Emmylou Harris’ New Album Strikes a ‘Hard Bargain’

Since the release of her major-label debut, 'Pieces of the Sky' in 1975, Emmylou Harris has built a career on filling each of her subsequent albums with songs from some of the world's most acclaimed writers. Her latest disc, 'Hard Bargain,' featuring 11 of her own original tunes, continues the trend she began with 1995's 'Wrecking Ball' of including more of her own writing on each project.

"Maybe I was lazy," Emmylou tells Spinner of her reliance on other writers for so long. "Or maybe I was nervous that I wouldn't come up with something good. I knew I could write, but there were all these great songs out there by other people, ready for the plucking."

One subject that has come up in interviews with the singer-songwriter throughout her entire career is Gram Parsons, the late country-rock pioneer with whom she toured and recorded in the early '70s. He is, however, not a subject that has come up as often in her songwriting, which makes 'The Road,' the opening track on 'Hard Bargain,' all the more poignant. It's a song Emmylou insists she had no choice but to write.

"It wasn't really my decision," she explains. "When you get a lyric and song idea that has some credibility and that you are connected to, you go with it. But I've been open about my time with Gram all these years, and it's not like it's a secret how important he was to me. This was just a retelling of a story I've probably told a million times. This is the truth, it's my story, and I'm sticking to it."

Other standouts on the new album include 'My Name Is Emmett Till,' which retells the harrowing tale of a teenage boy murdered in Mississippi in 1955, an incident that drew national attention and is credited with propelling the civil rights movement forward.

"I just got the line, 'I was born a black boy, my name is Emmet Till' -- from there the story unfolded," Emmylou notes. "I am just retelling a story that we all know, but in the first person. He was a martyr and changed the world for the better. But we shouldn't forget that no life is worth that."

The Alabama-born performer, who turned 64 earlier this month, is often cited for her ageless beauty and not only tirelessly lends her voice to numerous projects both musical and charitable, she also continues to enjoy touring all over the world.

"We age; we don't have any choice," she reasons. "You might as well accept where you are in life. That doesn't mean there's a not a certain nostalgia for your youth; it's just part of the human condition. But it's easy for me because I have had such a wonderful life. Music inspires me, and it's a thrill just to get up there and sing. I don't have the stamina of Bruce Springsteen -- I can't play for three hours -- but I still love playing live."

To find out where in the world Emmylou will be next (she's headed to Oslo, Norway, on Saturday, April 30), click here, and read her full interview with Spinner here.