Shelby Lynne made the decision to leave Nashville both physically and metaphorically over twenty-five years ago.
In 2000, she released “I Am Shelby Lynne,” a groundbreaking album that showcased her unique artistry and earned her a Grammy Award for Best New Artist. After a decade spent in Nashville, where she released five albums that failed to capture her distinctive Southern soul, Lynne moved to Palm Springs, California, and stepped away from country music. Although she enjoyed success with the bluesy rock and retro pop sound of “I Am,” produced by Bill Bottrell, she faced challenges stemming from her own artistic expectations, poor choices, and issues with alcohol.
Recently, while sitting on the patio of the Nashville location of Soho House, Lynne reflected on her journey. Dressed in rust-colored Dickies overalls over a crisp white dress shirt and tailored black jacket, she shared a warm laugh as she reminisced.
“I returned here to be close to Sissy,” Lynne, 55, explained with a drawn-out Southern accent, referring to her younger sister, singer-songwriter Allison Moorer. “I was always creating music in California, but I thought that chapter had closed. I just wanted to write songs and perhaps land a publishing deal, which I’ve never secured.”
In Nashville, opportunities abound for seasoned talent. With the 25th anniversary of “I Am” approaching, Katie McCartney of Monument Records proposed reissuing the album. However, Lynne also focused on new material, which began to come to fruition with assistance from country artist Ashley Monroe. Monroe’s connections led to collaborations with female artists that were unlike anything Lynne had previously experienced. The outcome of this creative revival is “Consequences of the Crown,” her 17th studio album, set to release on Friday.