Nashville-based singer-songwriter Lori Triplett is set to release her third album, When the Morning Comes, independently on March 1, 2024. Produced by ASCAP Award-winning and five-time Grammy-nominated producer, engineer, guitarist, and songwriter Paul Moak, the album was written and recorded over the course of a few years and takes listeners on a thoughtful and picturesque listening journey through topics like self-discovery, finding the will and courage to keep moving forward in deep and dark waters, facing the immortality of loved ones, disillusionment and loss, standing up for yourself, and most importantly, that life is always worth fighting for and trying again when the morning comes.
“I had so many heavy things going on in my personal life making it extra difficult to think clearly about anything,” Triplett recalls of her creative process for writing the album. “I just didn’t really know where music fit into all of that for me, if at all. Most of the songs were written while I faced those things in real time. The songs are so incredibly meaningful and deeply personal to me–they are essentially little snapshots of my innermost feelings and thoughts over the past few years. I had been fighting for a long time to just keep my head above water and get through another day in the face of everything that’s been happening in the world, for my family, and in my own life. I realized that I’ve had to find my own inner strength to face my demons, keep going, keep trying, keep fighting, and keep moving forward when a new day presents itself to me. I’m finally feeling strong enough to handle all the things life has thrown my way these past few years, and I want others who may be feeling the same way to know that brighter days are ahead of them as well.”
The album’s first single, “Hollow White Oak,” was released on September 28th along with its accompanying video, and the song tells the story of a real-life, 300-year-old white oak tree nestled on a stunning, historical, 500-acre plantation outside of Nashville, TN. “We all have places we go–either physically or mentally–to help us reflect and cope, and this tree represents one of those places on this album,” she says.
“All I’m Letting Go Of,” the album’s second single, was released on November 10th and premiered a few days prior at Americana UK, who called it “reflective.” The song begs for answers to questions about what happens after you let it go: hurt, heartache, love, grief, or your past. With lyrics like, “I wanna know where it goes when you let it go. Does it just take a lap and come right back around?” and “Does it ever really leave? Did it move just up the street into someone else’s life?” listeners will find themselves contemplating the same questions about their own experiences. A simple acoustic guitar, piano, and mellotron arrangement perfectly complements Triplett’s pure vocal tone.
Triplett plans to release “Light from Another Room” as the third single on January 19th. The song is an anthem of sorts, reminding us that there is always hope as she sings, “There’s a light on somewhere. I see it cutting through the darkness of my deepest blues. Yeah, there’s a light from another room.” The song offers empathy to those going through rough patches, but it’s ultimately an invitation to start taking steps toward a new and brighter life after experiencing some of your darkest days.
With seasoned touring musicians and session players like pianist and keyboardist Charlie Lowell (Jars of Clay, Hollow Hum), drummer and percussionist Julian Dorio (The Whigs, Amanda Shires, The Lone Below), bassists Matthew Pierson and Kevin Whitsett (Russell Dickerson), and guitarist Paul Moak (Ann Wilson, Madi Diaz, Trent Dabbs), the album is an eclectic mix of Americana, alt-country, and singer-songwriter sounds and stylings that appeals to a wide variety of musical tastes. Listeners may hear overtones of some of her musical influences over the years like Tori Amos, Patty Griffin, Nichole Nordeman, and Jim Croce, to name a few.
“When the Morning Comes is meant to be both an offering of empathy and hope to its listeners as well as a challenge to those who may be going through their own dark times of uncertainty and sadness to not give up,” Triplett says. “But, first and foremost, this album is for my mom who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019. Her strength and selflessness are inspiring to me and everyone around her. It’s a love letter of sorts to her–we don’t always talk about what she’s going through because I think she doesn’t really like to think about it or focus too much on it. She just wants to enjoy her life. These songs say things to her in ways I probably couldn’t say well in normal conversation. They speak so much of my heart about my love for her. She is interwoven in every fiber of this album–directly and indirectly.”
A small-town Ohio native, Triplett has always been told she is an old soul. Happily embracing this title, she has been trusting her own creative instincts, ignoring the outside voices telling her what to write, how to sound, and who to be as an artist, and embracing what makes her uniquely her own artist and songwriter. Like other kindred old souls, she has had a clear grasp of what’s truly important in life from an early age and has been elegantly weaving that perspective into her songwriting and music since she first started writing around age 12, penning clever, thought-provoking lyrics over simple melodies and arrangements and writing contemplative, relatable, honest, and emotionally moving songs.
“My dad taught me to appreciate lyrics and really listen to the story being told in the song,” Triplett says. “He also taught me to never shy away from a sad song. Seeing a strong, grown man you love and admire singing his heart out to a sad Paul Williams love song like ‘Nice to Be Around’ or Dan Fogelberg’s ‘Same Old Lang Syne’ as a child really has an impact on you. It showed me how music can help others express their own emotions and feelings–even where you may least expect it.”
Triplett has performed alongside hit songwriters like Tony Arata, Joel Shewmake, Buddy Owens, Jason Duke, Chris Gelbuda, and Anthony Peebles, and her music has even received praise and attention from worldwide celebrity and Academy Award-winning actress Diane Keaton on social media. Her additional accomplishments include writing, co-producing, and releasing two full-length albums–her debut album, Dawn (2004), co-produced with Jon Gillespie, and her sophomore album, Safe Place to Land (2009), co-produced with Lee J. Turner, long-time bandmate of country artist Darius Rucker. More recently, she wrote and released two singles, “Crooked Heart” (2017) and “Tennessee” (2018), co-produced with Foster Ferrell, and her latest EPs, Slow Poison (2020) and her first Christmas EP, Coming Home Alone (2020), were both produced by Chad Carouthers.
