On July 22 in Cincinnati, Heart put on a typically dynamic live show that covered their biggest hits ("Magic Man," "Barracuda," "Crazy on You") and cuts from the new album, Beautiful Broken (the title track, "Two"). Heart also broke out several choice Led Zeppelin covers at the show during the encore: "Immigrant Song" and then a set-closing "Stairway to Heaven."
That same day, Ann Wilson announced the second EP from her solo project, the Ann Wilson Thing!. The Ann Wilson Thing! #2 –Focus contains two originals ("Fighten Fer Life," "Anguish") that Wilson co-wrote with guitarist Craig Bartok, as well as live covers of Peter Gabriel's "Don't Give Up" and Jimi Hendrix's "Manic Depression."
Wilson's voice -- infused here with smoky, bluesy grit -- makes the latter stand out. You can listen to our exclusive premiere of the song above.
The Ann Wilson Thing! are also doing three shows in Florida after Heart's tour with Cheap Trick and Joan Jett wraps up in September: at the King Center for the Performing Arts in Melbourne on Sept. 25, at Orlando's Plaza Live on Sept. 27 and at Pointe Vedra Concert Hall on Sept. 28.
The Ann Wilson Thing! #2 –Focus is now available at digital and streaming platforms and at theannwilsonthing.com, while CDs arrive in stores on Aug. 12. This EP follows the 2015 release of the first Ann Wilson Thing! EP, #1, which featured a cover of Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth," among other tracks.
As if Wilson wasn't busy enough this summer, she and sister Nancy Wilson have also teamed up with a slew of other artists (including John Mellencamp, Usher, Sheryl Crow, Cyndi Lauper and Michael Bolton) for a song railing against politicians using songs without permission. The playful tune debuted on John Oliver's Last Week Tonight show earlier this week.