Wynonna Judd has a new album out, and that’s something no one’s been able to say for a decade. The Hard Truth was released in October and it’s getting the kind of reviews that should make her publicist positively giddy.
Bonnie Raitt called it “remarkable.” All Music Guide deemed it “an Americana masterpiece.”
“The album is a triumph of vulnerability, raw honesty and finding joy and human connection even in the darkest moments,” wrote Nashville Scene.
The Hard Truth Tour, which began in October, reaches Straz Center’s Morsani Hall on Wednesday, Nov. 11 in Morsani Hall. For tickets or more information, visit our website or call 813.229.7827.
Musically, The Hard Truth is a good distance away from the radio-friendly country-pop of Wynonna’s hits. Wynonna’s guests on the album — husband-wife roots duo The War and Treaty, Patterson Hood of Drive-By Truckers and indie folk’s Iron and Wine — illustrate the shift toward a sound incorporating blues, rock, soul, R&B and even pop: Check the buoyant chorus of “Everything.”
The lyrics are direct and sometimes harrowing. Album opener “All Downhill Since Ashland’ is directed at Naomi Judd, Wynonna’s mother and singing partner in The Judds. (Naomi passed away in 2022.) When Wynonna sings “you couldn’t love you, so how could you love me,” it’s a lyrical gut punch.
“Girl Who Could Sing” addresses the birth father she never met, asking “Was I ever really your daughter / Or just a girl who could sing?” The raw vulnerability and honesty in Wynonna’s performance is rare and powerful.
Overall, though, the album is about healing, acceptance and making peace with the past. Wynonna turned 20 the year The Judds had their first No. 1 hit, and her life since has been lived in a near-constant spotlight. Maybe there’s a reason she went 10 years between albums. The Hard Truth was worth the wait, though, and if it takes that long to create something this good, we’ll be back for the follow-up in 2036.