Singer-songwriter, fiddle player and The Highwomen founder/member, Amanda Shires, is a firm believer in music healing and she joined the Fresh Air from WHYY podcast to share her personal experiences.
LISTEN NOW: Amanda Shires joins ‘Fresh Air from WHYY’ podcast
During her appearance on the podcast, Shires opened up about just how much her new album, Take It Like A Man aided her in processing tough times with husband, Jason Isbell. Her vulnerability can especially be heard in songs like, “Fault Lines,” a song she didn’t think she’d ever release.
“I was just so down that the only way I could get better was to take it out on writing a song,” she shared. “When I would write these songs it was never in my mind, ‘Oh I have to record them.’ That’s not how I go in to songwriting.”
As she started to piece together album sequences and decided to work towards a new album, it was her husband, fellow musician, Jason Isbell, who encouraged her to bear it all and include her most personal songs.
“Jason was like, ‘why isn’t ‘Fault Lines’ on there?’ And I said, ‘I don’t t know, I just feel like that invites a lot of conversations and questions into our marriage and our relationship and I don’t know how I feel about that,’” she shared.
“He said, ‘well, you can always put in on there and choose not to answer questions about it.’ He was pushing for me to leave ‘Fault Lines’ on there because it is a ‘good song.’ As he said… I got more comfortable with it and here it sits.”
Check out the full episode above to hear more about Amanda’s new album, playing songs for her husband, performing fiddle as a teen and founding the country supergroup The Highwomen.
The Fresh Air from WHYY podcast, hosted by Terry Gross, features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries. Listen to more episodes on Audacy.
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