Jackson Browne, Smokey Robinson and Elvis Costello are among the collaborators featured on actress/singer Rita Wilson‘s forthcoming album, Now & Forever: Duets, a covers collection mainly boasting renditions of 1970s hits.
According to Billboard, Wilson chose to focus on ’70s covers because of the personal significance the decade holds for her.
“I wanted to honor where I came from with songs from the ’70s,” she says in a statement. “It was really about showing enormous appreciation for the songwriting of that period — how these songs are still relevant even though they’re 50 years old.”
Rita’s duet with Browne, who’s widely considered among the most respected singer/songwriter to emerge during the ’70s, actually dates back to the 1959 Every Brothers hit “Let It Be Me.”
In a behind-the-scenes video about the making of Now & Forever posted on Wilson’s YouTube channel, Rita says, “Jackson, to me, is one of the first artists that I just fell in love with — his voice, his writing was so personal and so emotional.”
Robinson, meanwhile, is a featured on a version of the 1972 Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway hit duet “Where Is the Love?” Costello lends his talents to a rendition of Bruce Springsteen‘s “Fire.”
Other guests artists on Now and Forever include crooner Josh Groban, Hamilton actor Leslie Odom Jr. and country stars Willie Nelson, Vince Gill, Keith Urban, Tim McGraw and Jimmie Allen.
The album also includes songs that were written and/or famously recorded by Van Morrison, Paul Simon, The Bee Gees, Bread, The Jackson 5, Harry Nilsson and Fleetwood Mac.
Now & Forever: Duets is due out September 27, and can be preorderd now.
Here’s the album’s full track list:
“Crazy Love” (Van Morrison) — with Keith Urban
“Where Is the Love?” (Roberta Flack & Donnie Hathaway) — with Smokey Robinson
“Slip Slidin’ Away” (Paul Simon) — with Willie Nelson
“Let It Be Me” (The Everly Brothers) — with Jackson Browne
“Massachusetts” (The Bee Gees) — with Leslie Odom Jr.
“Fire” (Bruce Springsteen) – with Elvis Costello
“If” (Bread) — with Tim McGraw
“I’ll Be There” (Michael Jackson) — with Jimmie Allen
“Without You” (Harry Nilsson) — with Vince Gill
“Songbird” (Fleetwood Mac) — with Josh Groban
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