Patty Loveless Covers Classics

Patty Loveless photo courtesy of Saguaro Road Records.

Sept. 10, 2008 — Three years after she last made an album, Patty Loveless is back with Tuesday’s release of Sleepless Nights. The title — taken from her remake of an Everly Brothers recording — infers images of a youngster laying awake in bed with a transistor radio underneath the pillow, a common pursuit in the era in which the songs Patty covers originated.

The disc includes songs that were hits by the likes of Hank Williams, George Jones, Webb Pierce and Conway Twitty, and they represent a healing period for Patty.

She lost her mother, nearly lost brother Roger Ramey to a stroke, and parted ways with her record company. She spent lots of time at her Georgia home with husband/producer Emory Gordy Jr. listening to music that resonated with her.

"That was the healing process," she told The Tennessean. "At dinner, we'd talk and listen to satellite radio, to classic country songs, and I'd say, 'I remember this. I did this when I was 12, with Roger.' And Emory and I wrote down some old songs that we'd like to record one day."

The end result is an album that connects to her roots, as well as those of Roger and her sister, who died a dozen years ago.

"Making this, I felt like I could just breathe," Patty said. "There was no pressure from the label to find 'the next Patty Loveless hit.' It was much more about, 'Let's do a record that Dottie would appreciate, and that Roger will appreciate.'"

In conjunction with the album, Patty goes back on the road beginning Sept. 26. She is also GAC's September Fan Focus artist. Click here to see Patty in the studio, recording the classics and talking about how they inspired her!