“The Return of Tanya Tucker – Featuring Brandi Carlile” has secured worldwide distribution following its world premiere at SXSW last week. A press release announced that Sony Pictures Classics snagged rights to the film.
Directed by Kathlyn Horan (“The If Project”), the doc pays tribute to Tanya Tucker, a trailblazing country music star who was among the best known women in the Outlaw country movement of the ’70s, which fought for freedom from the Nashville establishment. Her biggest hits included “Lizzie and the Rain Man,” “Delta Dawn,” and “What’s Your Mama’s Name.”
“Decades after Tanya slipped from the spotlight, six-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile takes it upon herself to write an entire album for her hero based on Tanya’s extraordinary life, spurring the greatest comeback in country music history,” the film’s synopsis teases.
The doc explores Tucker and Carlile’s friendship and collaborations.
Horan commented, “I am honored to be part of the Sony Pictures Classics family. I’ve always admired the caliber of their films. I know they’ll be the most passionate partners in bringing ‘The Return of Tanya Tucker – Featuring Brandi Carlile’ to audiences. One of the most exciting aspects of this project is the coming together of these two different worlds of Country and Americana music. Both Tanya and Brandi are changemakers in different ways, and the strength they represent and joy they bring is something we are ecstatic to be able to capture with this film.”
Tucker added, “It’s so surreal to see my life captured moment by moment during the recording process with Brandi, as well as some footage that I haven’t seen in decades! Sony Pictures Classics is the perfect partner and I can’t wait for the world to see this masterpiece Kathlyn and her team captured!”
“I’m over the moon that this special documentary has found such a perfect home with Sony Pictures Classics. I don’t think there’s a more fascinating human being on the planet than Tanya Tucker,” Carlile emphasized. “I can’t wait for the world to fall in love with this legend all over again.”
