Ann Wilson’s Hope & Glory #1 on Billboard’s Heatseekers

Ann’s new album has made a splash entry into the Billboard’s charts by entering at number 1 in the Heatseekers chart! Thanx to everyone for buying!! She entered the Billboard Albums 200 chart on # 107.

Also… if you pre-ordered from Rounder you’ll probably get one of the 1750 signed copies!

Here’s the Billboard review for “Immigrant Song”: It’s natural for Ann Wilson to take a stab at “Immigrant Song,” considering her long-professed love for Led Zeppelin. And if anyone’s got the pipes to blow Robert Plant’s caterwaul through the roof, it’s Heart’s formidable frontwoman. So imagine the letdown when, instead of setting off a powerhouse wail, a la “Alone,” Wilson settles for subdued “ah-ah-ahs” relegated to the background. The revamped song holds back on Jimmy Page’s galloping licks until the finale, where smears of strings, pondering bass, crisp percussion and shakers at least propel the thundering track. Even those who grew up with Zeppelin will need a few moments before they recognize it. Distinctly modern, interestingly executed and — while wanna-be divas should still bow to Wilson’s fierce soprano — vocally puzzling.

New pictures of Ann!

Just a couple of thumbnails. Big ones are here. These were made by the great Randee St. Nicholas.

Fa-bu-lous

Press release from Rounder Records

ANN WILSON MAKES SOCIAL STATEMENT WITH FIRST SOLO RECORD HOPE & GLORY

ANN WILSON MAKES SOCIAL STATEMENT WITH FIRST SOLO RECORD HOPE & GLORY

(SEPTEMBER 11^TH, Zoë/ROUNDER RECORDS)

PEERS AND LUMINARIES JOIN HEART’S LEGENDARY SINGER

Ann Wilson has recorded her first-ever solo effort Hope & Glory, due September 11th on Zoë/ Rounder Records. The arresting vocalist branches out with a socially conscious and thought-provoking album of songs she selected to inspire the appropriately titled Hope & Glory.

Produced by Ben Mink (k.d. lang, Feist), Hope & Glory features guest appearances from iconic artists Elton John, Gretchen Wilson, Alison Krauss, Rufus Wainwright, Ann’s sister Nancy Wilson and others on unique renditions of songs made famous by Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Neil Young and more.

“Each of these songs holds a special place in my soul…At one time or another every one of them has kept me up at night to the point of exasperation and will not be banished, as I lay sleepless on my pillow. Such songs as these carry me through my life, and they are a standard to which all new music I hear and write must compare.” – Ann Wilson

With the state of our times in mind, Wilson sings the story of a fallen soldier (”Where to Now St. Peter”), recounts hardship and desperation (”Immigrant Song”) and takes an angel’s view of a battlefield (”War of Man”). Wilson ties the entire body of work together with her stirring original song entitled “Little Problems, Little Lies”, a harrowing soldier’s eye view of life on the front lines.

Ann Wilson – Hope & Glory track list:

1. Goodbye Blue Sky – with Nancy Wilson (Pink Floyd)

2. Where to Now St. Peter – with Elton John (Elton John)

3. Jackson – with k.d. lang (Lucinda Williams)

4. We Gotta Get Out of This Place – with Wynonna (The Animals)

5. Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin)

6. Darkness Darkness – with Nancy Wilson (The Youngbloods)

7. Bad Moon Rising – with Gretchen Wilson (Creedence Clearwater Revival)

8. War of Man – with Alison Krauss (Neil Young)

9. Get Together – with Nancy Wilson, Deana Carter & Wynonna (The Youngbloods)

10. Isolation (John Lennon)

11. A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall – with Rufus Wainwright & Shawn Colvin (Bob Dylan)

12. Little Problems, Little Lies

New Flyer for Ann’s upcoming solo album!

Look at her! This is from the latest photoshoot, also used for the Love Rules tourbook.

And this is the back:

Thanks to Sanny for sending this one!

Ann Wilson promo flyers pop up at Heart shows

ALBUM TITLE “WAR AND PEACE”?

HEART SINGER WORKING ON POLITICAL ALBUM

By: Bruce Simon

Ann Wilson is working on a solo album that’s far removed from her usual duties with Heart. She’s making a duo record with the producer and musician Ben Mink that’s political in nature. Wilson told us it’s the kind of project that will likely spark a lot of discussion: “It’s an album of songs of conscience — it’s probably gonna be called War And Peace. We’re over halfway done. It’ll be out in the early fall. I happen to have a bunch of songs that I think’ll be helpful to people in their own thinking about what’s going on.”

Heart was featured on the latest installment of the VH1 Classic series Decades Rock Live. The episode, which also includes performances by the reunited Alice In Chains, will be shown again today (Tuesday, May 9th).

Heart’s next show is Thursday (May 11th) at the Dixon May Fair in Dixon, California.

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