Article Contributed by New West Records
Published on November 6, 2025
Emmylou Harris & Spyboy Photograph by Matthew Barnes
Emmylou Harris will release Spyboy tomorrow via New West Records. The 19-track live album, co-produced by Buddy Miller and Harris, captures a vital moment in her storied career with a band that defied genre boundaries and redefined her live sound. The new 2025 edition includes five previously unreleased performances, refreshed artwork, and expanded liner notes written by both Harris and Miller.
Originally issued on compact disc by Eminent Records in 1998, Spyboy features Miller on guitar and vocals, Brady Blade on drums and percussion, and Daryl Johnson on bass, djembe, and vocals. Among the newly unearthed recordings are stunning renditions of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers’ “Thing About You,” Bob Dylan’s “Every Grain of Sand,” Bill Monroe’s “Get Up John,” Lucinda Williams’ “Sweet Old World,” and the Harris and Kate & Anna McGarrigle collaboration “All I Left Behind.” A limited vinyl pressing released for Record Store Day in May sold out immediately, underscoring the enduring legacy of this live masterpiece.
Today, Variety premiered the album in full alongside an in-depth discussion with Harris and Miller. Fans can hear it in its entirety a day ahead of its official release.
Spyboy grew out of Wrecking Ball, Harris’ groundbreaking 1995 collaboration with producer Daniel Lanois. That record marked a bold new sonic direction, blending ambient textures with the spirit of country storytelling. “It was such a sonic departure for me,” says Harris. “When we were making the record, I was thinking: Okay, I love this, but how am I going to play it? I’d had the Hot Band and then my bluegrass band, the Nash Ramblers. I loved playing with them, but I knew this was different.”
For the subsequent tour, Lanois initially joined on guitar before handing the reins to Miller, with Johnson and Blade completing the lineup. From 1996 to 1997, the group toured the U.S. and Europe, transforming Harris’ catalog into something altogether wilder, looser, and more psychedelic. “It was really something to be on that stage every night with that band and that energy,” she recalls.
The performances documented on Spyboy reveal a fearless reinvention of Harris’ music — testing the limits of her classic songs while maintaining their emotional roots. “It’s such a special record,” Harris reflects. “That was such a fantastic band and such an amazing time. Like the spyboy leading the Mardi Gras parade, they led me into a new century, reinvigorated me as a singer, and inspired me night after night with their energy and unique musicianship.”
Miller adds, “I wanted proof that I was actually part of this thing, so I asked if I could bring some recording gear to document the band, just for fun. This was before Pro Tools and iPhones. You needed racks of stuff. Our sound crew, Dean Norman and Doug Dawson, helped set up, run cables, and changed tapes every night. Together we recorded around 25 shows.”
Harris and Miller later combed through hundreds of recordings to assemble a collection that best represented the spirit of Spyboy — its volatility, experimentation, and sense of wonder. The album not only stands as a companion to Wrecking Ball, but also as its own statement of artistic freedom. “Because Wrecking Ball was so different,” Harris explains, “it attracted a different kind of fan. I might have lost some of my regular folk-oriented fans, but my true fans have always zigged with me when I’ve zigged, and they’ve always zagged with me when I’ve zagged.”
Spyboy will be available tomorrow across digital platforms, on compact disc, and as a clear color vinyl edition. The album is available now via New West Records.
Emmylou Harris – Spyboy (2025 Edition)
Available November 7, 2025
Digital | CD | Clear Vinyl
Buy Now via New West Records
