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When Lee Ann Womack heads to Los Angeles for the 57th Grammy Awards, she needs to bring extra clothing. Nominated for Best Country Album for The Way I’m Livin’, the East Texan songstress is now also slated to appear on “Conan” Wednesday, February 11 where she will sing the title track.
“I first played for Conan when I Hope You Dance was out, and he’s always been a man who takes the music so very seriously,” Womack says. “There are a few shows where you can really tell that the music matters, so getting to play for him and his audience fires me up. Not to mention, that’s the perfect hour for this kind of song.”
The dark horse was made as a testament to great songs, incredible musicianship and Womack’s pristine bar-room soprano. Culled from the songbooks of Chris Knight (“Send It On Down”), Julie Miller (“Don’t Listen To The Wind”), Hayes Carll (“Chances Are”), Mindy Smith (“All His Saints”) and Neil Young (“Out on the Weekend”), The Way I’m Livin’ was singled out as one of Esquire’s Top 10 Albums of 2014.
Plenty of critics have recognized Womack’s passion. The New York Times proclaimed, “Ms Womack is an exceptional singer with a plangent voice designed for lingering on the notes and words, especially plaintive ones… when Ms. Womack is allowed to luxuriate in her anguish, she is entrancing,” while The Wall Street Journal – who debuted The Way I’m Livin’ – raved, “She digs in like she’s making up for lost time…,” USA Today gave her a rare **** out of **** review – and the Associated Press offered, “Womack is one of American music’s most powerful interpreters of good material, whatever the genre.”
NPR’s Ken Tucker certainly sees that. On Fresh Air, the noted critic said, “That audience wants to hear her traditionalist style as a kind of realism — one that connects to feelings they have about the world around them just now. And in the strength of her vocals, her audience can take some strength for their own lives.”
Now “Conan” steps up with an invitation to come make his show her own. For Womack, who hit Americana’s Top 5 for the first time, her third appearance feels like a charm. With a European tour in March and a sold out show at Nashville’s City Winery Feb. 20, Womack is all about getting these songs to the people.
“There is nothing I love more than playing music,” Womack enthuses, “except for playing music for people who really love it. When you do these shows, getting in front of people who’re curious about the songs, who get the level of playing, that’s a treat. It’s why I’ve always loved doing ‘Conan,’ and am happy to be going back after the Grammys.”
An album made for the sake of the songs, the sheer joy of playing and all the subtle, conflicted emotions life can hold, The Way I’m Livin’ has opened a lot of doors for hard roots music. February 11th, Womack will give “Conan” a slice of what the fuss is all about.
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