Photo Credit: Joshua Black Wilkins

Amanda Shires has announced a collaborative album with the late Bobbie Nelson. The collection has been titled Loving You and will arrive on June 23 via Silver Knife/ ATO. In anticipation of the early summer release, Shires shared the initial single off the album, “Summertime,” featuring Willie Nelson. 

The impending release is comprised of 10 cover tracks conceived prior to Bobbie Nelson’s passing. In a statement shared by Shires via her official social media, she offered: “She passed away on March 10, 2022, just months after we spent 6 days together in Austin recording this album. We chose these songs because they’re songs that she loved, songs that meant the world to her and her personal journey. Through her music she will live on.”

Shires also added background on her collaborator, “Bobbie Nelson’s life happened in revival tents and roadhouses, old theaters and glittering arenas, recording studios and church pews. She survived abandonment and abuse. Her children were taken from her, so she fought until she won them back. She was spiritual, determined, strong and generous with her love. She made a path for women, for mothers even, in the male-dominated music business.”

To complement today’s announcement, Shires shared the first single off Loving You, the Gershwin classic “Summertime,” which features the late Bobbie Nelson’s brother, Willie Nelson. Paired with the tune is a music video shot in the studio featuring the song’s contributors.

In addition, Shires also teased the LP’s title track, “Loving You.” Which she described in a statement via Facebook as “the only song Bobbie Nelson ever wrote on her own. It doesn’t have any words, but when you hear the melody you know what the song is about: family. Love of family, God, and music guided Bobbie through decades of struggle and triumph, chaos and peace.”

Stream the single “Summertime” below. Click this link to see Shire’s post via Facebook.