Tanya Tucker Shares Cover of Miranda Lambert's 'The House That Built Me'

On Friday, Aug. 2, Tanya Tucker gave fans a treat when she released a cover of Miranda Lambert's "The House That Built Me" from Lambert's 2009 album Revolution. The cover is one of several that will be included on Tucker's upcoming album, While I'm Livin', which will be released on Aug. 23.

Tucker's take on the evocative song is more rustic than Lambert's original, and the 60-year-old told Rolling Stone that she has Brandi Carlile, who worked with her on her upcoming album, to thank for its existence.

"I was shaking my head, but she talked me into it," Tucker said. "And Brandi was with me the whole time in the vocal booth, going, 'Try it like this.' I followed her, and it was 43 takes on the first line of the song. But now I listen to it and it gives me chills."

"The House That Built Me" was written by Tom Douglas and Allen Shamblin and became Lambert's first No. 1 hit in the U.S. after its release as a single in 2010. It also earned the singer a Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.

Tucker changed a few of the song's lyrics to better suit her own life, making the premise about returning to the home where she raised her children rather than returning to the house where she grew up.

"It's almost not like me [singing] it," she said. "All I remember is reading all the words. And if I'd miss one, we'd start again. Other than that, there were no overdubs. There was no fixing nothing."

Tucker has been experiencing a particular resurgence this year after working with Carlile, who co-produced While I'm Livin' alongside Shooter Jennings. Along with the Lambert cover, the LP features covers of Waylon Jennings and David Lynn Jones' "High Ridin' Heroes" and Josefus' "Hard Luck," as well as seven original songs co-written by Carlile, Tim Hanseroth and Phil Hanseroth. Tucker teamed up with the trio on one song, "Bring My Flowers Now."

The project will be Tucker's first album of new music since her 2002 effort, Tanya.

In the lead-up to the album's release, Tucker has been playing multiple festivals, hitting the stage with Carlile and on her own. To celebrate While I'm Livin', Tucker will play release shows at Nashville's Exit/In (Aug. 22), New York City's Bowery Ballroom (Sept. 17) and the Troubadour in Los Angeles (Oct. 16).

Photo Credit: Getty / Jason Kempin