Krauss goes solo

"Windy City" features Krauss performing 10 classic songs that she selected with producer Buddy Cannon. "Losing You" is the lead song from the release.

This marks her first solo release since "Forget About It" in 1999. The disc is also her first release apart from her backing Union Station band since "Raising Sand," which was recorded with Robert Plant in 2007. Krauss' last release with Union Station was "Paper Airplanes" in 2011. The new release also is her debut for Capitol after spending her entire career on Rounder Records.

"Usually it's just all songs first," she said. "It was the first time I'd ever not had songs picked out, and it was just about a person." She was referring to Cannon, who also has produced Kenny Chesney. She had previously worked with Cannon when she sang lead lines on Hank Cochran's "Make The World Go Away" for Jamey Johnson's 2012 album "Living For A Song." "That was absolutely the moment," she said. "Wow. Buddy really makes me want to do a good job."

At the beginning , Krauss thought the songs chosen should be older than herself. "I wanted it to be earlier than I remembered," she said. While they relaxed those rules a bit, she wanted songs that had the same feel as the others.

"It's almost like you didn't know it was sad," Krauss said, "because it doesn't sound weak. It doesn't have a pitiful part to it, where so many sad songs do. But these don't. And I love that about it. I love that there's strength underneath there. That whatever those stories are, they didn't destroy. That that person made it right through it. I love that."

Songs include "Gentle On My Mind," a signature song of Glen Campbell's, and "You Don't Know Me," a hit for Eddy Arnold and Ray Charles. Krauss also recorded Willie Nelson's "I Never Cared For You" and "All Alone Am I," originally recorded by Brenda Lee.

Krauss had no idea when she suggested to Buddy that they record "Dream of Me," a song she recalled from childhood, that he had written it. He agreed to sing backup on the track, along with his daughter Melonie Cannon.