November 3, 2023—A new deluxe version of Lori McKenna’s acclaimed album, 1988, will be released next Friday, November 10 via CN Records/Thirty Tigers (pre-order/pre-save here).
In addition to the record’s original ten songs, the extended edition will also feature acoustic versions of five album tracks: “1988,” “Killing Me” feat. Hillary Lindsey, “Wonder Drug,” “Happy Children” and “The Town In Your Heart” feat. Hillary Lindsey.
Of the deluxe album, recorded at Nashville’s RCA Studio A, McKenna shares, “These songs, as always with me, were written on acoustic guitars and sung over writing room sofas and across kitchen tables. I dreamed of Dave Cobb and the band bringing the electric side out of them as they did on 1988 – but I always knew I would want them represented in their original form. The way the balladeer in me hears all songs, just stripped down. I’m so thankful Dave was willing to go back with me and play them the way they land under my fingers as if they were just written all over again.”
Produced by GRAMMY Award-winning producer Dave Cobb (Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell), 1988 is named for the year McKenna married her husband, Gene, and serves as a love letter to her family and lifelong friendships as she reflects on the experiences, lessons and relationships from her past 35 years.
1988 adds to a series of landmark years for the GRAMMY Award-winning singer, songwriter and musician, who has released three additional widely acclaimed albums: 2016’s The Bird & The Rifle, 2018’s The Tree and 2020’s The Balladeer, of which the Associated Press praised, “McKenna has by now long established herself as one of the best songwriters working in any genre. And she does it again and again,” while The Tennessean asserted, “one of the sharpest pens in modern country and folk songwriting.”
In addition to her career as a solo artist, McKenna continues to enjoy tremendous success as one of the music industry’s most in-demand songwriters, having written songs for artist such as Taylor Swift and Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, George Strait, Sheryl Crow, Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill and Reba McEntire. McKenna also co-wrote “Always Remember Us This Way,” which was featured in the Academy Award-winning 2018 film, A Star Is Born. In the past few years, McKenna has also won Best Country Song at GRAMMY Awards three times (The Highwomen’s “Crowded Table,” Tim McGraw’s “Humble and Kind” and Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush”), Song of the Year at the CMA Awards twice (“Girl Crush” and “Humble and Kind”) and was the first female to ever win the ACM Awards’ Songwriter of the Year award.
1988 (DELUXE) TRACK LIST
1. The Old Woman in Me
2. Happy Children
3. Killing Me feat. Hillary Lindsey
4. Days Are Honey
5. 1988
6. Growing Up
7. Wonder Drug
8. The Town in Your Heart
9. Letting People Down
10. The Tunnel
11. 1988 (Acoustic)
12. Killing Me feat. Hillary Lindsey (Acoustic)
13. Wonder Drug (Acoustic)
14. Happy Children (Acoustic)
15. The Town In Your Heart feat. Hillary Lindsey (Acoustic)