The Ann Wilson Thing! - Live at The Belly Up available now exclusively at BellyUpLive.com and via all digital outlets on January 29!

Share

The Ann Wilson Thing!, Heart frontwoman Ann Wilson’s solo project, is proud to announce the digital live EP, Live at The Belly Up is available now at BellyUpLive.com! It will be released through all digital outlets on January 29. Recorded at Solana Beach, CA’s legendary Belly Up nightclub, the EP features seven riveting performances that refresh works by artists from Bob Dylan to Aretha Franklin and everywhere in between.

Ann Wilson’s musical gifts are legendary.  As a songwriter and lyricist, she has created a truly impressive body of work (“Crazy on You,” “Barracuda,” “Magic Man,” “Straight On”, “Mistral Wind,” and many, many more).  However, her greatest gift and first calling is singing.  Her voice is considered to be among the best ever, with its vast range, amazing power, and sheer musicality.  It has inspired legions of great singers across every genre of music.

Ever since Heart’s debut, Dreamboat Annie, Ann has been performing with her equally talented sister, Nancy Wilson, thrilling hundreds of thousands of concert fans annually.  In September 2015 Ann’s “passion project” The Ann Wilson Thing released it’s first EP, #1, and embarked on her first solo tour ever, with stops in intimate venues across the country throughout September and October.

“The first night at the Belly Up in Solana Beach was a real thrill for me. It was so satisfying playing these songs to an excited, sold out house!  Unforgettable,” states Wilson.

Now available exclusively from Belly Up Live http://bellyuplive.com/AnnWilsonThing!.php and available via all digital outlets on January 29.

Track Listing:
1. For What It’s Worth (Live) (Buffalo Springfield Cover)
2. I Put a Spell on You (Live) (Screamin’ Jay Hawkins Cover)
3. Every Grain of Sand (Live) (Bob Dylan Cover)
4. Isolation (Live) (John Lennon Cover)
5. Permission (Live) (Sixx: AM Cover)
6. Danger Zone (Live) (Ray Charles Cover)
7. Ain’t No Way (Live) (Aretha Franklin Cover)

Video Performance of “For What It’s Worth”:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6ERqYLmOUc


When describing the nature of her solo shows and what fans can expect, Ann explains, “In The Ann Wilson Thing, we do music that has always inspired me. Songs written by people who I feel are master lyricists , like Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, John Lennon and Neil Young. We also do originals, and songs that aren’t even in the rock box.”

For more information on “Live At The Belly Up” please visit:
www.theanwilsonthing.com
www.bellyuplive.com

ANN WILSON NEW EP WILL BE RELEASED DIGITALLY ON SEPTEMBER 18 AND IN STORES OCTOBER 9 BY ROUNDER

Share

-->

-->

“THE ANN WILSON THING” ADDITIIONAL TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED

LOS ANGELES, CA—September 10, 2015—Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Ann Wilson is set to release her first solo EP, The Ann Wilson Thing, on Rounder Records. Featured tracks on the EP include “Fool No More,” which was written by Wilson and described by her as “a heavy blues song about bad love and the fleeting of time” and “For What It’s Worth,” described by Wilson as “a melding of some timeless lyrics with meat, hair and teeth.”  The Ann Wilson Thing will be released digitally on September 18 and in stores October 9.

Wilson previously announced her first solo mini tour kicking off September 21 in Solana Beach, CA. Additional dates include The Katherine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center on October 6 and a second show at City Winery in New York on October 7. Alison Krauss and Emmylou Harris with be sitting in with Wilson at her Nashville City Winery date on October 15 and Jon Batiste, the band leader of the Colbert show, will join Ann for a song at the New York City Winery show.

In addition, Wilson’s Hartford, CT show at the Kate Hepburn Theater will be filmed by Connecticut PBS as part of their new “Kate Hepburn Series” and will air on PBS in February.

As a songwriter and lyricist, Ann Wilson has created a truly impressive body of work (“Crazy on You,” “Barracuda,” “Magic Man,” “Dog & Butterfly,” “Straight On”, “Even it Up,” “Mistral Wind,” and many, many more).  However, her greatest gift, and first “calling” is singing and with this intimate tour, she prepares to blow away her fans with up, close and personal, raw performances of blues and rock songs. The Ann Wilson Thing won’t replace Heart but it will be a new experience for existing Heart fans, as well as for new fans who will love these songs.

