Behind The Song - "Wreck Of A Heart"
- Sheri and Bill Eppright
- Apr 3, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 17, 2024
Sheri: I wish I could say I wrote “Wreck Of A Heart” but at least we were the first artists to record it! Written by our friend and producer, Rob Kuhlman, of Root Cellar Music Studio, this song is the only cover song we include with our original recorded work…we feel we “made it our own” as we added a lot of heart and soul to our recording which was released on our Sept 2022 “Moments” album .
While Rob wrote "Wreck Of A Heart" with guitar originally as the main instrument, I re-wrote the main part for keys. Jerry Fields, drummer and percussionist, gave us the perfect groove to enhance the mood of the song. Bill played rhythm guitar and harmonized to bring in our “Sheri & Bill” sound. Rob added bass guitar and a wonderful lead guitar part that weaves around my keys. This was a perfect song to include world renown Marty Rifkin and his stellar pedal steel guitar, and for "frosting on top" Rob’s talented wife Laura provided layered backup vocals.
So, now let's hear Rob’s story for Wreck of the Heart:
Rob: Many years ago I wrote a song called "Wreck Of A Heart". I produced and recorded a demo with my friends from Love Tractor Nathan Collins on drums and Billy Holmes on mandolin and keys. It was turned down by Sony A&R as quote " not meat and potatoes enough" for their artist to record. LOL
It was handed to Tim McGraw by an artist I was recording and writing with at the time's sister who worked for the Nashville Network (TNN). Tim declined due to a new publishing deal with an exclusive writing team. An Atlanta artist played it at his Nashville Star TV show taping, and it ended up on the cutting room floor.
Finally, many years later it has now found a home with “Sheri & Bill”.
I produced/recorded/ mixed and mastered this from my home studio (Root Cellar Music Studio) "Sheri & Bill" really made the song their own by replacing my acoustic guitar part with piano on their version. Sheri found a way to play my arpeggio part with a new vision that really gave the song a new feel.
We asked the amazing Marty Rifkin to add pedal steel and he did not disappoint. Jerry Fields in preproduction (the day before recording) used his always stellar instincts to play the high hat in a way that forever changed the groove. Bill added his Taylor acoustic with some of his finest tone to date, and I added bass and electric guitars playing off of everyone else's parts.
Sheri sang with great emotion and Bill blended his voice next to create their signature (flying) harmonies. To further expand upon my original vocal topline, Sheri asked my beautiful wife Laura Kuhlman to contribute harmonies. You can really hear Laura on the outro as we stacked four takes of her voice to create the thick texture.
Heartbreak on the rocks is truly what this song is...we love it! Check out the link below to watch our song video...enjoy the lyrics written out below as well.
“Wreck of a Heart” song lyrics:
At the christening, champagne flowed.
Followed the river ‘til I reached the coast.
Put up my sails, I trusted in you...
Maiden voyage, no lighthouse in view.
It’s a wreck of a heart, It’s a wreck of a heart.
I Lost my way, in one of our storms.
Just wanna get back to where the water is warm.
No plotted course, dead reckoning so far.
And late at night I follow the stars.
It’s a wreck of a heart, It’s a wreck of a heart, It’s a wreck of a heart.
Through the ages of my time,
I pray a soul will dive and find
At the bottom of the sea:
It’s a wreck of a heart, It’s a wreck of a heart, It’s a wreck of a heart.
It’s a wreck of a heart.
(Music and Lyrics by Rob A Kuhlman…Recorded by “Sheri & Bill”)
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