Suzy Bogguss

Recorded at Suzy’s home, her newest, self-written album Prayin’ for Sunshine offers a mix of southern storytelling, gorgeous vocals, and organic instrumentation that showcases her country and Americana roots. It’s an eclectic and emotional project, with Suzy’s sharp songwriting balanced by spontaneous performances from the band. Highlights include “Paint the Town Blue” (a lovely, loping tribute to life in a small town, inspired by her hometown of Aledo, Illinois), “Sunday Birmingham” (a road song that finds Suzy on tour, longing to power down the tour bus and spend more time in the city she just played), and “It All Falls Down To The River” (a swampy, swinging song about the dark side of American history, with gospel harmonies from the McCrary Sisters). “Some of the songs are ‘windshield songs’ where I’d be looking out the window, watching as we toured from one place to another, taking note of what I saw,” she says, “and others are more personal songs about my own experience.”