Heart frontwoman Ann Wilson‘s latest solo album, Fierce Bliss, gets its release today.
The 11-track collection was recorded during the last couple of years at studios in Nashville, Seattle, Connecticut and Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
The album features mostly new originals co-written by Wilson, plus covers of Queen‘s “Love of My Life,” Robin Trower‘s “Bridge of Sighs” and Eurythmics‘ “Missionary Man.” “Love of My Life” is a duet with country star Vince Gill, while acclaimed blues-rock guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd plays on “Bridge of Sighs” and “Missionary Man.”
Wilson tells ABC Audio that the Gill duet came about “all of a sudden” while he was visiting Muscle Shoals during one of her sessions there.
“It was so cool,” notes Ann. “It wasn’t even forced. It was just something that happened. It was great.”
As for her “Bridge of Sighs” cover, Wilson says, “[I]t’s maybe my favorite track on the record right now. Kenny Wayne just really succeeded with that one. He blew me away. It’s a blues song incarnate.”
Wilson recorded most of the tracks with a group of “go-to, top flight session musicians [from] Nashville.” She was so happy with the musicians’ spontaneous creativity and her chemistry with them, she hired them as her backing band, christening them The Amazing Dawgs.
As Ann recalls, “[T]here was a moment where all of a sudden we all looked at each other and went, ‘You know, this is really cool. This is more than just a sideman thing. These guys are amazing.”
Wilson also recorded two tracks with Gov’t Mule — “Gladiator” and “Angel’s Blues” — which she co-wrote with the jam band’s frontman, Warren Haynes.
“It was so great working with Gov’t Mule,” Ann says. “They just really get it.”
Here’s the full Fierce Bliss track list:
“Greed”
“Black Wing”
“Bridge of Sighs”
“Fighten for Life”
“Love of My Life” — featuring Vince Gill
“Missionary Man”
“Gladiator”
“Forget Her”
“A Moment in Heaven”
“Angel’s Blues”*
“As the World Turns”
* = on CD and digital formats only.
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