LISTEN: Iris DeMent's 'Sing the Delta,' title track to her first album of originals in 16 years

It has been 16 years since revered singer/songwriter Iris DeMent released an album of original material.

"Sing The Delta," scheduled for release Oct. 2, presents a dozen new compositions by DeMent. It's her first collection of originals since 1996's "The Way I Should."

“I didn’t know when or if I’d make another record," DeMent said in a statement. "I gave up on trying to steer it or force it and decided to just make myself available in my heart and mind as much as I could and leave the rest up to fate.”

"Songs would come along, here and there, and I’d go out and sing them for people," she said. "Then last year, it seemed like a door kinda opened, a handful of new tunes showed up and I managed to finish up a few others and I knew I had a record!”

LISTEN: Title track to "Sing the Delta."




DeMent is releasing "Sing The Delta" on her own label, Flariella Records. It was recorded at Richard McLaurin’s House of David studio in Nashville with co-producers Richard Bennett and Bo Ramsey, with a supporting cast that included Bryan Owings on drums, Dave Jacques on bass, Al Perkins on pedal steel and Reese Wynans on B3 organ, as well as horn players Jim Hoke and Steve Herman on a couple of numbers.

“I guess what I've learned in the process is to just surrender and trust the natural flow and order of things, and not worry about it,” DeMent said. “Some of these songs I’ve had awhile but needed time to grow into them. I’m glad I waited.”

I interviewed DeMent in 2007 (with more of it here) before taking my mom to see her give a gripping performance at Tampa Theatre.

—Publicity photo from http://www.irisdement.com.