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Chapel Hart paid tribute to Loretta Lynn with their own high-energy spin on one of the country legend’s most memorable songs from her decades-long career in country music. The trio of sisters and cousins — Danica Hart, Trea Swindle and Devynn Hart — debuted “Welcome To Fist City” on Friday (March 31).
The America’s Got Talent alums previously confirmed that they were working on a song inspired by Lynn’s “Fist City,” which released in the late 1960s. Chapel Hart shared their plans for a nod to Lynn’s song as they mourned her loss in October 2022. Lynn “passed away peacefully…in her sleep at home at her beloved ranch in Hurricane Mills, (Tennessee),” Lynn’s family confirmed in a statement on October 4. She was 90.
Chapel Hart said at that time that “words cannot describe how heartbroken we are today. We were literally just workin through our song for you yesterday on the road, we think you’d be stoked to know we are EXTENDING ‘Fist City’ …we know you had to go but don’t you worry mama, you left country music in good & capable hands! Your wings, we know, are Gorgeous/Fabulous so go on and Rest High On the Mountain, there are no goodbyes ONLY see you laters!”
Chapel Hart’s Lynn-inspired song comes after a heartwarming shout-out from the late trailblazer. Chapel Hart delivered a powerful Dolly Parton-inspired original song during their AGT audition, “You Can Have Him, Jolene,” earning them a standing ovation and a golden buzzer. Lynn shared a clip of the performance and gushed on Facebook: “I love it, ladies. Now I'm wondering what you might be able to do with one of my songs!”
Chapel Hart shared a screenshot of Lynn’s July 20, 2022 post on Instagram on Thursday (March 30). The trio said “if [Loretta Lynn] asks. You gotta answer. Hold on to your wig and britches... ‘Welcome To Fist City’ is available tonight at midnight!”
“ALL THE TIME HAS COME!!! 🥳 Take a listen to our brand new single ‘Welcome To Fist City’ !!! We are so excited and we hope and pray we made the legendary [Loretta Lynn] proud 😃💕,” Chapel Hart gushed in an Instagram caption on Friday.
“‘Welcome to Fist City’ feels like 1968 revamped to right now,” Danica said in a press release issued Friday. “I really believe Ms. Loretta would’ve been so proud! I’d like to believe the generation who laid the foundation just wants to know that they are leaving country music in capable hands, and my prayer is that we are doing just that. I hope we are making them proud!”
Sure enough, a tweet from Lynn’s amount published on Friday afternoon read: “What a great expansion of Fist City! Sounds like the old gal who was ran off once showed back up and Chapel Hart sorted her out! Loretta was impressed by these ladies and was tracking their every move. We hate that she isn’t with us today to hear this fun new song in her honor, ‘Welcome to Fist City’! Thanks, girls, we love you!”
“Welcome To Fist City” will be featured on the trio’s upcoming album, Glory Days, which is set to release on May 19. It’s Chapel Hart’s third album, and the first since competing on America’s Got Talent.
Danica takes on the role as Sheriff, Devynn is the Mayor, and Trea is the Judge in “Welcome To Fist City.” Listen to the Loretta Lynn-inspired song here: