Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty will hit record store shelves and streaming platforms on June 21. Fans have already gotten a few tastes of what the album will offer. Dierks Bentley’s “American Girl,” Dolly Parton’s take on “Southern Accents,” Steve Earle’s rendition of “Yer So Bad,” and Chris Stapleton’s spin on “I Should Have Known It” already appeared on streaming platforms. Last Friday (May 18), Wynonna Judd and Lainey Wilson’s version of “Refugee” gave listeners another sample. Watch the pair of powerful singers work through the song in the studio video below.
Videos by American Songwriter
Co-written by Tom Petty and Mike Campbell, “Refugee” was the second single from Petty and the Heartbreakers’ 1980 album Damn the Torpedoes. While the song didn’t break the top 10 upon release, it has since become a classic rock staple. It remains in heavy rotation on classic rock radio stations across the country.
Wynonna Judd and Lainey Wilson Knock “Refugee” Out of the Park
Both Lainey Wilson and Wynonna Judd are powerhouse vocalists. Hearing them together on this Tom Petty classic is a treat for all three artists. Judd and Wilson trade lines throughout the verses, their voices complimenting one another. Each injects her own unique grit to the delivery, heightening the experience.
However, the highlight of this recording comes in the final minute of the song. The two country stars harmonize, swap lines and vocal runs, and generally crank the energy up to 11 as the song comes to an end.
A Huge Moment for Wilson
The video for “Refugee” was shot at Judd’s in-home studio. In a recent interview with American Songwriter, Wilson talked about recording with her hero and friend.
“Getting to have that experience with her, in her studio, in her house, with her husband Cactus was wild,” Wilson says of the session. “We went in to cut the vocals at the exact same time. We were just separated by a thin wall and we just got to riff off of each other. It was pure magic,” she added.
Reflecting on it, Wilson said, “That was one of the coolest experiences of my life. My gosh. Every time I tried to use that growl in my voice, I was trying to channel my inner Wynonna. Everybody wants an inner Wynonna.”
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