An Artful Tribute to the Timeless and Groundbreaking Album ‘Wrecking Ball

McGonigel’s Mucky Duck and an all-star cast from Austin present An Artful Tribute to the Timeless and Groundbreaking Album “Wrecking Ball’.

A tribute to Emmylou Harris’s famous 1995 Daniel Lanois record, Wrecking Ball.

Hosted by Lonnie Trevino Jr of The South Austin Moonlighters with special guests; Jaimee Harris, Jacob Hilldebrand of Deadman, Fred Mandujano of Aaron Lewis/ Stained, Brian Douglas Phillips acclaimed Austin Producer, and Jayme Ivison.

Wrecking Ball was the eighteenth studio album by American country artist Emmylou Harris, released on September 26, 1995 through Elektra Records. Moving away from the traditional acoustic sound for which she had become known, Harris collaborated with rock producer Daniel Lanois (best known for his production work with U2) and engineer Mark Howard. The album has been noted for atmospheric feel, and featured guest performances by Steve Earle, Larry Mullen, Jr., Lucinda Williams and Neil Young, who wrote the title song.

Though her choice of songs had always been eclectic, the album was regarded as a departure for Harris who, by the age of 48, had become something of an elder stateswoman in country music. It received almost universally positive reviews, making many critics’ year-end “best of” lists, and pointed Harris’ career in a somewhat different direction, where she would incorporate a harder, albeit plaintive edge that would single her out from the complacent, country music mainstream.

As a career-redefining album, Wrecking Ball was likened to Marianne Faithfull’s 1979 Broken English album and Johnny Cash’s later American Recordings.

Wrecking Ball won the 1996 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Recording.