Trisha Yearwood Opens up About Recording Duet With Don Henley on ‘Every Girl’ Album

Trisha Yearwood just released her latest album, Every Girl, which includes duets with a few famous names, including her husband, Garth Brooks, Kelly Clarkson, Patty Loveless and rock icon Don Henley. Yearwood previously recorded with Henley on one of her early hits, “Walkaway Joe,” from her sophomore Hearts in Armor album, and knew as soon as she heard “Love You Anyway” that she wanted it to be the final track on the record, and she wanted Henley’s voice on it.

“The last song on every album is always special to me. I knew when I recorded ‘Love You Anyway’ that it had to be the last song,” Yearwood told Billboard. “Henley just kept coming into my mind for this song. He’s such a nice guy. He’ll say, ‘Yes,’ and I don’t want to over use that friendship. He was very kind to do it.”

Henley, best known for his work with the Eagles, has his own busy career, both with the band and his solo work, making it impossible for Yearwood and Henley to record the duet together – one of Yearwood’s few regrets from Every Girl.

“I wish we’d done it together because there’s something about being in the room with somebody when they do it,” Yearwood says, “but I didn’t want to not have him on the record just because we weren’t on the same coast at the same time. I didn’t want to lose the opportunity.”

The poignant song, which says in part, “Break my faith, forget my name / Either way, it’s all the same / You’re my first word, my last breath / My will to live, when nothing’s left / Tear this heart right out of me / Lock it up and lose the key / Curse my name when you kneel to pray / I’m gonna love you anyway,” was written by Mike Reid. Known for his poignant songs, Reid is the mastermind behind songs like Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” Collin Raye‘s “In This Life” and more. But this song was inspired by Reid’s lengthy marriage with his own wife.

“Mike’s been married for 40-some years,” Yearwood said. “He said, ‘When I walked into this restaurant and saw her, there was something that struck me that I knew this was it. This is the one.’ The song basically says, ‘Whatever happens, whether you love me or hate me, I’m just in.’ The opening line is this poem: ‘You are the light that wounds the eye.’ There’s something very old school poetic about it and it’s just beautiful to me.”

Purchase Every Girl at TrishaYearwood.com.

Photo Credit: Getty Images / Frederick Breedon