Rebel (Anne Wilson album) explained

Rebel
Type:	studio
Artist:	Anne Wilson
Cover:	Anne Wilson - Rebel.png
Genre:	Country Christian country
Length:	53:45
Label:	Sparrow Capitol CMG
Producer:	Zach Kale Jeff Pardo Jonathan Smith
Prev Title:	My Jesus
Prev Year:	2022

Rebel is the second studio album by American contemporary Christian and country music singer Anne Wilson. It was released via Sparrow and Capitol Christian Music Group on April 19, 2024.

Background

Following the release of My Jesus in 2022, Wilson received messages indicating that fans of country music were resonating with her sound as well as the CCM market that she catered the record and its singles to. On Rebel, Wilson set out to intertwine the two musical genres, saying that "the songs that were coming from my heart were leaning more country" when she began writing for the record.^[1] The album's title track was born out of Wilson's frustration with being told one of her previous single releases to CCM radio was "too country" for the format to play, which encouraged the development of the Rebel album as a confident blend of both genres.^[1]

Wilson co-wrote the majority of the album's 16 tracks with Jeff Pardo and Matthew West, with additional writing credits from country songwriters including Nicolle Galyon, Emily Weisband, Trannie Anderson and Casey Beathard.^[1] It features collaborations with country music artists Lainey Wilson ("Praying Woman") and Jordan Davis ("Country Gold"), as well as CCM artist Chris Tomlin ("The Cross").^[1]

"Rain in the Rearview" was released as Wilson's first single to country radio on October 9, 2023,^[2] while "Strong" was released as a single to CCM radio.^[1] "Rain in the Rearview" was inspired by the death of Wilson's older brother in 2017, an event she credits with shifting her dream to becoming a recording artist.^[3] The music video was directed by TK McKamy and premiered on January 26, 2024, and features her sister Elizabeth as her body double.^[3]

"Songs About Whiskey" was originally slated to be released as the third single from the album on June 3, 2024,^[4] but the adds date was pushed back to July 15.^[5]

Commercial performance

In the United States, Rebel debuted at number one on the Top Christian Albums chart and at number 10 on the Top Country Albums chart.^[6]

Personnel

Musicians

• Anne Wilson – lead vocals (all tracks), background vocals (tracks 1–3, 5–7, 10, 14–16)
• Court Clement – electric guitars (tracks 1–4, 6–8, 11–14), acoustic guitars (1–4, 8, 11, 13, 14), mandolin (1–3, 7, 13, 14), bouzouki (1, 3, 4, 12, 14), Dobro (2, 3), banjo (2, 4, 6, 7, 12), 12-string guitar (8), slide guitar (11, 12), steel guitar (13)
• Jeff Pardo – piano (1–4, 6–9, 11, 12, 14), acoustic guitars (1, 6, 12), Hammond organ (1–3, 9, 12, 14), background vocals (1, 2, 5, 6, 10, 12, 14), programming (2, 7, 11, 12, 14), keyboards (3, 7, 8, 11, 14), additional keyboards (5)
• Tony Lucido – bass (tracks 1–4, 6, 8, 11–14)
• Jacob Arnold – drums, percussion (tracks 1, 3–8, 11, 12, 14–16)
• Jonathan Smith – programming (tracks 1, 2, 5, 7, 8), additional guitar (1); bouzouki, high-strung guitars (2); electric guitars (3, 8), acoustic guitars (8, 10), keyboards (8); Rhodes, bass, Wurlitzer, bouzouki, background vocals (10); additional programming (11)
• Matthew West – background vocals (tracks 1, 5, 6, 12, 14)
• Zach Kale – additional guitars, synth bass, programming (track 2)
• Josh Reedy – background vocals (track 3)
• Kris Donegan – electric guitars (tracks 4, 6, 10)
• Kristen Rogers – background vocals (track 4)
• Jason Eskridge – background vocals (tracks 5, 7, 8, 14)
• Kiley Phillips – background vocals (tracks 5, 7, 8, 14)
• Jimmie Lee Sloas – bass (tracks 5, 7, 15, 16)
• Sam Hunter – electric guitars (tracks 5, 7, 15, 16), rubber bridge guitar (15, 16)
• Nickie Conley – background vocals (tracks 5, 8, 14)
• Wil Merrel – background vocals (tracks 5, 8, 14)
• Billy Justineau – Hammond organ (tracks 5, 10), piano (5), clavinet (10), keyboards (10, 15, 16)
• Todd Lombardo – high-strung guitar (tracks 5, 15, 16), electric guitars (5), acoustic guitars (7, 15, 16)
• Colton Price – programming (track 5)
• Lainey Wilson – vocals (track 5)
• Scotty Murray – steel guitar (track 6)
• Chris Bevins – Hammond organ (track 6)
• Josh Matheny – Dobro (track 7)
• Devonne Fowlkes – background vocals (track 7)
• Moiba Mustapha – background vocals (track 7)
• Tyler Johnson – electric guitars (track 8)
• Chris Tomlin – vocals (track 8)
• Jamie McDonald – background vocals (track 8)
• David Davidson – violin (track 9)
• Kristin Wilkinson – violin (track 9)
• David Angell – viola (track 9)
• Carole Rabinowitz – cello (track 9)
• Aaron Sterling – drums, percussion (tracks 10, 13)
• Jordan Davis – vocals (track 11)
• Mark Lonsway – background vocals (tracks 11, 15, 16)
• Jenee Fleenor – fiddle (track 12)
• Lauren Hungate – background vocals (track 12)

Technical

• Jeff Pardo – production, additional engineering
• Jonathan Smith – production
• Zach Kale – production (track 2)
• Joe LaPorta – mastering
• Sean Moffitt – mixing
• Buckley Miller – engineering
• Chris Bevins – editing
• Colton Price – editing
• Aaron Sterling – additional engineering
• Court Clement – additional engineering
• Jacob Arnold – additional engineering
• Jason Eskridge – additional engineering
• Kris Donegan – additional engineering
• Scotty Murray – additional engineering
• Jesse Brock – mixing assistance
• Tim Lauer – string arrangement (track 9)

Notes and References

1. Anne Wilson on Blending Country, CCM on New Album 'Rebel': 'I'm Not Going to Change Who I Am'. Jessica Nicholson. April 18, 2024. Billboard. May 5, 2024.
2. Web site: Country Aircheck Weekly October 2, 2023, Issue 878. October 2, 2023. Country Aircheck. May 6, 2024.
3. Web site: CMT Premiere: Anne Wilson Hopes "Rain in the Rearview" Brings Hope and Peace. https://web.archive.org/web/20240126180607/https://www.cmt.com/news/t2oaq5/cmt-premiere-anne-wilson-hopes-rain-in-the-rearview-brings-hope-and-peace. dead. January 26, 2024. Cindy Watts. January 26, 2024. CMT. May 5, 2024.
4. Web site: Country Aircheck Weekly May 13, 2024, Issue 909. May 13, 2024. Country Aircheck. May 14, 2024.
5. Web site: Single/Track Releases. Music Row. July 1, 2024.
6. Asker . Jim . 2024-05-01 . Anne Wilson's 'Rebel' Rockets In at No. 1 on Christian Albums, Top 10 on Country Albums Charts . 2024-05-21 . Billboard . en-US.