Ashley Monroe is back with her sixth studio album Tennessee Lightning, set for release on August 8. The 17-song collection is her most personal and expansive work to date, chronicling a transformative journey shaped by love, resilience, and her recovery from a cancer diagnosis.
A Journey Through Healing and Inspiration
Recorded after Monroe entered remission from lymphoma, Tennessee Lightning channels the flood of creativity and clarity that followed a life-changing experience.
“When I got diagnosed with lymphoma and started my treatment, I stopped writing, I stopped hearing melodies, I stopped thinking about songs at all,” Monroe shares. “When I finally went into remission, I could feel the life and the music start flowing in my veins again. It was like a flood, just this rush of inspiration.”
Produced by Monroe alongside GRAMMY-winning producer Gena Johnson (John Prine, Jason Isbell), the album blends country, soul, blues, folk, and dreamy pop influences into a sound that reflects Monroe’s reawakened artistic vision.
“I feel like I’ve emerged from these last few years with a pretty profound perspective shift,” Monroe explains. “I’ve learned to be more in the moment, to appreciate what’s right in front of me and enjoy every second I get to spend doing what I love with the people I care about.”
“The Touch” – A Smoldering New Single Featuring Marty Stuart
Along with the album announcement, Monroe has released her new single, “The Touch,” featuring country legend Marty Stuart. The track is a glowing love song anchored by Stuart’s dreamy guitar riff and contributions from Shelby Lynne on bass.
“‘The Touch’ is the first song I ever wrote with the incredible Marty Stuart,” Monroe reveals. “It was storming so loud that day, and we could feel the electricity just hanging in the air. He played that guitar lick, and my heart melted… So honored to have Marty write this one with me and play on it!”
Stuart echoes the sentiment, describing the magic of the moment:
“‘The Touch’ is a majestic song… The windows in the room where the song came to life rattled like bones. We laughed and took that as a sign that God liked the song. Lightning in a bottle if you will… The harmonies are glorious. ‘The Touch’ is four minutes and fifty-one seconds of pure magic.”
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A Star-Studded Tracklist
Tennessee Lightning features an all-star cast of collaborators including T Bone Burnett, Brittney Spencer, Waylon Payne, Brendan Benson, Butch Walker, Karen Fairchild, and Armand Hutton. From the innocence of childhood to the joy of motherhood, Monroe touches on life’s most intimate moments.
- I’m Gonna Run (feat. T Bone Burnett) (Ashley Monroe, Sally Barris)
- Risen Road (Ashley Monroe, Brendan Benson, Waylon Payne)
- Closer (Ashley Monroe, Ashley Ray, Ben West)
- The Touch (feat. Marty Stuart) (Ashley Monroe, Marty Stuart)
- Magnolia (Ashley Monroe, Waylon Payne, Brendan Benson)
- My Favorite Movie (Ashley Monroe, Vince Gill)
- Hot Rod Pipe Dream (Ashley Monroe, Brendan Benson)
- Amen Love (Ashley Monroe, Ashley Ray, Summer Overstreet)
- Moth (Ashley Monroe, Carter Faith, Connie Harrington, Jessi Alexander)
- Bitter Swisher Sweet (feat. Brittney Spencer) (Ashley Monroe, Emily Landis, Logan Wall)
- You and Me (Jay Robinson)
- Recover (feat. Karen Fairchild) (Ashley Monroe, Karen Fairchild, Ashley Ray, Andrew Petroff)
- There You Are (Jessi Alexander, Margaret Findley, Sally Barris)
- Blown Away (feat. Brendan Benson) (Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty)
- That’s No Way To Say Goodbye (Leonard Cohen)
- Moon Child (Ashley Monroe, Andrew Petroff, Meg McRee, Tenille Townes)
- Jesus Hold My Hand (feat. Armand Hutton) (Albert Brumley)
A Look Back – A Special Anniversary Show
Fans can also celebrate Monroe’s acclaimed 2015 album The Blade on July 25 during a one-night-only anniversary performance at Nashville’s The Basement East. She’ll perform the record in full to mark its 10-year milestone.
Tennessee Lightning is not just a return to form — it’s a radiant new chapter in Ashley Monroe’s story. Fueled by grace, gratitude, and a love for timeless songwriting, Monroe’s latest offering is a powerful reminder of music’s ability to heal, uplift, and connect us all.
