Nora O’Connor has been an in-demand backup singer/multi-instrumentalist for decades, performing around the world with Iron and Wine, Andrew Bird, Robbie Fulks, Mavis Staples, etc. The constraints wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic limited her to touring the backyards of her hometown alone and reminded her that she can hold her own guitar and sing the hell out of anything—-and she can write a song, too. With time to spare at home, she began recording a series of new home demos that slowly became her third solo album.

My Heart is Nora O’Connor’s long overdue return to center stage after touring and recording with The Decemberists and Neko Case—-among many others. She was joined in the studio by three of her bandmates from Chicago vocal supergroup, the Flat Five: Casey McDonough supplying vocals, bass and acoustic guitar; Scott Ligon on organ, drums, percussion, piano, Wurlizter and guitars (Casey and Scott are also current members of NRBQ); Alex Hall providing drums, percussion, piano, Wurlitzer, mellotron, vibes, and vocals. Steve Dawson also pitched in on guitars, Wurlitzers, harmonium, along with Robbie Gjersoe on dobro, electric guitar and Jon Rouhouse who contributed pedal steel.

O’Connor isn’t new to working solo. She released Cerulean Blue in 1996 and Til the Dawn in 2004 before she carved out a livelihood making other people’s songs sound better. She has no intention of stopping—-in fact, 2021 found her back out on the road with Neko Case and The New Pornographers. But her recent solo shows increased her confidence and stretched her ambition, moving her to experiment with her voice, to play with new sounds and textures, and to envision a next chapter in her long and dazzling career; one where she takes her rightful seat at the table of the luminaries that she has supported for all these years.