The Ann Wilson Thing Tour Dates:

Sept 21 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up

Oct 6 – Hartford, CT – The Katherine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center

Oct 7 – New York, NY – City Winery (two shows)

Oct 9 – Annapolis, MD – Rams Head on Stage

Oct 10 – Annapolis, MD – Rams Head on Stage

Oct 12 – Vienna, VA – The Barns at Wolf Trap

Oct 13 – Vienna, VA – The Barns at Wolf Trap

Oct 15 – Nashville, TN – City Winery

Nov 23 – Oakland, CA – Yoshi’s

Nov 24 – Oakland, CA – Yoshi’s (two shows)

For more information about Ann Wilson, please visit http://www.heart-music.com, follow @AnnHeartMusic on Twitter, @AnnHeartMusic on Instagram and like "Ann Wilson" on Facebook.

Click here to preview “Fool No More” written by Ann Wilson.

Ann Wilson Of Heart Announces Solo Mini Tour "The Ann Wilson Thing"

Share

LOS ANGELES, CA—July 13, 2015—Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Ann Wilson is embarking on her first solo mini U.S. tour this fall. Ann’s musical gifts are legendary. Her voice is considered to be among the best ever, with its vast range, amazing power and sheer musicality.  Ever since Dreamboat Annie, Ann has been performing with her equally talented sister, Nancy Wilson, as Heart, thrilling hundreds of thousands of concert fans annually.  Now it is time for Ann to do something she’s always dreamed of, and stretch out as a singer performing songs that are not in the heart-shaped box. With several dates across the nation, Ann Wilson is excited to bring to her fans her new side project, THE ANN WILSON THING, a "passion project" where admirers will receive an exclusive performance of solo material and select songs that she holds in high regard from other artists and writers.  The unique selection of live songs, and perhaps a couple of Heart classics, will offer her supporters a truly special experience. Some of the shows will have a guest performer sit in for a song.  Alison Krauss will be part of the Nashville show.

“I am excited to bring the fans my renditions of some songs that I have always loved,” states Wilson.  “This tour will allow me to play smaller venues and push my vocal boundaries.”

As a songwriter and lyricist, Ann Wilson has created a truly impressive body of work (“Crazy on You,” “Barracuda,” “Magic Man,” “Dog & Butterfly,” “Straight On”, “Even it Up,” “Mistral Wind,” and many, many more).  However, her greatest gift, and first “calling” is singing and with this intimate tour, she prepares to blow away her fans with up, close and personal, raw performances of blues and rock songs. The Ann Wilson Thing won’t replace Heart but it will be a new experience for existing Heart fans, as well as for new fans who will love these songs.

The first shows will all take place later this fall, with additional dates to be announced shortly.  Both shows in Annapolis sold out within minutes. 

The Ann Wilson Thing Tour Dates:

Sept 21 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up

Oct 7 – New York, NY – City Winery

Oct 9 & 10 – Annapolis, MD – Rams Head on Stage (SOLD OUT)

Oct 12 & 13 – Vienna, VA – The Barns at Wolf Trap

Oct 15 – Nashville, TN – City Winery

For more information about Ann Wilson, please visit http://www.heart-music.com/theannwilsonthing.html follow @AnnHeartMusic on Twitter, @AnnHeartMusic on Instagram and like "Ann Wilson" on Facebook. 

ANN WILSON FROM HEART WILL SING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM AT THE DALLAS COWBOYS THANKSGIVING DAY GAME LIVE ON FOX

Share

Game Will Kick off The Salvation Army’s 122^nd Annual Red Kettle Campaign

ARLINGTON, TX (November 13, 2012) – Ann Wilson from Heart will rock Cowboys Stadium on Thanksgiving Day when she performs the national anthem, it was announced today. Wilson’s performance will be televised LIVE nationally on the Fox Television network at the beginning of the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game against the Washington Redskins on November 22, 2012 at 3:15 p.m. (CST). This game kicks off The Salvation Army’s 122^nd annual Red Kettle Campaign and marks the 16^th year of the Thanksgiving Day partnership between the Dallas Cowboys and The Salvation Army, in which time the Red Kettle Campaign has raised more than $1.5 billion.

“Ann Wilson’s extraordinary voice will bring a new and exciting energy to the national anthem and the kickoff of our legendary Thanksgiving Day matchup,” commented Charlotte Jones Anderson, Dallas Cowboys Executive Vice President of Brand Management and Chairperson of The Salvation Army’s National Advisory Board. “We are so pleased that Ann can join us for what promises to be a big day.”

