Hard Headed Woman
My upcoming album, ‘Hard Headed Woman’ is coming your way on August 29th and my first offering, “Don’t Let The Bastards Get You Down,” is out now. It’s available for preorder on vinyl, CD, cassette, 8 track and reel to reel. In addition to the standard vinyl, I’m also offering a limited edition Box Set that includes a double album with more music, exclusive merch- poster, bandana & guitar pick, and each will be signed and numbered. Get one before they sell out
I wrote ‘Don’t Let The Bastards Get You Down’ with Rodney Crowell, Jeremy Ivey and the late, great Kris Kristofferson. We had so much fun writing this song out at Rodney’s home, and he even came into the studio to sing some harmonies on it with me (listen for his voice in the recording)- you can hear Rodney especially on the line “all the cocaine in existence couldn’t keep your nose out of my business.”
The music video directed by Ian Blair is also out now and we filmed at in East Nashville at Skinny Dennis, Electric Hand Tattoo and around rural parts of Tennessee. There’s so much wild stuff going on in the video, you almost need to watch it two or three times to catch everything happening in it.
Don’t Let The Bastards Get You Down official video
The tune (and the entire album) was recorded at the historic RCA Studio A in Nashville, TN. It’s the same place where Chet Atkins refined the Nashville Sound, where Dolly Parton recorded 9 to 5 and Jolene, and where folks like Waylon, Waylon and Leon made records that defined the Outlaw Movement. There are spirits in those walls that hold the stories of “Old Nashville,” and we could feel them there with us late at night. Kristofferson once said that “Nashville in the 1960s was like Paris in the 1920s.” I romanticize that time often, and it was an honor to record in such a sacred space.
We recorded this album live, no click tracks, no “music row bro country writers”, just me and my band in the same room, like one living breathing organism. This was my first time recording an album in Nashville as a solo artist. In the past, I made my albums in Memphis and LA, but this is me embracing the fruits that Nashville has to offer. I reunited with my longtime friend and producer, Matt Ross Spang.
Matt Ross-Spang also produced my first two albums, ‘Midwest Farmer’s Daughter’ and ‘All American Made.’ His attention to detail and musical ear can’t be understated. Last year, Matt did an incredible TED Talk about about his journey from a teen intern at legendary Sun Studio to becoming Grammy‑winning engineer and producer. He emphasizes how Memphis’s soulful history shaped his craft—restoring vintage equipment, capturing that warm analog sound, and preserving the spirit of mid‑century recording. Matt champions historic studios and analog techniques, but he isn’t trying to replicate the past. He uses vintage methods to elevate modern music—a creative “tightrope walk” between homage and evolution. I try to do the same with my songwriting and albums and that’s probably why we gel so well as musical partners.
watch Matt Ross Spang’s TED X MEMPHIS talk here
I’m so grateful to everyone who has helped bring these songs to life- it feels like I’ve been waiting my whole life to make this album and I’ve never been more proud to share it all with you. I’m blessed to have very special guests and duets with some of my favorite artists including Tyler Childers and Jesse Welles. There is so much going on in the world right now and I hope this album can both unite people and be a call to action. Share this album with one person you know who might need it. May it be a cathartic listening experience and bring some light your way in dark times.
Love me some Matt Ross-Spang aka little Matt in the Swan household. Love you Margo❤️
Cannot wait for the album to arrive. Thank you!