Rita Wilson has created her “own Great American Songbook” with her new album.
The 65-year-old star’s latest record ‘Rita Wilson Now and Forever: Duets’ sees her team up with music greats such as Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson and Elvis Costello and she considers it to be her most meaningful musical work.
Rita said: “These songs feel like my Great American Songbook, because of the songwriting and the impact that they had on me through their stories, musically, and the artists that originally record them.
“I was looking at these songs and how they could be conversations between two people. I liked that the lyrics could be coming from two points of view, even if they were mostly written for one person to sing – I liked exploring the possible conversation in each story.”
Rita’s fifth studio album sees her revisit the songs that made her fall in love with music, with Jackson Browne, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Leslie Odom Jr., Josh Groban, Vince Gill and Jimmie Allen.
The star and her various partners cover tunes from Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen and the Bee Gees.
To celebrate the release of the album, Rita will return to New York City’s famed Cafe Carlyle for a two-week residency from October 25 until November 5.
In the first week, Rita presents ‘Rita Wilson Now and Forever: Duets with Fraser Walters’ where she performs tracks from the new album with award-winning singer Fraser Walters.
The second week is a more intimate experience with ‘Rita Wilson’s Liner Notes’. The star will be joined by her friends and songwriters singing their songs and telling the stories behind the hits.
‘Rita Wilson Now and Forever: Duets’ tracklist:
“Crazy Love” with Keith Urban
“Where Is The Love?” with Smokey Robinson
“Slip Slidin’ Away” with Willie Nelson
“Let It Be Me” with Jackson Browne
“Massachusetts” with Leslie Odom Jr.
“Fire” with Elvis Costello
“If” with Tim McGraw
“I’ll Be There” with Jimmie Allen
“Without You” with Vince Gill
“Songbird” with Josh Groban