MARTY STUART SHARES NEW SONG “‘TILL I GET IT RIGHT"
WATCH VIDEO HERE
TAMMY WYNETTE COVER IS THE EIGHTS SINGLE OFF SONGS I SING IN THE DARK, COLLECTION OF SONGS INCLUDING ORIGINALS AND OLD FAVORITES
KICKS OFF HONOR YOUR HOMETOWN CAMPAIGN ALONGSIDE KEN BURNS
Today, Marty Stuart shares his new cover of Tammy Wynette’s “‘Till I Get It Right” the fifth single off Songs I Sing In The Dark , a collection of songs recorded acoustically at Marty's former home outside of Nashville. Watch the video for “‘Till I Get It Right” here.
Stuart shares about the song:
One of the greatest singers to have ever walked planet earth was Tammy Wynette. She could melt the coldest of hearts with her silk and honey voice. I’ve said it many times, “If you are going through a D-I-V-O-R-C-E, I dare you to go to Tammy’s original homeland of Tremont, Mississippi on a pitch-black night, find a spot out in the country, park your car, turn off the lights, and then play Tammy’s recording of D-I-V-O-R-C-E. If you are human, you will cry your eyes out and melt onto the ground. Tammy is a good friend to turn to when your world is falling apart. Her songs let you know that she understands.
“‘Till I Get It Right” is one of Tammy’s later career pieces that continues to gain much deserved recognition and stands in its own light as an understated classic. I’ve always loved the song. “‘Till I Get It Right” has been approached by a lot of singers. I’ve been guilty of saying, “‘Till I Get It Right” should be left alone, worthy only to have been touched by Tammy. Mainly because the song seems so personal and could only have been delivered at a level of sadness that one has to live through in order to hit all of the emotional touchstones to convey what lies behind the words. That being said, I stepped up and did the unthinkable. I did exactly what I said no one should do. I recorded “‘Till I Get It Right”. The reason I did is that I was truly sad enough to think I could sing it. On the day I recorded it, “‘Till I Get It Right” was the only song I could think of that was as sad as I was. The reason for the sadness was my wife Connie had to go into the hospital for COVID. It was eleven days of pure hell. Nashville was snowed in and Connie’s life hung in the balance. The family couldn’t go visit, and the doctor offered little hope. They bombed Connie for ten days with massive doses of medicine although nothing changed for the better. On the tenth day I knew if the medicine along with all of the prayers that were being prayed for her didn’t soon find their mark, Connie would not be coming home. In the midst of all of this, Mick Conley and I had previously booked time to record. I considered canceling. However, I reconsidered afterthinking of the sessions as an opportunity to let the power of music touch my hurting heart. The anxiety that was rolling around inside of me needed to engage in some form of rebellion. Singing a Tammy Wynette song seemed to be the most absurd, challenging, unsafe, and unthinkable thing I could do short of plunging into the next level of insanity which would probably have landed me in jail. Recording “‘Till I Get It Right” was daunting and it required faith.
It’s great to have friends to call on when you’re troubled. Mick Conley, Paul, March and Kell Martin along with Kristin Wilkinson and her Superlative Strings came by to help me get my mind off of my worries. We made music and dedicated it to Connie. One last reason for me having no business singing “‘Till I Get It Right” is I did get it right when I married Connie. Ours is a true love story. There’s very little sadness to dwell on. Her story also has a happy ending. It took some time, but she whipped COVID and is now back and singing her heart out. Perhaps the deepest of all of the Songs I Sing in the Dark to date, is nowhere for your consideration. And it’s offered with the greatest of love and admiration for my fellow Mississippian, who was truly one of the greatest of all time. Here’s to Tammy Wynette.
Marty Stuart will share a new song from the album a month, alongside a personal statement about each song’s importance, both personally and in the context of country music. Stuart said of his new collection, “The title tells the story. I have a long line of songs that range from obscure, originals, to old favorites from various musical worlds that I often sing to myself when I’m alone. Until recently, I had never formally made a list of all the titles. When I did, I saw in those titles so many great songs that need to be remembered and passed down. There was a mighty congregation of names of profound songwriters whose presence and lyrics are to be cherished. And, looking into those songs I could hear the music of those brilliant musicians, arrangers, and singers who brought those tunes to life, and gave the world reason to love them. In the wake of these revelations, I was inspired to finally go to work on the idea of Songs I Sing in the Dark.”
