In 1973, fresh from recording her raw, woman-to-woman plea to spare her relationship, Dolly Parton mixed “Jolene” in Nashville’s RCA Studio A. She wouldn’t return to the space, the birthplace of some of country’s finest cuts, until almost five decades later—when the Highwomen came calling.
The newest country supergroup introduced themselves to the world in July, anchoring an all-female headlining set at the Newport Folk Festival. Aptly titled 
, it included guest appearances by Sheryl Crow, Maggie Rogers, and Parton. In the lead-up to Newport, country’s leading lady rehearsed with the Highwomen in Studio A, where they had just finished recording their debut album.
“It was like full-circle,” said vocalist and fiddler Amanda Shires. “So much great energy. I wanted to celebrate the whole time, I think all of us did. But we were postponing our celebrations because none of us are very good at being hungover.”
