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All photos by Laura Sedor

A rambunctious crowd attended Wynonna and the Big Noise, a sold-out show at Chicago’s City Winery. The crowd asked questions and passed Wynonna notes during the show, prompting more than one amusing exchange. While Wynonna was discussing her decision to go to more “intimate venues” during this tour, an audience member shouted out, “How does it feel?” Wynonna quickly answered, “Like running through church naked,” to uproarious laugher. It was an evening about telling personal stories that helped create the songs on her latest album simply called Wynonna and the Big Noise,  her first full-length studio album since 2003, recorded  with help from her husband, musician Cactus Moser, as well as guess appearances by Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Timothy B. Schmit and Americana favorite Jason Isbell, who adds his vocals to “Things I Lean On.”

With a small stage and only a four piece band as back up, Wynonna sang her new songs to an eager audience, including; “Jesus and a Jukebox,” “Staying in Love,” and “You Are So Beautiful.”  She ramped up her connection with drummer/husband Cactus Moser as they sang “You Make My Heart Beat Too Fast” to each other. Wynonna performed some of her favorites as well, including the Foreigner hit, “I Want to Know What Love is,” and “Elvis Presley Blues” written by Gillian Welch. They finished with a four-song encore that included some of Wynonna’s biggest hits from The Judds, “Grandpa Tell Me About the Good Old Days,” “Why Not Me,” “Love is Alive,” and finishing up with a rousing, rocking version of “Crossroads.” Wynonna and the big Noise comes out on February 12th, and the tour continues across America. Find your stop here.

– Laura Sedor