It has been a banner year for Ann and Nancy Wilson of iconic rock band Heart with the release of their memoir “Kicking and Dreaming,” which was an instant NY Times best seller, as well as their Top 20 charted new studio album, “Fanatic,” both of which were released this fall. According to USA Today, these new releases “define their legacy as rock’s pioneering female fronted, creatively autonomous acts.”  According to CBS This Morning: “Ann and Nancy took rock & roll by storm in 1975 and confronted rock’s boys club atmosphere head on when their debut LP, “Dreamboat Annie,” went platinum making them the first women to front a successful hard rock band.” Heart has survived with sales of 35 million albums, 21 Top 40 hits including “Crazy on You,” “Magic Man,” “Barracuda, “Straight On,” “Even It Up,”  “Kick It Out,” “These Dreams,” “Alone” and “Never,” among many others. The sisters have showcased their enormous talents as both musicians and singers, selling out arenas worldwide and profoundly influencing the sound and direction of American rock music while inspiring women (and guys, too!) around the world to rock out in bands of their own. Heart continues a 2012 US Tour across America; please go to www.heart-music.com for details.  

For more information about the Dallas Cowboys, please go to www.dallascowboys.com. For more information on The Salvation Army and the Red Kettle Kickoff, please visit http://blog.SalvationArmyUSA.org/, www.Facebook.com/SalvationArmyUSA or www.Twitter.com/SalvationArmyUS.  

ANN & NANCY WILSON OF HEART TO BE HONORED WITH STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME

Share

WHO:       Ann & Nancy Wilson of Heart

                  Emcee: Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, President/CEO Leron Gubler

                  Guest speakers: Alice and Chains’ Jerry Cantrell and Mike Inez and Rita Wilson

WHAT:     2,481st Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Category of RECORDING

WHERE:  6752 Hollywood Boulevard in front of The Musician’s Institute

WHEN:    September 25, 2012 at 11:30 a.m.

                  This ceremony will be live video-streamed at www.WalkofFame.com

COMMENTS:

            Ann and Nancy Wilson will be honored with their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Tuesday, September 25, at 6752 Hollywood Boulevard. Their star will be unveiled in front of the Musician’s Institute. “This location is a coveted spot for many Rock n’ Rollers and these ladies will join the likes of bands Journey and Motley Crue who also have stars on that property. We are thrilled with this latest  star addition as many young, aspiring female rockers look up to these legendary ladies of Rock n’ Roll”, stated Ana Martinez, Producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremonies.  

             Sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson first showed the world that women can rock when their band, Heart, storming the charts in the ‘70’s with hits like “Crazy on You,” “Magic Man,” “Barracuda,” “Straight On,” and so many more.  Not only did the Wilson sisters lead the band, they wrote the songs and played the instruments, too, making them the first women in rock to do so.  Heart continued topping the charts through the ‘80’s and ‘90’s with huge hits like “These Dreams,” “Alone,” “What About Love,” “If Looks Could Kill,” “Never,” and a string of other hits that showcased the sisters’ enormous talents as musicians and singers. 

            Nearly 35 years after their first big hit, Ann and Nancy Wilson were back in the Billboard Top 10 in 2010 with Heart’s “Red Velvet Car” album, and a Top 5 DVD (“Night at Sky Church”). As individuals, the sisters have also achieved significant success.  Ann sang on songs that were both chart successes and motion picture themes, like “Almost Paradise” from Footloose, “Best Man in the World” from Goldenchild, and “Surrender to Me” from Tequila Sunrise, while Nancy composed and performed the scores to a half dozen motion pictures including the award winning “Jerry Maguire” and “Almost Famous.”

            Although they got their start in Seattle, Heart is a worldwide phenomenon, and Heart singles, albums and videos have achieved chart success in virtually every major territory.

            Along the way, music by Ann and Nancy Wilson and their band Heart has sold more than 35 million albums, sold out arenas worldwide, and found its way into the soundtrack of American life through radio, motion pictures, television, and associations with branded sponsors.  Today, songs made famous by Heart are heard in every aspect of contemporary culture.

            2012 is a big a year for Heart: Their 50+ city tour kicked off on June 29.

