The Guest List
Thursday January 11th, 2024 with Joe Reilly
An interview with American singer-songwriter Lori Mckenna about her album 1988

NOTE: This On Demand version of the Guest List includes an additional interview segment in which Lori talks about performing live and the song Growing Up. This version of the show also includes that song Growing Up which had to be edited from the FM broadcast due to time constraints. Today I FINALLY get an opportunity to talk to Lori McKenna about her music. She has been an inspiration to me ever since I first heard her music, on her 2004 album Bittertown and I don't know why it took me sooooo long to request an interview with her. In 2023 she released the album 1988 - one of her finest recordings in a career that includes 12 exceptional albums. As with her previous releases, many of the songs on this album tap into and shed light on her personal family life and there is a good dose of nostalgia as well. I am constantly amazed at how Lori draws us into her life in her songs, yet she also leaves room for us as listeners to find ourselves in her songs. The connection I feel with her music is hard to put into words and others I've spoken to say the same thing. In fact, in 2019, while talking to Donovan Woods on this program about an upcoming concert, he unveiled a new single called "While All the While" and told me he had co-written it with Lori McKenna. My mind literally exploded on the air that day and I interrupted Donovan and we went down a rabbit hole discussing her craft and her voice. Donovan Woods is part of a large group of singer-songwriters and country music artists who love and admire McKenna and her songs. I have included the clip from that Donovan Woods interview on the program today because it's fun, I enjoy hearing my brain explode on the air and it serves as a great introduction to Lori McKenna and her work. During my interview with Lori McKenna we do go back to her early recordings, but we really focus on her amazing album 1988. She is gracious and as warm and engaging as one would expect after listening to her songs. I hope you enjoy listening to this show today, even half as much as I enjoyed putting it together. For more information about Lori McKenna visit her website: https://www.lorimckenna.com/ And if you'd like to check out some beautiful videos of her singing her songs at home go to her YouTube site: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRzpvkguQmW_P0bzZmpWwtA Thanks to Lori McKenna for taking the time to talk to me and for graciously sharing so much about her songs and her craft. Support independent music in any way that you can. Take care. Always be humble and kind.