AMANDA SHIRES SHARES NEW VERSION OF HOLIDAY TRACK “BLAME IT ON THE MISTLETOE”
GRAMMY-winning, singer-
“Blame It On The Mistletoe” was co-written by Amanda and Brittney Spencer. The new version, “Blame it on The Mistletoe Christmassy 2022 (Featuring Lawrence Rothman)” features Shires’ producer and creative partner, Lawrence Rothman (Margo Price, Charli XCX, Kim Gordon, Courtney Love), plus a slate of multi-layered instrumentation, bringing a new dimension to the production. An unconventional, yet thoroughly festive offering, the song delivers a memorable melody with a spotlight on Shires distinctive vocal stylings.
Amanda explains, “I wrote the song ‘Blame It On the Mistletoe’ with my good friend Brittney Spencer. We wrote it in the summertime, and we were thinking about holiday romance, holiday hook-ups, cozy warm feelings, and just the possibility of love or like or making that move. Sometimes you need a little instigation like mistletoe…or a cocktail. This new version features my friend Lawrence Rothman who helped me produce it. Their voice is very magical, and I think you’re going to love it. Also, we added a few more instruments to it to make it more sparkly, more glittery, more Christmassy.”
The supremely talented Shires is coming off a monster year of accolades for her latest incomparable album, Take It Like A Man, out now on ATO Records listen HERE. Written and recorded during lockdown, the album is a fearless song cycle of ruthlessly candid tunes documenting Amanda’s life as a woman, a wife and mother during a tumultuous time. Produced by Lawrence Rothman and featuring Jason Isbell on guitar and guest vocals by Maren Morris and Brittney Spencer, the album is filled with revealing and autobiographical songs.
Take It Like A Man appears on multiple “Best of 2022” lists including The New York Times who called her, “A fearless woman gathering all her strength and belting out her truths with a poet’s diction and a bird of prey’s voice;” Stereogum, who noted, “Rather than bemoan Nashville’s disregard for women like her — who have the talent and temerity to remake country music in their own image — she takes it as a challenge, staring you down and daring you not to listen,” and Popmatters who raved, “Shires’ passion comes through with both determination and a latent potential for destruction.” Entertainment Weekly called her, “a commanding force…a singer-songwriter who elevates raw, almost too-real storytelling with her vocal prowess.”
Over the last several months, Amanda completed a triumphant headline nationwide tour, and reunited with The Highwomen – the all-women supergroup that she founded that also features Maren Morris, Natalie Hemby, and Brandi Carlile. The band performed at the CMT tribute to Loretta Lynn in October and will also appear in honor of Amy Grant at this year’s Kennedy Center Honors (airing on CBS Dec 28).
Since getting her start playing fiddle with the legendary Texas Playboys at the young age of 15, Amanda has brought her boundless originality to her solo albums, collaborated with the likes of John Prine and Justin Townes Earle and earned the 2017 Emerging Artist of the Year prize from the Americana Music Association (AMA). In addition to The Highwomen, she’s also a member of Jason Isbell’s 400 Unit. A fierce activist, Amanda has been eloquently outspoken about the importance of women’s reproductive rights.