IMMORTAL (2LP)

ANN WILSON of HEART, one of rock's most distinctive and powerful vocalists, has released (digitaly) oI Am the Highwayo as the first track from her new album. Fittingly titled IMMORTAL, the album features 10 musically diverse tracks that pay tribute to some of ANN's influences and friends who've recently passed and whose music poignantly lives on.For IMMORTAL, which marks her debut for BMG, ANN has teamed with original Heart producer Mike Flicker (Dreamboat Annie, Magazine, Little Queen, Dog and Butterfly and Bebe Le Strange, among others). ANN chose the album title IMMORTAL after revealing some working titles early on in the project. oThe original working titles evolved as the concept for the album evolved; a little bit at a time,o explains ANN. oAs my understanding of what I had undertaken grew and clarified, I realized a larger truth; that the souls may have departed but the songs will forever be their resonances. These are the poets of our time and their expressions must be handed down. Poetry is lasting and elemental like carvings in rock.o The finely etched tracks that comprise IMMORTAL cover a lot of musical ground, with many highlights including songs by Leonard Cohen (oA Thousand Kisses Deepo), Amy Winehouse (oBack to Blacko), David Bowie (oI'm Afraid of Americanso), Lesley Gore (oYou Don't Own Meo) and Tom Petty (oLunao). ANN says the criteria for choosing this collection of songs was easy. oFirst of all, I had to LOVE them! They had to be songs I could get inside of authentically as a singer. Lyrics are important to me but the most important thing is always the marriage of words and melody that makes the song magic!oIMMORTAL includes some very special guests as well. oWarren Haynes plays on Tom Petty's 'Luna' and 'You Don't Own Me,'o ANN reveals. oBen Mink is featured on Leonard Cohen's 'A Thousand Kisses Deep' and Amy Winehouse's 'Back to Black.' They are both musicians and great people whom I admire. It's always a pleasure and an honor to work with them. Their souls shine through on these songs!o