They recently released their first-ever box set Strange Euphoria on June 5, and their first-ever book “Kicking & Dreaming” will be released by Harper Collins on September 18, and their brand new studio CD, “Fanatic” being released by Sony Music on October 2^nd.   

Select Discography:                                                     

·     Dreamboat Annie (1976) – 100 weeks on chart, multi-platinum selling

·     Little Queen (1977) – 41 weeks on chart, multi-platinum selling

·     Magazine (1978) – 25 weeks on chart, platinum selling

·     Dog & Butterfly (1978) – 36 weeks on chart, multi-platinum selling

·     Greatest Hits Live (1980) – 25 weeks on charts, multi-platinum selling

·     Heart (1985) – 92 weeks on charts, five times platinum selling, Grammy nominated

·     Bad Animals (1987) – 50 weeks on charts, three times platinum, two Grammy nominations

·     Brigade (1990) – 49 weeks on the charts, multi-platinum selling, Grammy nominated

·     Greatest Hits 1985-1995 (2000) – platinum selling

·     Essential Heart (2002) – platinum selling

·     Red Velvet Car (2010) – Top 10 entry in Billboard Magazine, September 6

Honors & Achievements:

Four GRAMMY nominations

Lifetime Achievement Award – GRAMMY Foundation Northwest Chapter

Lifetime Achievement – VH1 Rock Honors

Image Award: Lifetime Achievement for Excellence in Songwriting – ASCAP

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Museum – Exhibit

Electric Music Project Museum - Exhibit

Philanthropic Involvements & Contributions:

Race to Erase MS, Make a Wish Foundation, Covenant House, Alzheimer’s Association, Barbara Davis Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, Children’s Hospital of Seattle, Neil Young’s Bridge School, National Breast Cancer Foundation, TJ Martell Foundation, Matthew Sheppard Foundation, Lily Claire Foundation, MusiCares, American Heart Association, Larry King Cardiac Foundation, ASPCA, Humane Society, Susan B Komen Foundation, AIDS Walk Los Angeles, Guitars Not Guns, Busted Foundation, Jewish Family Services of Los Angeles, Electronic Music Project Museum, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Museum, Country Music Hall of Fame Museum, Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum Community Theater, Amnesty International, Help a Pet, Clear Channel Relief Fund, Union Rescue Mission, Coalition for the Homeless, Planned Parenthood, St. Nicholas Home for Animals, Heal the Bay, Soroptimist International of the Verdugos, Self-Realization Fellowship, Midland/Odessa Educational Foundation, Foundation for the Greater Good, The Perkins Elementary School Fund, Hurricane Katrina Relief, American Red Cross, Noah’s Wish, Stand Up 2 Cancer, We are the World Foundation, Grammy Museum Los Angeles “Night With Heart,” Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Museum

For more information and to view who shares a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, visit www.walkoffame.com

KICKING AND DREAMING

Share

A Story of Heart, Soul, and Rock & Roll

By Ann & Nancy Wilson

with Charles R. Cross

“An interesting duet that details precisely how women truly rock.”

– Kirkus Reviews

The mystery of “Magic Man.” The wicked riff of “Barracuda.” The sadness and beauty of “Alone.” The raw energy of “Crazy On You.” These songs, and so many more, are part of the fabric of American music. Heart, fronted by Ann and Nancy Wilson, has given fans everywhere classic, raw, and pure badass rock and roll for more than three decades. As the only sisters in rock who write their own music and play their own instruments, Ann and Nancy have always stood apart—certainly from their male counterparts but also from their female peers. By refusing to let themselves and their music be defined by their gender, and by never allowing their sexuality to overshadow their talent, the Wilson sisters have made their mark, and in the process paved the way for many of today’s female artists.

In Kicking and Dreaming (It Books; On Sale: September 18, 2012; $27.99; ISBN: 9780062101679), Ann and Nancy, with the help of critically acclaimed and bestselling music biographer Charles R. Cross, recount a journey that has taken them from a gypsy-like life as the children of a globe-trotting Marine to the frozen back roads of Vancouver, where they got their start as a band, to the pinnacle of success—and sometimes excess. In these pages, readers will learn the truth about the relationship that inspired “Magic Man” and “Crazy On You,” the turmoil of interband romances gone awry, the reality of life on the road as single women and then as mothers of small children, and the thrill of performing and in some cases partying with the likes of the Rolling Stones, Stevie Nicks, Van Halen, Def Leppard, and other rock legends. It has not always been an easy path. Ann struggled with and triumphed over a childhood stutter, body image, and alcoholism; Nancy suffered the pain and disappointment of fertility issues and a failed marriage but ultimately found love again and happiness as a mom. Through it all, the sisters drew from the strength of a family bond that trumps everything else, as told in this intimate, honest, and uniquely female take on the rock and roll life.

