Acclaimed singer, songwriter and performer Kathleen Edwards shares two new songs today—“Little Red Ranger” and “When the Truth Comes Out”—the latest offerings from her highly anticipated new album, Billionaire, out August 22 on Dualtone Records (pre-order). Produced by Jason Isbell and Gena Johnson, the new 10-song project recalls the lyrical sharpness and unflinching candor of Edwards’ acclaimed debut Failer.
Of “When the Truth Comes Out,” Edwards shares, “I wrote this for a good friend who had a lot of people fall out of her life in a short period of time. Watching her go through it reminded me: people have short memories, they love the safety of keeping the most famous person in the room comfortable, a false narrative is more convenient than rocking the boat. The truth isn’t always popular, but in time it’s the thing that you can hold on to when other’s backs are turned.”
Additionally, of “Little Red Ranger,” she reflects, “Part love letter to the Canadian boy who moves to LA to pursue his dreams and his heart, part holding the hand of the mom and dad wondering if their kid will decide to set down roots somewhere far away. Bird in a tree if you look away, you miss the chance to see it fly away. Life unfolds before you in real time, looking back just to see you weren’t paying attention when it was happening. This song pulls at my heart more than most songs on the record, it’s my story, it’s every parent’s story, like the follow-up to Empty Threat. Matt Sucich sang on this song before we even recorded it, and his backing vocal just sits so right with mine.”
Ahead of the release, Edwards has shared three additional tracks: “Say Goodbye, Tell No One,” “Pine” and “Save Your Soul,” which is currently top 10 and rising on the Americana Radio chart and #23 and climbing on the Triple A chart.
In celebration of Billionaire, Edwards will embark on an extensive headline tour this fall including stops at New York’s Bowery Ballroom, Boston’s Brighton Music Hall, Chicago’s Lincoln Hall, Ottawa’s Bronson Centre, Minneapolis’ Fine Line, Lexington’s The Burl, St. Louis’ Off Broadway and Milwaukee’s Vivarium among others. See below for full tour routing.
In addition to Edwards (vocals, acoustic guitar), Isbell (electric guitar, acoustic guitar, keys, synth, background vocals) and Johnson (engineer, piano, background vocals), the album includes Anna Butterss (bass), Annie Clements (bass), Chad Gamble (drums and percussion), Jen Gunderman (piano, celeste, Hammond B3 organ, Wurlizter) and Shelby Lynne and Allison Moorer (background vocals).
Of the album, Edwards shares, “I decided to call the record Billionaire because the word is used in such a caustic way these days. But we should all want to be billionaires in life, to be rich in experience, friendship, purpose, and the pursuit of the things that bring us joy.”
Of working with Edwards, Johnson shares, “Kathleen is as funny as she is deep. She loves to rock, have fun and nerd out on guitar tones, which both Jason and I love to do as well. It was important to us to make sure we were featuring all the sides of her in the production of this album from tracking to final mix. She totally thrived on the energy of the full band when we were in the studio and was also open to an idea I had for the song, ‘Little Pink Door.’ That song ended up being a live one-take performance of Kathleen singing while playing acoustic guitar, accompanied by Jason on electric guitar and Jen Gunderman on piano. Both Jason and Jen were right there with her every single breath, only playing when it felt right. I remember when the take finished, Jason said he wouldn’t change a thing about it, and I couldn’t have agreed more. It’s in those moments when you know that something truly special is being made. I am so looking forward to attending a live show and experiencing both the energy and intimacy these songs and stories will bring to the audience.”
Celebrated as one of the forebears of modern alt-country and Americana music, Edwards is beloved by fans and fellow musicians, and praised by The New York Times for her, “droll, observant and unsparing tone that is all her own. In her best lines, Edwards has the conversational vernacular and emotional eloquence of a great short-story writer.”
Since debuting in 2003, Edwards has released five albums, including 2020’s Total Freedom—her first after stepping away from music for almost a decade. Released to overwhelming acclaim with pieces at The New Yorker, The New York Times, Rolling Stone and more, Pitchfork called it, “a creative breakthrough, written solely for the thrill of discovery,” while Rolling Stone declared it as, “devastatingly great.” Most recently, Edwards released a covers EP featuring special guests Isbell, Bahamas and Daniel Tashian and including renditions of Isbell's “Traveling Alone,” Bruce Springsteen's “Human Touch,” The Flaming Lips’ “Feeling Yourself Disintegrate,” Tom Petty’s “Crawling Back To You” and more. She has been nominated for multiple JUNO and Americana Awards and, in 2012, was awarded the SOCAN Songwriting Prize.
BILLIONAIRE TRACK LIST
1. Save Your Soul
2. Say Goodbye, Tell No One
3. Little Red Ranger
4. When the Truth Comes Out
5. Billionaire
6. Need A Ride
7. Little Pink Door
8. FLA
9. Other People’s Bands
10. Pine
KATHLEEN EDWARDS TOUR DATES
August 21-23—Hubbards, NS—The Sundown Salut
August 28—Burlington, ON—Royal Botanical Gardens
September 14—Albany, NY—Lark Hall
September 16—New York, NY—Bowery Ballroom
September 17—Red Bank, NJ—The Vogel @ Count Basie Center for the Arts
September 19—Fairfield, CT—The Warehouse
September 20—Camden, NJ—XPoNential Music Festival
September 21—Alexandria, VA—Birchmere
October 14—Buffalo, NY—Asbury Hall
October 15—Ithaca, NY—Hangar Theatre
October 17—Boston, MA—Brighton Music Hall
October 18—Northampton, MA—Academy of Music Theatre
October 19—Bethlehem, PA—Musikfest Cafe
October 22—Kent, WA—Kent Stage
October 23—Kalamazoo, MI—Bell’s
October 25—Milwaukee, WI—Vivarium
October 26—Minneapolis, MN—Fine Line
October 29—Chicago, IL—Lincoln Hall
October 30—Iowa City, IA—Englert Theatre
November 1—St. Louis, MO—Off Broadway
November 2—Lexington, KY—The Burl
November 5—Columbus, OH—The Athenaeum Theatre
November 6—Pittsburgh, PA—Thunderbird
November 8—Ottawa, ON—Bronson Centre
March 13—Miami, FL—Cayamo Cruise 2026
