Kelly Willis' Fifth Studio Album What I Deserve Reissued for Its 25th Anniversary Edition on 2LP. Includes Five Previously Unissued Live Tracks.
While gigging in Austin, Texas, in the late 1980s, Kelly Willis developed a strong fan base. Among her fans were other Texas musicians like Lyle Lovett and Nanci Griffith. Griffith introduced her to producer Tony Brown who signed Willis to MCA Records. Soon, she would find herself in the films Thelma and Louise and Bob Roberts, as well as receiving a nomination as Top New Female Vocalist at 1993's Academy of Country Music Awards. After three records on MCA, and an EP on A&M, Willis finished her fifth release and signed with Rykodisc, who released What I Deserve in 1999.
Featuring originals by Willis, three co-writes with The Jayhawks' Gary Louris, and songs by Paul Kelly, Paul Westerberg, Nick Drake, Dan Penn, and more, What I Deserve became her highest charting album to date, hitting #30 on the Country charts and #24 on Heatseekers Albums. It is also now revered as a landmark release in Alternative Country and Americana circles—with good reason.
To celebrate its 25th anniversary, What I Deserve returns—expanded with five previously unissued live performances of songs from the album recorded November 14, 1999 on Mountain Stage. The release sees its first appearance on vinyl as a double-LP! In addition to the 17 tracks, the packaging contains lyrics and new liner notes from Peter Blackstock (No Depression, Austin American-Statesman), all done with Kelly's approval.
What I Deserve has always deserved another look and listen for those who may have missed it the first time—what you deserve is to lose yourself in Kelly Willis' incredible What I Deserve and celebrate 25 years of this landmark album.
Side A:
- Take Me Down
- What I Deserve
- Heaven Bound
- Talk Like That
- Not Forgotten You
Side B:
- Wrapped
- Cradle of Love
- Got a Feelin' for Ya
- Time Has Told Me
Side C:
- Fading Fast
- Happy with That
- They're Blind
- Not Long for This World
Side D - Previously Unissued Bonus Tracks: Live on Mountain Stage, November 14, 1999
- What I Deserve
- Not Forgotten You
- Cradle of Love
- Heaven Bound
- Fading Fast