Marty Stuart will be on the road in 2021 with dates starting in mid-June. Full tour dates below and tickets are available here.
Yesterday, renowned documentary producer Ken Burns and Marty Stuart, launched the Honor Your Hometown campaign to encourage Americans to celebrate their hometowns and reflect on their shared experiences and common values. The Honor Your Hometown campaign kicks off with the release of more than 150 powerful and poignant videos from some of America’s most revered institutions and beloved individuals, such as the late General Colin Powell, sharing personal, touching stories of their hometowns and the role they play in bringing us together as Americans. For more information and links to the inaugural Honor Your Hometown videos, please visit www.honoryourhometown.com.
Recently, The Country Music Association announced the induction of Marty Stuart into the Country Music Hall of Fame’s class of 2020 in the Modern Era Artist category. Stuart is inducted alongside Dean Dillon (Songwriter Category) and Hank Williams Jr. (Veterans Era Artist). “It is the ultimate honor in Country Music,” says Stuart. “I’m so honored to be included in this class and I’m honored to be included alongside Hank Jr. and Dean Dillon. I love those people. To be officially inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame is beyond words. I’m usually not at a loss for words.” Details regarding a formal induction ceremony for Dillon, Stuart and Williams will be released as information is available. Full information about the class of 2020 inductees is available on the CMA site.
Stuart is currently raising funds and awareness for The Marty Stuart Congress of Country Music (MSCCM) in Philadelphia, Mississippi which will celebrate the rich cultural heritage of country music through live musical performance and educational programming. This tribute to the culture and rural ethics of America will be presented in a world-class country music museum and performing arts center. Marty Stuart has assembled a collection that spans over 20,000 pieces to tell a rich, emotional, and personal story of the lives of our common heritage. The $30 million project will create a 50,000+ square foot campus featuring the historic and recently renovated Ellis Theater, a newly constructed museum, classrooms, a community hall, meeting and event space, and a rooftop performance venue. MSCCM will embrace the roots of country music in its educational curriculum and programming. Changing displays will include internationally travelled artifacts and memorabilia, photography, outsider/folk art and Native American crafts. These art forms represent country music’s history and foreshadow its future. Musical programming will feature both legendary stars and the emerging artists of tomorrow.
Marty Stuart is a five-time GRAMMY-winner, platinum recording artist, Lifetime Achievement Award recipient from the Americana Music Association, Grand Ole Opry star, country music archivist, photographer, musician, and songwriter. Since starting out singing gospel as a child, Stuart has spent over four decades celebrating American roots music. His teenage years on tour with bluegrass legend Lester Flatt in the ’70s were followed by six years in Johnny Cash’s band in the ’80s, and a chart-topping tenure as a solo artist in the ’90s.
Marty Stuart Tour Dates
THU 28 OCTOBER Gateway City Arts Holyoke, MA, US
FRI 29 OCTOBER Center for the Arts Homer, NY, US
SAT 30 OCTOBER Penn's Peak Jim Thorpe, PA, US
THU 4 NOVEMBER Kenneth & Ramona Cherry Theater Columbia, TN, US
SAT 6 NOVEMBER Dixie Carter Performing Arts Center Huntingdon, TN, US
THU 11 NOVEMBER Florida Theatre Jacksonville Jacksonville, FL, US
THU 18 NOVEMBER Victory Theatre Evansville, IN, US
FRI 19 NOVEMBER Blue Gate Performing Arts Center Shipshewana, IN, US
SAT 20 NOVEMBER Stoughton Opera House Stoughton, WI, US
FRI 17 DECEMBER Walker Theatre Chattanooga, TN, US
SAT 18 DECEMBER Bijou Theatre Knoxville, TN, US
SAT 15 JANUARY Gary & Laura Maurer Concert Hall Chicago, IL, US
Marty Stuart on the web:
Official Website – www.martystuart.net
Facebook – www.facebook.com/martystuarthq
Twitter – www.twitter.com/martystuarthq
YouTube – www.youtube.com/martystuartofficial
Instagram- www.instagram.com/martystuart
For more information, please contact Mary Moyer (mary@qprime.com) or Emilio Herce (emilio@qprime.com) at Q Prime 212.302.9790.