Brandi Carlile has been making music for a very long time. Her major label debut Brandi Carlile came out in 2005. Her popularity has been on a steady upward trajectory since then but it seemed like it exploded in 2018 when her album By The Way, I Forgive You, the highest charting album of her career, also made her become a household name. If she wasn't on an awards show or in a music documentary, she was on late night tv and/or in print in all the music mags. Her fan base is made up of a lot of us common folk but also celebrities and fellow musicians. It's not just that her music is appealing to many or that her live shows are so much fun (which they are!) but it is also the fact she seems to always pay it forward. She honors the musicians who inspired her and supported her along the way, and in turn, gives back that support tenfold: Joni Mitchell and Tanya Tucker are two examples of that (see video below). Many of us never thought we'd see or hear from them again but Brandi has been instrumental in getting them to each record new albums and play in public once more, delighting their millions of fans, and garnering gratitude from so many of us.
The Friday Ride Home playlist today features some of the many collaborations artists have done with Brandi Carlile. From Elton John to the Indigo Girls to more recent acts like Lucius and the Zac Brown Band, there is no mistaking that powerful voice singing her heart out right along with them. I've included a few extras in this playlist. Hope you're able to sing along too!
