New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Brandi Carlile's Cover Stories project has debuted in the top five of Billboard's Rock and Americana charts, #10 on the Top Current Albums chart and #30 on the Billboard 200. The star-studded project was met with raves upon its May 5 release on Legacy Recordings, including features in the New York Times, Rolling Stone and People Magazine. Cover Stories features artists from across genres and generations - including Adele,
Pearl Jam and
Dolly Parton - on newly-recorded versions of all fourteen songs from Carlile's breakthrough 2007 album The Story. All proceeds from the album benefit War Child UK, an organization dedicated to supporting children affected by conflict.
Carlile recruited a number of her favorite artists and activists to contribute to Cover Stories, sending hand written letters to each asking if they would lend their voices. In addition to recordings by Adele,
Dolly Parton and
Pearl Jam, the album features striking covers by Kris Kristofferson (with
Chris Stapleton joining him on guitar),
Anderson East (with
Miranda Lambert singing harmonies), The Avett Brothers, Jim James, Margo Price, TORRES and a Patrick Carney-produced
Ruby Amanfu cut.
Even Barack Obama got involved, providing a foreword for Cover Stories: "As an artist,
Brandi Carlile is using her talent on behalf of the most vulnerable among us, children living in areas of conflict. She reminds us that, together, we can build for our children a more just, peaceful world."
Cover Stories has been met with critical acclaim upon its release. In addition to the aforementioned features, NPR proclaimed that "each take feels like an original, with all the quirks and key elements that make these artists special." Adele's album closer "Hiding My Heart" was raved about by Entertainment Weekly: "stunning...brace yourself for an ugly cry," and the Los Angeles Times deemed Carlile "a tireless activist who has harnessed her success in service of noble causes."
