Kristin Chenoweth: The ‘Nashville’ Interview

Kristin Chenoweth is back with a country album, ‘Some Lessons Learned,’…

“I’m so glad that as an artist, I was in a position to work with the best songwriters and musicians in Nashville,” she says. I’ve always wanted to make this album, especially in Nashville, where the musicians are amazing and everyone is so wonderful to work with. I can’t wait to go back!”

‘Some Lessons Learned’ was produced by the legendary Bob Erzin, who worked with KISS, Peter Gabriel, and Pink Floyd.

“Working with Bob was a great partnership. On paper you wouldn’t think of having Pink Floyd’s producer, but it really worked!”

Chenoweth, who counts Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood, Linda Ronstadt and Patsy Cline as her major influences, wrote two songs herself for the album: ‘Mine to Love’ about a woman who struggles with an emotionally unavailable man, and ‘What Would Dolly Do?’ in honor of her role model Dolly Parton.

Acclaimed songwriter Diane Warren wrote most of the other songs on the album along with Desmond Child and others.

“I feel so lucky to have worked with Diane. Her songs really capture who I am. She pushed me and gave me confidence to go for it!”

Chenoweth’s debut single, ‘I Want Somebody (Bitch About) is about finding unconditional love. Her sole duet on the album, ‘What If We Never,’ is with Randy Travis. She also covers Dolly Parton’s ‘Change.’

“Look at my recording career and it’s kind of funny. It’s all so different! This album is more along the lines of what I grew up singing, like the music I sang in church in Oklahoma. When I was hired at 19 to sing at Opryland in Nashville, that’s what I wanted to do. I never anticipated my career going in all these great directions – which I’m grateful for! I’m finally getting to do what I want.”

In 2010, Chenoweth appeared as Fran Kubelik on Broadway in ‘Promises, Promises’ alongside Sean Hayes. She was also inducted into the Nashville Hall of Fame, and won a Tony Award for her role as Sally Brown in the Broadway musical, ‘You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown’. Chenoweth is widely celebrated for originating the role of Glinda in ‘Wicked.’

Next up, Chenoweth stars as Carlene Cockburn in the new ABC dramatic series, ‘Good Christian Belles,’ along with Annie Potts, Leslie Bibb and David James Elliott.

Kristin Chenoweth – I Want Somebody (Bitch About) (Chew Fu Bitches Brew ReFix) by POPONANDON

- To learn more about Kristin Chenoweth, visit Kristin-Chenoweth.com or follow her on Facebook and Twitter.