Throughout their career, Ann and Nancy have never found an answer to the question they are most frequently asked: “What is it like to be a woman in rock and roll?” Kicking and Dreaming puts that question to bed, once and for all.

ANN & NANCY WILSON are the leaders of the rock band Heart, whose albums have sold thirty-five million records worldwide. They continue to tour all over the world and will release their latest studio album, Fanatic, in 2012. Visit: http://www.heart-music.com/

CHARLES R. CROSS is the author of seven books, including Heavier Than Heaven, a New York Times bestselling biography of Kurt Cobain; Room Full of Mirrors, a bestselling biography of Jimi Hendrix; and two books on Led Zeppelin. He lives in Seattle, Washington.

BOOK TOUR DATES

Monday, September 17, 2012 – 7:00 PM

BARNES & NOBLE/Union Square
33 E 17 ST New York, NY 10017

 Tuesday, September 18, 2012 – 7:00 PM
BOOK REVUE
313 New York Ave Huntington, NY 11743

Thursday, September 27, 2012 – 7:00 PM
BARNES AND NOBLE/The Grove
189 The Grove Dr Los Angeles, CA 90036

About the new album:

Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release Fanatic, the 14th studio album from the groundbreaking American rock band Heart, on Tuesday, October 2.  Fanatic premieres 10 new essential performances from sisters Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson on songs including "Fanatic," "Dear Old America," "Walkin' Good" (featuring Sarah McLachlan), "Skin and Bones," "Million Miles," "Pennsylvania," "Mashallah," "Rock Deep (Vancouver)," "59 Crunch," and "Corduroy Road."  The first album of new music from Ann and Nancy Wilson since 2010's Red Velvet Car debuted in the Billboard 200 Top 10 in 2010, Fanatic was recorded in hotel rooms and studios up and down the West Coast, with Grammy-winning producer Ben Mink back at the helm with the Wilson sisters drawing from their own lives and personal experiences as inspiration for their music.  "Dear Old America" comes from memories of a military household and is written from the point of view of their father, a Marine Corps officer, returning from war ("When I get home, I'm going to own this town/Shine this medal/Wear that crown…."); "Rock Deep (Vancouver)" harkens back to the city where Dreamboat Annie was written; and "Walkin' Good" (a duet with Vancouver resident Sarah McLachlan) captures the joy of finding new life in a new love.

Ann and Nancy Wilson

HEART

2012

Anyone who has turned on the radio in the last several decades knows Heart intimately. California born Seattle bred sisters Nancy and Ann Wilson are behind some of rock’s most iconic hits from the wild call of “Barracuda” to the epic lilt of “Magic Man” to the deranged shriek of “Crazy On You.” Nancy’s guitar and Ann’s wail are practically part of the national archive, indelible elements of American pop culture. In their nearly forty years as a band the Wilson sisters have been lauded as sex symbols, idealized as feminist icons, and worshiped by critics and fans alike, selling over 35 million albums worldwide and thrilling audiences with their raucous live show. But as the band gear up for the October 2nd release of a brand new studio album, Fanatic, as well as their first ever biography, Kicking and Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul and Rock and Roll the question isn’t where has Heart been but where are they going next?

“When you’re pushing sixty you know what you want and you go for it,” Nancy says. “You’re not going to test it out for five or ten years, you’re going to get in the car and drive.”

After rising to rock power in the 70s Heart racked up massive hits from their debut (in 1976) all the way through the 90s including songs like “These Dreams,” and “Alone.” Then, in the 2000s the Wilson sisters focused on other priorities. Nancy composed and performed award winning film scores to Jerry Maguire and Almost Famous. Ann developed her career as a solo artist. But you can’t keep Heart quiet for too long. In 2010 the band returned to the Billboard Top 10 with the release of Red Velvet Car and a Top 5 DVD Night at Sky Church. The subsequent tour reinvigorated the sister’s taste for live performance and life on the road but as they looked forward to recording another record, something seemed to be in the way: their past.

