Following a year-long successful solo tour, iconic vocalist ANN WILSON of HEART is spending the early part of 2018 recording her new solo release and debut album for BMG. Due out this summer (exact release date TBA) and with a working title of SONGS FOR THE LIVING: VOL. 1, ANN has teamed with original Heart producer Mike Flicker (Dreamboat Annie, Magazine, Little Queen, Dog and Butterfly and Bebe Le Strange, among others) for an album that will pay homage to musicians lost in the past few years.
“It’s a project very dear to me–a collection of songs by artists who have departed in the last several years including Leonard Cohen, David Bowie, Tom Petty, Chris Cornell and Amy Winehouse to name a few,” ANN explains. “I feel these souls have made a real, lasting contribution to the art of the popular song and to honor them is my deepest pleasure.”
The album will feature some of the singer’s favorite musicians, with the full track list to be announced in the coming weeks. With the recording still in progress in Los Angeles, the first three songs confirmed are Lesley Gore‘s “You Don’t Own Me,” Amy Winehouse‘s “Back to Black,” and The Eagles’ “Life in the Fast Lane” in honor of Glenn Frey.
“Once again I am pushing my limits as a singer and it is thrilling work,” ANN says. “It’s my way of showing gratitude for these amazing expressions in words and music. This record was made in the old school way…on an actual tape recorder, so the sound is vibrant, present and powerful. This sound will not just massage the listener’s ego, it will stoke their heart and soul.”
Following a handful of solo headlining tour dates this spring, WILSON will join Jeff Beck and Paul Rodgers for the “Stars Align Tour,” as the album is released. Kicking off July 18 in West Valley City, Utah, the tour stops in 19 cities across the U.S. and Canada including Dallas, St. Louis, Chicago, Toronto and Nashville, before wrapping August 26 in Tampa. At these upcoming shows, ANN‘s fans can expect to hear an assortment of Heart hits, along with tracks from her solo career.
“I am thrilled to have been asked to perform on the ‘Stars Align Tour’ with Jeff Beck and Paul Rodgers,” shares ANN. “They are both long time favorites of mine! They are masters at their craft and it is an honor to share the stage this summer.”
ANN WILSON of HEART‘s 2018 tour dates are listed below. Meanwhile, on March 15, ANN will be among the artists performing at the LOVE ROCKS NYC! benefit concert–presented by iconic fashion designer John Varvatos and NYC real estate broker Greg Williamson–for God’s Love We Deliver, at the historic Beacon Theatre in NYC.
| DATE | CITY | VENUE | |
| Headlining Dates: | |||
| Fri | 3/16 | Portland, ME | Aura |
| Sat | 3/17 | Silver Spring, MD | The Fillmore |
| Thu | 4/5 | Niagara Falls, ON | Fallsview Casino |
| Sat | 4/7 | Northfield, OH | Hard Rock Rocksino |
| Sun | 4/8 | St. Charles, IL | Arcada Theatre |
| Stars Align Tour with Jeff Beck and Paul Rodgers: | |||
| Wed | 7/18 | West Valley City, UT | USANA Amphitheatre |
| Fri | 7/20 | Irvine, CA | Five Point Amphitheatre |
| Sun | 7/22 | Chula Vista, CA | Mattress Firm Amphitheatre |
| Tue | 7/24 | Houston, TX | Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land |
| Wed | 7/25 | Dallas, TX | The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory |
| Sat | 7/28 | St. Louis, MO | Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre |
| Sun | 7/29 | Chicago, IL | Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island |
| Tue | 7/31 | Detroit, MI | DTE Energy Music Theatre |
| Wed | 8/1 | Toronto, ON | Budweiser Stage |
| Fri | 8/3 | Boston, MA | Blue Hills Bank Pavilion |
| Sat | 8/4 | Camden, NJ | BB&T Pavilion |
| Wed | 8/8 | Cincinnati, OH | Riverbend Music Center |
| Fri | 8/10 | Indianapolis, IN | Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center |
| Sun | 8/12 | Holmdel, NJ | PNC Bank Arts Center |
| Tue | 8/14 | Wantagh, NY | Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater |
| Fri | 8/17 | Nashville, TN | Nashville Municipal Auditorium |
| Sun | 8/19 | Charlotte, NC | PNC Music Pavilion |
| Sat | 8/25 | West Palm Beach, FL | Coral Sky Amphitheatre |
| Sun | 8/26 | Tampa, FL | MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre |
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