It took a few years for Shires to step out as a singer after making her name as a sideperson and in-demand fiddler. Through the years, she has toured and recorded with notable artists including John Prine, Billy Joe Shaver, Todd Snider, Shovels and Rope, Gregg Allman, Justin Townes Earle, Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, and more.
She's released five albums, the most recent being 2018’s To The Sunset, and as a member of Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Shires won a Grammy Award for Best Americana Album for the band’s The Nashville Sound in 2018.
In 2019, Shires formed country supergroup The Highwomen alongside Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, and Natalie Hemby, and Shires hope to pick up the post-pandemic pieces and get rolling with more Highwomen content in the year ahead.
We talked about her own holiday traditions, the sentiment she tried to capture on the new album For Christmas, and her creative "Santamanda Christmas Hotline. Fans can call 1-833-FOR-XMAS to hear a pre-recorded greeting from the Shires encouraging them to leave a message about how they're feeling about the holidays.