Hailey Whitters Recruits Molly Tuttle For 'Prodigal Daughter'
(MPG) The Iowa-born, Nashville-based singer/songwriter Hailey Whitters released a new song "Prodigal Daughter" featuring Molly Tuttle on guitar and harmony vocals. The song was co-written by Hailey Whitters, Paul Sikes and Bryan Simpson, who she collaborated with on her platinum hit "Everything She Ain't," and features performances by reigning CMA Musician of the Year Charlie Worsham and ace bluegrass players Bryan Sutton, Stuart Duncan and Justin Moses.
"'Prodigal Daughter' represents a return to my roots, my faith and what's important to me," explains Whitters about the new song. "Over the last few years, I've been listening to a lot of bluegrass music, and I've been so excited by the new faces propelling the genre - especially artists like Molly Tuttle and Billy Strings. Their music definitely inspired this one, and I was lucky enough to get Molly to be a part of it and to record with some of my favorite bluegrass musicians like Bryan Sutton, Stuart Duncan, Justin Moses and Charlie Worsham to help me define a new sound for this record."
"Prodigal Daughter" follows the release of "Casseroles," which was lauded as a "Song You Need to Know" (Rolling Stone), a "nuanced reflection on grief and recovery" (Billboard), "an undeniable triumph" (Holler), a "testament that she can hang with some of the genre's best" (Country Central), "proof she's only getting better" (Wide Open Country) and "a beautiful and striking tune" (Whiskey Riff).
"Casseroles" marked Whitters' first song release since her critically-acclaimed 2023 EP I'm In Love, which received raves from American Songwriter, Billboard and Stereogum, who called the title track "an expertly constructed bit of music" and proclaimed, "Whitters can tell a story, but on this one, she tells a feeling. When the song hits right, you can almost feel all that joyous anticipation yourself." That same year, Whitters was nominated for New Artist of the Year at the CMA Awards and took home the ACM Award for New Female Artist of the Year, performing her platinum certified hit "Everything She Ain't" during the show. The song marked her debut on the Billboard Hot 100 and her first top 20 hit at country radio.
In recent months, Whitters has released collaborations with Max McNown, Evan Honer and Brooks & Dunn. In November, she experienced a full-circle moment supporting Alan Jackson on his final tour date of 2024 in Salt Lake City after penning his 2017 single "The Older I Get." Whitters closed out her year with two sold-out shows at her hometown honky-tonk DanceMor Ballroom in Swisher, Iowa.
This year, Whitters will perform at the inaugural Sand in My Boots festival on May 16 in Gulf Shores, Alabama and at Under the Big Sky Music Festival from July 18 to 20 in Whitefish, Montana.
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