At Work: Lilly Winwood
Physically, Lilly Winwood may currently be sitting for an interview in East Nashville in the mid 2020s but, mentally, she’s in Woodstock, N.Y., in the early 1970s. The British American singer-songwriter, who also happens to be Steve Winwood’s daughter, is putting the finishing touches on her forthcoming third album, which marks a subtle shift from the countrified folk of her first two records. “I was really inspired by upstate New York, The Band, the Allman Brothers and that 1971 Donny Hathaway live record from The Bitter End,” Winwood says. “This record is a nod to that sort of ‘70s enclave that we all know and love. I definitely wanted dual drummer grooves, and you can hear strings throughout. I wanted to keep it quite cinematic.”
The change in sonic scenery was natural for the 29-year-old musician, whose listening habits—and a read of Gregg Allman’s autobiography—led her in this new direction. “I found myself being like, ‘I don’t listen to country music and I don’t necessarily think I relate to it that much anymore,’” she says. “I do love Americana, and I do love folk, but I think what was really speaking to me was a bit more interesting, dare I say,”
The first single, “What’ve We Got to Lose,” lives up to that promise. The tune’s sultry and soulful R&B pulse, which she composed with Aaron Wagner, is emblematic of the more collaborative approach Winwood took to writing and recording, including asking Nashville publishers to set her up on co writes. Guitarist Dan Knobler produced the album, and they tracked it during a five-day sprint in November 2023 with a large ensemble of Nashville ringers. “See the Mountain” also features Allison Russell and her husband, JT Nero, who co-wrote several tracks.
“The underlying themes of this new record are collaboration and a testament to blind faith,” Winwood says. “It’s about getting out of your comfort zone and working with others. That collaborative magic really came to life in the studio.”
This past summer, Winwood leaned into a different kind of collaborative role, touring as part of her dad’s band on a bill with the Doobie Brothers, with whom she also made several guest appearances. “It was crazy to do that after so many years,” says Winwood, who first opened for her dad when she was just starting out at 18. “I love singing with my dad. He’s my hero and it’s just awesome to see him play.”
