Rita Wilson. Oh sure, she’s Mrs. Tom Hanks, but she’s been a successful (mostly comic) actress in her own right – That Thing You Do!, Volunteers, Teen Witch, Sleepless in Seattle, Bonfire of the Vanities, Barbarians at the Gate, Jingle All the Way, and Runaway Bride. She also served as a producer for the beloved My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
Well, on May 8th she joins the ranks of actress/singers with the release of her first solo album – AM/FM – a recording of many of her (and our) favorite songs, with a thematic arc:
Growing up in Hollywood in the ’60s, my first memories of hearing music were in a car. The AM songs of that era really were about the innocence of love and an idealized version of what all that meant for a young girl in her future…
But as Wilson notes, then FM came into the picture – and with it, the singer-songwriters who wrote about the darker side to love…
That became for me more about the music of disillusionment. Love didn’t work out the way that I had heard it was going to work out in the ’60s.
Wilson got help from a few talented musician friends including Jimmy Webb, Jackson Browne, Sheryl Crow, Faith Hill, Vince Gill, and Patty Scialfa.
Although Wilson’s voice is a little tame and faceless, and the production basic and mainstream – this is the type of light “feel-good” music that many boomer-aged music lovers crave. And there’s no denying the strength of the songs that she has chosen. Have a listen…
TRACK LISTING – RITA WILSON AM/FM
1. All I Have To Do Is Dream, 2. Never My Love, 3. Come See About Me, 4. Angel of the Morning, 5. Walking in the Rain, 6. Wichita Lineman, 7. Cherish, 8. You Were On My Mind, 9. Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues, 10. Love Has No Pride, 11. Please Come To Boston, 12. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, 13. Faithless Love, 14. River
