Three-time Grammy balloted Indie Country Star has done it again, releasing a timeless and beautifully captivating piece of work with her latest full-length project, 'Portraits in Song.'
Luanna Hunt has reached countless notable milestones in her 27-year career so far. She has performed at Wheeler Opera House, the Haugh Performing Arts Center, and got a spot on the bill of Iowa’s National Old Time Music Festival, just to name a few. Additionally, her timeless music has been featured on a variety of National Television programs including, Doug Stephan’s Good Day Morning Show, The Los Angeles Daily News, and the ABC network.
Luanne herself notes how she was inspired by folk-rock artists from the 60s and 70s including America, Crosby, Stills, and Nash and Van Morrison, heavily influencing her latest full-length project. Hunt notes, “I consider ‘Portraits in Song’ to be my crowning achievement thus far,” and we wholeheartedly agree with her.
Focusing on the opening track of 'Portraits in Song' titled, “It Was Always You," listeners are met with orchestral hooks and soothing folk-rock vocals that lull the listener into a nostalgic, reminiscent state.
“It Was Always You” pays tribute to timeless and passionate love, as listeners are swept up in the captivating story Hunt portrays. Luanne Hunt sets the bar high with this first track. She delivers an elegant and graceful vocal performance, with bewitchingly smooth and captivating tones. Her delivery demonstrates the ease and prowess of a skilled professional who has obviously put in the work to hone her craft.
“It Was Always You” is the perfect track to start off this masterpiece of an album with and prepare to dive into the following 7-tracks that follow in 'Portraits in Song.'
Allow yourself to be swept away by Luanne Hunt’s captivatingly beautiful track “It Was Always You” as well as the rest of her album 'Portraits in Song.'
Welcome to BuzzMusic Luanne. We enjoyed listening to all the unforgettable moments from your new single “Midnight Rain & Roses.” What inspired you most while creating “Midnight Rain & Roses”?
In February 1981, my stepfather Bill died after a year-long battle with lung cancer. He passed away right before Valentine’s Day, and on the actual holiday, my mom received a dozen roses from him that he had ordered shortly before his death. It was eerie and strange. And although Bill’s gesture touched my mother, she also was dealing with some anger towards him for a lot of the terrible things he had done in the past. In the song, she is going through a sleepless night, examining her dual feelings of love for him yet disappointment in his behaviors. I thought about putting this story to the song many times throughout my career but never quite came up with the right hook. But suddenly, when I sat down to write the tunes for “Portraits in Song,” the words and the melody for “Midnight Rain & Roses” unfolded like magic.
This is your 21st studio album. How has your songwriting process changed over the years, and how do you stay creative?
When I first started writing songs, I didn’t play an instrument and would come up with the melodies in my head. Then I would hire a guitar player to help me record a scratch demo. I think I actually wrote some pretty good tunes using that method, but once I taught myself a few chords on the guitar, my songwriting skills got stronger. I learned how to play the piano in recent years and have been astounded to see my songwriting go to yet another level. I’m an extremely creative person by nature, so I never run out of ideas. And I’m always on the lookout for something interesting to write about. Just the other day, my boyfriend was talking about how his mom and dad had an unhappy marriage, yet they stayed together until she died. On her deathbed, she apologized to his father for treating him poorly, and he had no problem forgiving her because he truly loved his wife. The idea that true love always forgives inspired me to write a song.
What advice have you learned over the years that you would pass on to the younger generation starting out in the music industry?
I believe that all of these television talent shows have given the younger generation the idea that being famous is the goal as opposed to perfecting the art of what you do. To become truly great at something, you have to put in the work and dedicate yourself to reaching the highest levels of excellence no matter how long it takes. That’s really what the journey is all about for those who are true artists. There are no shortcuts to greatness. I have been making music for almost three decades, and I still keep striving to improve because knowing that I keep getting better is what gives me my deepest and most lasting sense of achievement. Accolades are nice, but when it’s all said and done, I want to look back on my work and feel a true sense of pride and accomplishment. This is the “award” I am most interested in.
You have worked with so many talented people in the industry, but who’s on your top list of people to work with in the future?
I love this question because it’s something I haven’t thought about. But honestly, if I could work with Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys or even just consult with him on a project, that would be the ultimate for me. Although I am a recording artist, one of my strongest gifts is producing music, and much of my inspiration has come from studying Brian’s music, all the way from his early Beach Boys stuff to what he has done more recently. I’ve kind of been his distant student, so how great would it be for me to work with him face to face and learn directly from the genius himself?