Lilly Hiatt is set to release Walking Proof this Friday, March 27th via New West Records. The 11-song set was produced by former Cage The Elephant member Lincoln Parish (Lucinda Williams, Lissie) and features guest appearances by Amanda Shires, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Luke Schneider, and Lilly’s father, the legendary singer-songwriter John Hiatt. John’s appearance on “Some Kind Of Drug,” marks the first time the pair have appeared together on one of her records. Walking Proof is the anticipated follow up to Lilly’s breakthrough Trinity Lane, which appeared on many year-end “Best Of 2017” lists including NPR Music, Rolling Stone, Paste Magazine, and more. Lilly also received an “Emerging Act of the Year” nomination from the Americana Music Association. In their 8 out of 10 star review of Walking Proof, Uncut Magazine calls the album “…an assured next step,” while NPR Music said “…she’s a striving, self-made heroine of country-accented indie rock.” In their 4 ½ out of 5 Star review, Slant Magazine said “Walking Proof finds Lilly Hiatt in full command of her craft” while PopMatters said “It shows, in sharp relief, the difference between an emerging artist and one who has arrived.”
Today, SPIN has premiered Lilly’s video for the album track “Some Kind Of Drug.” They call Walking Proof, “A confident set,” and the video was directed by Helen Gilley and shot in Lilly’s hometown of Nashville, TN. See it HERE.
Today, Paste has also premiered Walking Proof in full as well. They say “The 11-song album features Hiatt’s distinct genre-blending sound, drawing from country, rock and blues while maintaining something completely of its own.” Hear the album in its entirety in advance of its official release HERE.
In celebration of the release of Walking Proof, Lilly was set to perform an in-store this Friday at Grimey’s Records in Nashville, TN. The public performance & autograph signing has now been cancelled. In its place, Lilly will be performing songs privately via an Instagram live stream at the store beginning at 4:30pm Central (Weather Permitting). The tour in support of Walking Proof was also set to begin next week in Atlanta, GA. The dates have now been rescheduled to launch July 19th at the Under The Big Sky festival in Whitefish, MT (Please see all dates below with many more rescheduled events to be announced soon).
Following a whirlwind year of touring in support of Trinity Lane, and stripped of the daily rituals and direction of life on the road, Lilly found herself alone with her thoughts for the first time in what felt like ages. “When you’re out there on the road, you’re just kind of living, and you don’t have the chance to stop and think about how everything you’re experiencing is affecting you,” Lilly says. “When I got home, I realized there was a lot I needed to catch up on.” She did what’s always come most natural to her in times of questioning and uncertainty: she picked up a guitar.
As rewarding as Trinity Lane’s success was, the collection came from an emotionally challenging place, and Lilly found herself frequently visiting the hurt and struggle that inspired it as she spoke candidly to the press about her painful breakup, her struggles with sobriety, and the overwhelming sadness of her mother’s suicide. Rather than succumbing to the weight of it all, Lilly managed to emerge stronger and more serene from the experience, treating it as a foundation from which she could begin the essential work of re-examining her relationships and the world around her. “When I got that little gap in my schedule, it gave me the chance to appreciate some mental stillness,” Lilly says. “I can be a pretty anxious person, but I found a sense of peace by deconstructing all of these interactions and emotions I’d experienced and reconfiguring them into songs. It helped me make sense of everything and learn to relax.”
The resulting eleven songs found on Walking Proof walk the line between Lilly’s rough, rock and roll exterior and her tender, country roots, exuding a bold vulnerability as she takes a deep and unflinching look in the mirror. What emerges is a maturity in her writing, an abiding sense of calm in the face of chaos as she learns that sometimes, you have to let go in order to get what you want most.
Walking Proof will be available on compact disc, across digital platforms, and standard black vinyl. A Limited Edition Translucent Turquoise Vinyl Pressing featuring a Black & White 12×12 insert of the cover artwork will be available via Independent Retailers. A limited to 500 copies edition autographed by Lilly Hiatt will feature One-Of-A-Kind Random Colored Vinyl, a Black & White 12×12 cover artwork insert, and a box of colored pencils is available NOW via NEW WEST RECORDS.
