Way back in 2012 Kelly Willis asked her Twitter followers for cover ideas for an upcoming Austin gig coming up playing alongside her husband Bruce Robison. There were some great suggestions in response. I Tweeted “Harper Valley PTA” because I thought Willis’ style would fit it perfectly. it appears she agreed with me because that was the cover that she chose.
Fast-forward to today and Ms. Willis has released a wonderful video of “Harper Valley PTA.”
Her rendition of Tom T. Hall’s tale of a swinging 60’s single mom confronting small town hypocrisy was a sensation and made Jeannie C. Riley a star and a symbol of female empowerment on country radio.
Her version is excellent as are all things Willis lends her pipes to. I do like the extras little kick and swing added to the arrangement. And that organ!
Now did my tweet two years ago lead to the inclusion of this song Kelly Wills & Bruce Robison’s upcoming “Our Year?” I don’t know.
But I like to think it did.
Kelly Wills & Bruce Robison’s “Our Year,” the follow-up to the fantastic “Cheaters Game,” is due out May 27 on Thirty Tigers.
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