Listen to Caitlyn Smith’s Passionate ‘Natural Woman’ Cover
Though fans will have to wait until 2017 for a full album from singer-songwriter Caitlin Smith, the new mom delivered a fresh take on a pop classic recently during a visit to The Bobby Bones Show.
As part of the radio show’s “Cover Art” feature, Smith performed a soulful version of “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” Written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, the most famous rendition of the song comes from Aretha Franklin, who had a Top 10 hit with the earthy, sensual ode in 1967. King included her version on her landmark 1971 album Tapestry and it has also been covered by Celine Dion and Mary J. Blige, among countless others. Smith’s interpretation blends both the Queen of Soul’s and King’s versions.
Smith is better known for writing songs for other artists rather than covering songwriters herself. Since coming to Nashville when she was 18 to open for Patty Griffin, Smith has penned songs cut by artists from Jason Aldean (“It Ain’t Easy”) and Lady Antebellum (“747”) to Rascal Flatts (“Let It Hurt”) and Cassadee Pope (“Wasting All These Tears”).
She plans to extend her most recent EP, Starfire – which includes her version of “Tacoma,” featured on Garth Brooks’ 2014 album Man Against Machine – into a full-length set. And it promises to build on her soaring, expressive voice. “So many songs on this record are just me opening up my chest,” she told Rolling Stone Country this summer. “We just kept the vocals raw and emotional. We didn’t set out to make it sound like anything other than just my heart exploding.”
In the meantime, Smith and husband Rollie Gaalswyk are enjoying first-time parenthood after she gave birth to son Thomas Miles on August 7th. “One month ago, he finally showed up and I kissed the top of his head and held him in my arms and I was everything I was for the last time,” she posted on Instagram earlier this month.