Amanda Shires planned to include a version of "Always on My Mind," a song popularized by Willie Nelson, on her 2022 album Take It Like a Man, going so far as to invite Willie's sister Bobbie to play on the track. Once Shires and Bobbie Nelson shared studio space, they got to know each other by playing a few classic country covers. By the end of the day, they decided to cut an entire album together, knocking out Loving You quickly, but it sat on the shelf as Take It Like a Man received its promotional cycle in 2022. By the time Loving You appeared in June 2023, Bobbie Nelson had been dead for a year, turning this unassuming lark of an album into an affectionate farewell to a country music legend. Although a handful of tracks have received some sweetening -- there are strings, plus a Willie vocal on "Summertime" -- the vibe on Loving You is strikingly intimate; even when a rhythm section is involved, it doesn't feel like there are any other musicians in the studio besides Shires and Nelson. The stripped-down surroundings shift the focus to Nelson's lyrical playing; heard outside of her brother's Family band, it's easy to hear the elegance she brought to the group. Whether she's singing or playing violin, Shires has a relaxed, natural rapport with Nelson that gives Loving You a genuine sense of warmth: this wasn't intended as a tribute or a goodbye, it was merely a relaxed session between two kindred spirits and its inherent modesty makes it quite satisfying. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine