Rockabilly Pioneer Wanda Jackson To Give Her ‘Encore’
Rock & Roll, International Gospel, and Rockabilly Hall of Famer Wanda Jackson has teamed up with fellow Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Joan Jett and Kenny Laguna on her 32nd album, Encore, due out on Aug. 20 via Big Machine Records/Blackheart Records. To give fans a taste of the set, Jackson’s take on Johnny Tillotson’s 1962 Rhythm & Blues smash “It Keeps Right On A Hurtin’” is available now.
The vocalist known for “Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad,” “Mean, Mean Man,” “Fujiyama Mama,” and “Let’s Have A Party” wrote half of Encore’s songs, with an array of co-writers including triple Grammy Award winner Lori McKenna; ACM, CMA, and Grammy nominees Will Hoge and Luke Laird; Angaleena Presley; and Sonia Leigh.
“Real, authentic rock and roll is something you have to have inside. It can’t be taught, it can’t be faked. Wanda Jackson has it. Joan Jett has it. Encore has it. It is rare,” says Laguna.
Encore walks listeners through the rockabilly, country, and even punk colors of Jackson’s career and vocals over the years. Recorded just before announcing her retirement, Jackson’s signature tease delivers a resounding thump on “Big Baby.” On the jaunty “Can’t Keep A Good Girl Down,” she’s joined by Presley and Candi Carpenter, while Jett’s garage grunge comes out on “You Drive Me Wild.” Whether the funk “Treat Me Like A Lady” or the giddyup rockabilly of “Two Shots” with Elle King and Jett, Jackson remains every bit as in charge as ever. The album’s closing ballad, “That’s What Love Is,” also offers listeners a dose of clear-eyed tenderness.
“Right around the time I retired from performing and what I thought was the end of my career, I found myself back to writing songs with some of the great writers in Nashville. The songs you hear are truly my life story. This is the first time I have ever inserted so much of my personal life into my music. You’ll get a picture of my early life and have a peak into the closeness that my late husband Wendell and I had in our life together. I’m happy to share this with all of you. Your constant love and support has seen me through the ups and downs of my 64-year career. I love you all and God bless you,” shares Jackson.
Encore Tracklist:
1. Big Baby – Christopher Casello, Robin Lynn Grant
2. Two Shots (featuring Elle King and Joan Jett) – David Ryan Harris, Tanner Elle Schneider
3. You Drive Me Wild” – Joan Jett
4. Good Girl Down (featuring Angaleena Presley and Candi Carpenter) – Wanda Jackson, Vanessa Olivarez, Angaleena Presley
5. It Keeps Right On A Hurtin’ – Johnny Tillotson
6. We Gotta Stop – Wanda Jackson, Will Hoge, Vanessa Olivarez
7. Treat Me Like A Lady (featuring Joan Jett) – Wanda Jackson, Sonia Leigh, Vanessa Olivarez, Jordan Breanne Simpson
8. That What Love Is (featuring Joan Jett) – Wanda Jackson, Luke Laird, Lori McKenna, Jordan Breanne Simpson
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