This past weekend The Highwomen reunited at The Gorge for the first time since they last played that same venue in 2023. Honestly I’ve spent the last hour or so just watching the videos of the performances and I’ve felt a mixture of deep, deep FOMO, unabashed joy and just a sense of hope and optimism which only this group of women seem to create when they’re together.
2019, when the Highwomen united to release their only album, feels like a century ago. They hoped to change the Nashville sound, to show that women were the beating heart of country music and deserved more respect.
In the end their initial hopes and dreams for this project didn’t exactly come true. They did well but didn’t hit the country music airwaves and dominate the charts. While some progress has been made they unfortunately didn’t start a rainbow revolution that brought diversity to the genre.
In fact Maren actually dealt with some horrific trolling from country music fans after standing up for transgender rights, causing her to distance herself from the country music mainstream altogether. Brandi’s star skyrocketed after working with Joni and Elton but she released music that veered more towards epic stadium rock. Amanda’s last couple of albums went more rock and roll too. Natalie Hemby released a second solo album but mainly focused on writing songs for other artists. A word too for Yola who featured on the debut but seems to have distanced herself from Nashville and the genre too since that time. You wondered if The Highwomen would ever come back together again as a group.
But listening to this new live album of their 2023 show reminded me of what the Highwomen did achieve. They sang songs for people who needed them, who craved them, who wanted country music to be something else. They created something beautiful – a crowded table of their own making.
And listening to this live version of the song ‘Highwomen’ made me realise something else too. Defeat is when you become strongest. Defeat is when you regroup. The division and toxicity of the second Trump era and the actions and/or silence of some of the genre’s biggest stars has left a lingering bad taste in the mouth of many country music fans. When I was singing along to the line ‘we’ll come back again and again and again and again’ I felt chills. Might this live album signal that they’re ready to give the revolution another go?
And this live album also shows a path to expand the Highwomen too, with the inclusion of Brittany Spencer and Allison Russell, both of whom feature here and sang over the weekend. Wouldn’t a new album with an even more crowded table be something special?
There’s so much joy in these 2023 performances, from ‘Redesigning Women’ – (included here are two versions the straight one and the looser ‘drunk’ one) to ‘My Name Can’t be Mama’ and ‘Don’t Call Me’ they all just sound like they’re having so much fun. It’s infectious and life affirming. Jesus, I didn’t know how much I needed this band until I heard them sing these songs live again.
Some poignant moments are captured on the album too with Maren’s personal ‘Old Souls’ elevated by her talking about her childhood experiences, Brandi’s ‘If She Ever Leaves Me’ cuts deep still, ‘Radio Silence’ is introduced with a sweet message from Natalie Hemby about keeping in touch with friends even if you hear nothing in return and her ‘My Only Child’ is a personal favourite of mine too.
The surprise stand out here is Lee Ann Womack’s ‘The Bees’ which the group sang again over the weekend. Hemby’s vocals of the song she originally wrote are really striking. Perhaps there’s more potential in this kind of stripped back, more acoustic harmony-style going forward.
It wouldn’t be a Highwomen live show without special guests and hearing Tanya Tucker singing ‘Delta Dawn’ with the group is an absolute treat, as you would expect. Maren singing ‘My Church’ never gets old for me either.
Of course the song that begs to have a band to sing it is ‘Crowded Table’. The fans at these Gorge shows are something else too and on this song they contribute the most epic sing along. You listen to this album and just want to be a part of this crowded, open hearted, open minded audience.
Let’s hope this unexpected live album release means the Highwomen are ready to take on the world again. Until then don’t let anyone steal your joy – it’s here in these songs anytime you need it.
Highway Queens 
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