For years friends and colleagues had been asking the sisters to do a book about Heart and it just didn’t feel right. “They always came to us with a real lascivious tabloid-y type idea,” Ann says. “You know - think of the ugliness and the dirtiness – but that’s so one dimensional. We’ve had moments of failure and vulnerability and humiliation, sure, but ours is also the story of women who are being told there are rules to follow and just won’t do it.” In the wake of the success of Red Velvet Car it felt like it was finally time to tell the true story of Heart’s past as a means of embracing Heart’s future. So the sisters decided to collaborate with veteran music journalist and Seattle rock scene expert Charles R. Cross, who also wrote the definitive Nirvana biography, Heavier Than Heaven as well as Roomful of Mirrors, a biography of Jimi Hendrix. “We figured if anyone can get the true rock and roll story of it all it’s going to be him,” Ann says.

Once they knew the book was happening, in typical Wilson sister fashion they didn’t hold back. “There’s really no point in going through all of this if you’re going to write a white wash – we really hung ourselves out there,” Ann says. Nancy agrees “I started talking about the book with Charley while I was going through a divorce, which was really hard, but later I was able to have the objectivity to come at the entire book from a healed sort of place. We don’t leave much unsaid.” While they were mining the deep past with Cross, the Wilson sisters were also pulling shoeboxes out from under their beds, so to speak, in search of special rarities to include on the first ever Heart box set, Strange Euphoria, which came out in June. “Part of the Devil’s bargain we’ve made with the industry is that there’s a very tight idea of what the outside world perceives Heart to be and a lot of the time the songs we’ve come up with don't fit that,” Ann explains. “We really do have multiple faces and this box set shows that.”

Between the book and the box set, the Wilson sisters had fully exorcized the past and now it was time to think about the future; they started writing songs that would become Fanatic. “We did it every possible way,” Nancy remembers. “We had many nights together on the tour bus. Then, when I was in LA and Ann was in Seattle we were each emailing each other lyrics ideas and [producer] Ben Mink groove ideas.” The threesome eventually congregated in the sister’s hometown outside of Seattle and had a series of what Nancy calls songwriting “pow wows.” When it came time to record, the band’s approach was organic, very much in keeping with their roots as true performance oriented rock band. “These days things are formulated digitally or layered or looped and assembled but this is live groove,” Nancy explains. “It was our mission to go in there and capture the energy as it magically happens without too much over-thinking or repetition, just letting it escape.” When you put the Wilson sisters plus some trusted musicians in a room with instructions to feel their way around, great things happen. “You do a take and you listen and you go that’s so great, but that’s not the one, and then you go and have a snack and keep going and suddenly it’s like everybody’s hair goes up and it’s like: that’s the one!” Nancy says with glee.

From the crackling guitar noise and vicious drumbeat that drives album opener and title track “Fanatic” through the scorched-earth power of tracks like the “Mashallah” Fanatic is definitely a full-bodied American rock and roll record. “I place it really highly among the albums we’ve made, right along side Little Queen or Dog & Butterfly,” Nancy says. “Those are two really heavy hitting albums and this one has that same spark.” But the record's power is nuanced. “Million Miles,” has delectably ominous prog rock undertones, the collaboration with Sarah McLachlan, “Walkin’ Good,” has a sweet folky delicacy, and “Pennsylvania” is a poetic painting of a ballad. Among the album’s stand outs is also “Dear Old America,” which blends Heart’s signature rollicking rock and roll guitars with poignant lyrics about soldiers coming home from war, a topic close to both sisters’ hearts since they were born and raised as Marine corps brats. As it should, the title track most succinctly encapsulates the spirit of Fanatic. “I thought of Nancy who is so devoted to the idea of love and especially to the idea of romantic love,” Ann recalls. “She will not take no for an answer. There is no way you could ever convince her that it’s not real. She will not hear it. She’s a true fanatic about love, and I thought how cool and inspiring is that?  The meaning then grows to become a worldview.”

Honoring your past while believing in the beauty and power of what’s to come has always been central to Heart’s ethos - it’s reflected in the brashness and defiant emotion of their signature sound.  No one should be surprised that at this point in their career the desire to make emotional, rebellious music has only intensified.  “We always joke around that we are warriors for love,” Nancy says. “We are the peace core and guitars and dreams are our lethal weapons. We say yes to inspiration. Say yes to the impossible impractical thing. We say yes to love. We go out in the trenches and fields with our weapons and shoot.”