Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani joined forces to honor The Judds with a new rendition of the duo’s iconic ballad, “Love Is Alive,” in A Tribute To The Judds.
The beloved couple brings the song to life as they trade verses.
Stefani opens the track as she sings, “Love ain’t a candle/ It doesn’t burn for one night/ And need the dark to shine/ Love is alive.”
Shelton later joins in, harmonizing with her on the second verse and chorus.
Listen To Blake Shelton And Gwen Stefani’s Rendition Of “Love Is Alive” Below
“Love Is Alive” was written solely by Kent Robbins and was released in May of 1985 as the third single from The Judds’ album, Why Not Me. The song went on to become The Judds’ fourth No.1 hit.
Honored To Be On The Project
The pair of hitmakers were honored to be a part of the project.
“I have always admired The Judds, and I am so thrilled to be part of this album,” Gwen Stefani said. “‘Love Is Alive’ is an iconic track and performing the song with Blake is a perfect way to honor their timeless discography.”
“The Judds are one of the greatest country acts of our lifetime. 80’s country music is my favorite decade, and I’ve been singing Judd songs for as long as I can remember,” Blake Shelton added. “‘Love Is Alive’ was on their first album, and we wanted to stick pretty close to the original version, and Gwen just nails the vocals. We’re thrilled to be part of this tribute album.”
The song’s producer, Brent Maher, shared that Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani are the perfect pairing for the reimagined version of this tune.
“What a treat it was to re-record this wonderful song written by Kent Robbins. All I can say about Gwen’s vocal is, it’s perfect, and Blake’s harmony parts are wonderful. I absolutely love how this recording turned out,” said Brent Maher. “I think we captured the original essence of the song with Don Potters acoustic part and Eddie Bayers groove. Richard Bennett’s Electric guitar and Bobby Ogdin’s Keyboards gave this track the fresh vibe we wanted. Glen Worf’s bass part sealed the deal.”
This cover marks Shelton and Stefani’s fifth duet together, following their chart-topping hits “Nobody But You” and “Happy Anywhere” as well as their Christmas collaboration, “You Make It Feel Like Christmas.”
Tribute To The Judds
“Love Is Alive” will appear on A Tribute To The Judds, a compilation project that commemorates four decades of legendary country duo, The Judds.
In addition to Shelton and Stefani, dozens of other artists will also be featured on the forthcoming tribute album, including Wynonna Judd, Ashley McBryde, Barnett, Lynne, and West, Blake Shelton, Carl Perkins, Carly Pearce, Cody Johnson, Dolly Parton, Ella Langley, Gabby Barrett, Jamey Johnson, Jelly Roll, Jennifer Nettles, K. Michelle, Lainey Wilson, LeAnn Rimes, Megan Moroney, Molly Tuttle, O.N.E. The Duo, Raul Malo, Reba McEntire, Rob Ickes, Shelly Fairchild, Sonya Isaacs, The Fisk Jubilee Singers, Trey Hensley, Trisha Yearwood, and Wendy Moten.
Throughout A Tribute To The Judds, every artist will infuse their distinctive musical style into the esteemed melodies of The Judds. This results in a compelling tribute to one of the globe’s most cherished and pioneering duos.
Every track on the tribute album was developed by The Judds’ original producer and six-time Grammy award winner, Brent Maher except for “Cry Myself to Sleep” which was produced by four-time CMA winner Cactus Moser (who is also the husband of Wynonna Judd).
Celebrates Four Decades Of The Judds
Marking The Judds’ four-decade milestone since their signing to RCA Records under the guidance of Joe Galante, who not only acted as the project’s executive producer but also played a pivotal role in realizing the album with Renee Bell. Galante’s prior collaboration with The Judds’ led to a series of remarkable achievements, including 6 multi-platinum studio albums, 5 Grammy Awards, 9 CMA Awards, 8 ACM Awards, and an esteemed induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
“To have all of these artists, most of which are my friends, come together and lend their voices and artistry to reimagine these songs, is so special. These songs are so timeless and I am so excited for them to live on for generations to come,” Wynonna Judd shared in a statement.
“To all of you who listen to this music, I wish you could have been with us in the studio when we recorded these songs. There was a joy and passion along with some poignant moments in re-recording these Judd songs that are impossible to describe. I hope you enjoy this record as much as we enjoyed making it,” Brent Maher added.
“Renee Bell and I were thrilled to be part of A Tribute to the Judds as Executive Producers. After my signing of The Judds in 1983, and Wynonna going to MCA when Renee was director of A&R, it was a special reunion for all of us,” Joe Galante shared. “With Brent Maher at the helm of producing all of the timeless Judds’ music we are honoring, it was the perfect combination. We couldn’t be more excited about the incredible artists that have brought their own styles to these great songs.”
A Tribute To The Judds Track List
1. Girls Night Out – Reba McEntire, Carly Pearce, Jennifer Nettles, Gabby Barrett
2. Mama He’s Crazy – Lainey Wilson and Dolly Parton
3. Why Not Me – Megan Moroney
4. Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout The Good Old Days) [feat. Sonya Isaacs] – Cody Johnson
5. Rockin’ With The Rhythm Of The Rain – Ashley McBryde and Shelly Fairchild
6. Young Love (Strong Love) – Ella Langley and Jamey Johnson
7. Have Mercy – LeAnn Rimes
8. Love Is Alive – Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton
9. Had A Dream (For The Heart) – Wendy Moten and O.N.E The Duo
10. I Know Where I’m Going – Barnett, Lynne & West
11. Let Me Tell You About Love – Carl Perkins and Raul Malo
12. John Deere Tractor – Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley and Molly Tuttle
13. Cry Myself To Sleep – Wynonna Judd and Trisha Yearwood
14. Love Can Build A Bridge – Jelly Roll, K. Michelle, and The Fisk Jubilee Singers
About The Judds
The Judds were composed of Wynonna Judd and Naomi Judd, who passed away in April of 2022.
The mother-daughter duo earned 14 No. 1 hits during their career that spanned nearly three decades, including “Love Can Build a Bridge,” “Mama He’s Crazy,” “Why Not Me,” “Turn It Loose,” “Girls Night Out,” “Rockin’ With the Rhythm of the Rain” and “Grandpa.”
The Judds toured in the ’80s where they had a catalog of twenty Top 10 hits, 20 million-plus albums sold, a combined 16 Gold, Platinum, and multi-Platinum albums, and The Judds Greatest Hits.
Since launching their career in 1983, the duo went on to release six studio albums and an EP. The superstar pair have also won several awards, including nine CMA Awards, seven Academy Of Country Music Awards and five GRAMMY Awards for hits like “Why Not Me” and “Give A Little Love.”
After rising to fame, the iconic country duo broke up in 1991 after Doctors diagnosed Naomi with hepatitis c. In addition to her celebrated music career, Naomi was also an actress, having appeared in several TV movies and TV series.
Country Music Hall Of Fame Members
On May 1, 2022, Wynonna Judd accepted the high honor of The Judds being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame with her sister, Ashley, by her side. During their appearance at the event, the sisters paid tribute to their late mother with a tearful speech and by reciting a biblical verse.
Their induction came just one day after Naomi Judd passed away at the age of 76 on Saturday, April 30, 2022. Her death shocked the country music community.
Her passing was revealed on social media in a statement from her daughters. “Today we sisters experienced a tragedy… lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness,” the statement read. “We are shattered [and] we are navigating profound grief and know that as we loved her, she was loved by her public [and] we are in unknown territory.”
A Tribute To The Judds will also be partnering with the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), in honor of Naomi Judd. For more information on NAMI, click HERE.
