Emmylou Harris Working on Duets Album With Rodney Crowell

Emmylou Harris has been a mainstay in the music industry since before her major label debut in 1975. Even in 2011, the genre-spanning legend witnessed her highest debut on the Billboard 200 with her record 'Hard Bargains.' Now, Harris says she's going to collaborate with one of the musicians who stepped into the music world with her back into the '70s. Speaking to Billboard, Harris confirms that her next project will be a duets album with one of her original Hot Band members, Rodney Crowell.

"Rodney and I have known each other since 1974," she explains. "At one point before the Hot Band, the Hot Band was me and Rodney sitting around with two acoustic guitars learning Don Gibson songs." Harris says they've always thrown around the idea of a collaborative duets record, but their careers have been keeping them occupied. "But earlier this year I just decided that I wanted to do a record with him, and if we didn't book it and plan it and set aside some time, it would be something we'd get to the end of our lives and regret we'd never done it."

While the veteran artist is keeping the exact track listing mum, she does suggest that most of the record will be cover songs, possibly sprinkled with some originals Crowell wrote for other artists but never produced himself. Harris describes the collection of songs as "kind of a crazy quilt of material," adding that the duo's already well into the recording process and hoping to pick it back up soon. They'll will be working with producer Brian Ahern, the same one who produced Harris' 1975 'Pieces of the Sky.'

Harris also isn't giving away much in the way of touring details for the record, pointing to both artists' solo careers and saying she's not sure what they'll be able to do. After all, she's still touring to promote 'Hard Bargain.'

"I'm very happy with that record," she says. "I figured it was time to put on the writing hat, and I gave myself some time to write -- really cleared my schedule and put my energy into writing. I think it shows."