While Americana artist Brandi Carlile has been in love with music her whole life, she broke through as a performer in 2018 with her LP, By the Way, I Forgive You. That album, which was produced by Shooter Jennings, showcased her keen, tender lyrics and now-iconic, resonant singing voice. It also led to Carlile’s career as someone who is seemingly constantly working.
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[RELATED: 5 Albums You Didn’t Know Shooter Jennings Produced]
Not only is she an author and songwriter, but she’s now become a sought-after producer. Here are five albums Carlile has produced, all done within the last few years.
1. Sweet Western Sound, Tanya Tucker (2023)
Released in June, this album from country star Tanya Tucker was co-produced by Shooter Jennings and Brandi Carlile. It is the second in a row co-produced by the pair for Tucker. Jennings and Carlile also co-produced Tucker’s comeback 2019 LP (her first album in 10 years), While I’m Livin’, which earned her two Grammy Awards and two more nominations.
2. Joni Mitchell at Newport, Joni Mitchell (2023)
Over the years, Carlile has developed a friendship with iconic singer and songwriter Joni Mitchell, even helping Mitchell come back to the stage after she suffered a brain aneurysm. A big step came when Mitchell played the historic Newport Folk Festival as part of her “Joni Jam,” a once-private event held in Mitchell’s home. When Carlile was invited to one of those private jams, she and Mitchell started to become close, leading to this live album that Carlile produced. The album includes an intro from Carlile and renditions of Mitchell’s songs like “Big Yellow Taxi” and “Both Sides Now.”
3. Brandy Clark, Brandy Clark (2023)
Brandy Clark and Brandi Carlile worked together on the 2020 song, “Same Devil,” and that helped cement a musical friendship that later led to the production of Clark’s 2023 self-titled LP. Carlile is the sole producer credited on the album and she also features on the song, “Dear Insecurity.”
“It was such a different process for me working with another recording artist,” Clark previously told American Songwriter about collaborating with Carlile. “I think that there were challenges in that and rewards in that. One of the rewards is it’s probably the most me I’ve ever been on a record.”
4. Second Nature, Lucious (2022)
Co-produced by Carlile and longtime collaborator Dave Cobb, this album comes after a musical friendship between Lucious and Carlile, who have been singing together for years, including in 2018 at the Newport Folk Festival. Carlile, along with acclaimed artist Sheryl Crow, also features on the album, performing on the track, “Dance Around It.”
5. Saturn Return, The Secret Sisters (2020)
This Grammy-nominated record (for Best Folk Album) was produced solely by Carlile for The Secret Sisters, another group she has had a several-years-long connection with (here’s a video of them performing “Mississippi” together in 2018). Released in 2020, this album’s penultimate song also features Carlile, the track, “Water Witch.” The women performed the song in 2020 when Carlile played Seattle’s venerable venue Benaroya Hall.
Mary Ellen Matthews/Courtesy of Sacks & Co.
