also adds her own unique voice and interpretations to the music, keeping it alive for new generations of listeners. Purchase and listen to Love, Prison, Wisdom and Heartaches HERE.
And while some may feel these songs should stay as they are, Smith brings fresh perspective to these beloved tunes, infusing them with emotion and depth that resonate with audiences old and new. Producer (and husband) Marty Stuart says, “When the concept came along of Connie recording this particular collection of songs I said, ‘Convince me. They were done right the first time.’ But when I heard her sing them, I was more than convinced. In truth, Connie redefined some of these songs and delivered them into an entirely new stratosphere.”
On Love, Prison, Wisdom and Heartaches, Smith reunites with her longtime collaborators Gary Carter on steel guitar, along with Hargus “Pig” Robbins on piano, which was his last effort with Smith before he passed in 2022. Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives back up Connie throughout the enthralling collection.
An eleven-time Grammy nominee, Smith has been consistently carrying the country music torch since her 1964 hit single, “Once a Day.” In March of 2021, the Library of Congress announced that “Once a Day” was one of the 2020 selections for its National Recording Registry. Connie has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1965 and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2012.
Love, Prison, Wisdom and Heartaches Track Listing
1. The Other Side of You
2. Once More
3. One of These Days
4. If You Won’t Tell on Me (I Won’t Tell on You)
5. Drifting And Dreaming of You
6. Country Girl
7. World of Forgotten People
8. Seattle
9. The Fugitive
10. End of the World
11. Beneath Still Waters
12. The Wayward Wind
