This month marks the tenth anniversary of Brandi Carlile’s sophomore album, The Story, and she’s celebrating by doing some good in the world. In just about a month, on May 5, Legacy Recordings is releasing Cover Stories: Brandi Carlile Celebrates 10 Years of the Story – An Album to Benefit War Child. The tribute album features some big-time covers from Adele, Dolly Parton, Kris Kristopherson, My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, The Avett Brothers, Pearl Jam, and others.
All 14 songs on the original album have been covered. Pearl Jam’s contribution is a reinterpretation of “Again Today,” which ditches the climactic formula of the original in favor of a fast-paced rock vibe. Carlile seems to dig it, since she even recorded backing vocals for the new rawer version of her more crescendo-based track.
Beyond the guests noted in the track list, some pretty big names have lent a hand to get this project off the ground. For instance, Barack Obama wrote the album’s foreword, while Chris Stapleton plays guitar on Kris Kristofferson’s “Turpentine.” Miranda Lambert provides backing vocals on Anderson East’s “Josephine,” and The Black Keys’ Patrick Carney produced Ruby Amanfu’s “Shadow On The Wall.”
All proceeds from the album will benefit War Child UK, an organization that supports children affected by conflict. Carlile previously spoke to Rolling Stone about doing her part to help child refugees through music:
This is a David and Goliath story. Since becoming a mother, the reality of a child’s beautiful life being torn apart by war felt like too big of a problem for me. So I asked my heroes and friends to help me launch a rock at the giant that is our refugee crisis and help in the only way we know how: through the power of music.
Listen to Pearl Jam’s version of the song above, as well as Carlile’s original, then check out the album’s track list below.
1. Shovels & Rope – “Late Morning Lullaby”
2. Dolly Parton – “The Story”
3. Kris Kristofferson – “Turpentine”
4. Old Crow Medicine Show – “My Song”
5. Jim James – “Wasted”
6. The Avett Brothers – “Have You Ever”
7. Anderson East – “Josephine”
8. Secret Sisters – “Losing Heart”
9. Indigo Girls – “Cannonball”
10. TORRES – “Until I Die”
11. Margo Price – “Downpour”
12. Ruby Amanfu – “Shadow On The Wall”
13. Pearl Jam – “Again Today”
14. Adele – “Hiding My Heart”
