On May 15, 2020, Gretchen Peters will release The Night You Wrote That Song: The Songs of Mickey Newbury on Proper Records. The new album was recorded at the historic Cinderella Studios, where Newbury recorded his legendary albums of the late 1960s/early 1970s: Looks Like Rain, Frisco Mabel Joy and Heaven Help The Child. Pre-order: https://smarturl.it/songsofmickeynewbury
A lifelong devotee of Mickey Newbury’s albums as well as his songwriting, Peters chose to record his songs in stripped-down fashion at the same studio where the original magic happened. Guests on the album include Buddy Miller, studio founder and legendary guitarist Wayne Moss (Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, Linda Ronstadt), Country Music Hall of Famer and renowned harmonica player Charlie McCoy (Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley), Will Kimbrough, Barry Walsh and more.
“In sifting through all the Mickey Newbury songs I could get my hands on, there were only two criteria for inclusion on the album: did I love it, and did I think I could bring something of myself to it?” Gretchen explains. “I decided early on that I didn’t want to make an album of Mickey’s hits; that opened up the potential field to his late-career songs, which took a decided turn towards folk, and obscure early songs, as well as hits. All my lifelong favourites were on the first list, of course – but some of those, much as I loved them, proved not to be the right fit. I came across “The Night You Wrote That Song” early on, and felt it was the perfect title for the album. “You never knew how right you were the night you wrote that song…” seems to sum up my feelings towards Mickey Newbury perfectly. In so many ways he was ahead of his time.”
She continues: “Mickey’s sensibilities as an artist were probably the first thing that drew me to his records. I identified with him, not only because of his songs but because of the way I felt he saw himself. I only deduced this from listening to his records; I didn’t know him (I actually had several chances to meet him when I first came to town, but he was such a hero of mine that I was afraid to) – but he was an artist. He was hugely successful as a songwriter and yet he rejected – in both his writing and his recording – the Nashville assembly line approach. He approached everything he did as an artist, and as a young songwriter I deeply identified with that. That was what I wanted to do, what I felt I could do best. His records were thrilling to me.”
In celebration of the album release, Gretchen will play the following UK shows:
Tuesday, 12th May Wimborne Tivoli Theatre
Wednesday, 13th May London Kings Place
Thursday, 14th May Leeds City Varieties
Saturday, 16th May Birmingham Birmingham Town Hall
Sunday, 17th May Belfast The MAC
Wednesday, 20th May Glasgow Community Central Hall
Wednesday, 3rd June London Kings Place
For two decades, Gretchen Peters has been one of Nashville’s most beloved and respected artists. “If Peters never delivers another tune as achingly beautiful as ‘On A Bus To St. Cloud,'” People Magazine wrote, “she has already earned herself a spot among country’s upper echelon of contemporary composers.” Inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in October 2014 by singer-songwriter Rodney Crowell, who called her “both a songwriter and a poet (who) sings as beautifully as she writes,” and said her song “The Matador”, “moved me so greatly, I cried from the soles of my feet”, Peters has accumulated accolades as a songwriter for artists as diverse as Etta James, Bonnie Raitt, The Neville Brothers, Patty Loveless, George Strait, Bryan Adams and Faith Hill. Her 2015 album, ‘Blackbirds’, debuted at #1 on the UK Country chart and in the top 40 UK pop chart, and was awarded International Album of the Year and Song of the Year. In 2015, The Telegraph named her one of the greatest 60 female singer-songwriters of all time. Her latest album, The Night You Wrote That Song: The Songs of Mickey Newbury, is a loving tribute to another Hall of Fame songwriter and a profound influence on Peters’ own writing.
Photo Credit: Gina Binkley
