Tift Merritt Returns with 20th Anniversary Vinyl Reissue of Tambourine and Companion Album Time and Patience
A Landmark Record Reborn on Vinyl, Paired with Never-Before-Heard Demos and New Songs Tracing Trailblazing Songwriter’s Evolving Voice
Listen to Intimate Vocal-Piano Demo of “Good Hearted Man” HERE
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Photo credit: Morgane Imbeaud Download press images here |
June 18, 2025 -- GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter Tift Merritt celebrates the 20th anniversary of her breakthrough album Tambourine with a two-part release arriving August 29, 2025: a long-awaited vinyl reissue of the original album and Time and Patience, a deeply intimate companion piece featuring home-recorded demos and never-before-heard material from the early 2000s. Together, the two releases honor Merritt’s living legacy while offering a rare window into the emotional journey behind one of Americana’s most beloved voices.
Originally released in 2004, Tambourine earned Merritt a GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Album and critical acclaim for its genre-defying blend of southern soul, poetic lyricism, and fearless songwriting. Produced by George Drakoulias and featuring contributions from Mike Campbell, Maria McKee, Neal Casal, and Don Heffington, Tambourine became a cult favorite and a foundational text for a generation of Americana artists.
Now, for the first time in years, Tambourine returns to wax—remastered and reissued on vinyl, restoring the record’s rich analog warmth and expansive spirit for longtime fans and new listeners alike.
Paired with this reissue is Time and Patience: Tambourine Kitchen Recordings, a new collection of intimate home demos and original songs that capture the raw beginnings and enduring emotional current of the Tambourine era. Recorded in her North Carolina kitchen in the early 2000s—with nothing but a spiral notebook, her voice, and her dog Lucy watching—these recordings offer a rare glimpse of an artist reaching, reckoning, and writing her way into the world.
“When I hear my 27-year-old self belting these songs, I hear my dreams,” Merritt writes in the liner notes. “I hear my intentions—and those intentions are true. Writing songs and singing them was where I went to be free.”
At the time, Merritt was under pressure from the major-label machine to write a hit. Time and Patience reveals the quieter, more vulnerable story behind Tambourine—one of self-trust, soul-searching, and creative defiance.
“These songs weren’t hits. I was a good writer, not a great one. My band wasn’t good enough. At least that’s what I was told. But I believed in these demos back then—and it is a tender moment to bring them to you now, proudly, so much time and patience later.”
With the announcement, “Good Hearted Man (Kitchen Recording)” is available on DSPs. Listen HERE.
Tambourine remains a touchstone for its honesty, power, and jubilant musicianship. Time and Patience reframes that achievement through the lens of reflection—inviting listeners to witness both the making of a record and the making of an artist.
The Tambourine (20th Anniversary Edition) vinyl and Time and Patience will be available August 29 via One Riot Records, Time and Patience will also be available on all streaming platforms. The Tambourine reissue is dedicated to the late Neal Casal and Don Heffington, cherished members of Merritt’s studio band.
Pre-order Tambourine (20th Anniversary Edition) vinyl HERE.
Pre-save Time and Patience HERE.
Merritt is on tour throughout Europe and the UK this month, with US shows coming soon. For more information please visit https://www.tiftmerritt.com.
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2025 Tour Dates
June 19 - Paris, France - Supersonic Records
June 25 - London, UK - Oslo Hackney
June 27 - Pilton, UK - Glastonbury Festival
June 29 - Utrecht, Netherlands - TivoliVredenburg
June 30 - Eindhoven, Netherlands - Muziekgebouw Eindhoven
July 1 - Milano, Italy - Art Library *
July 2 - Galzignano Terme, Italy - Amphitheater of Venda *
* with Andrew Bird
Tambourine Tracklist
Stray Paper
Wait It Out
Good Hearted Man
Ain’t Looking Closely
Still Pretending
Write My Ticket
Your Love Made A U Turn
Plainest Thing
Late Night Pilgrim
I Am Your Tambourine
Laid a Highway
Shadow in the Way
Time & Patience Tracklist
Write My Ticket Home (Kitchen Recording)
Plainest Thing (Kitchen Recording)
Avalon Pier
Still Pretending (Kitchen Recording)
Good Hearted Man (Kitchen Recording)
4th Street Windowsill
Stray Paper (Kitchen Recording)
Broad Daylight
Time And Patience (Cabin Recording)
Last Day I Knew What To Do
About Tift Merritt
Tift Merritt is a Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and writer known for her richly poetic voice and genre-defying work that blends Americana, folk, country, and soul. Since the release of her breakout debut Bramble Rose in 2002, Merritt has released a string of critically acclaimed albums, toured with artists like Jason Isbell and Iron & Wine, and built a devoted international following. Hailed by NPR and The New Yorker for her lyrical precision and magnetic stage presence, she has collaborated with Andrew Bird, classical pianist Simone Dinnerstein, and many others. A North Carolina native, Merritt is also an accomplished interviewer and archivist, hosting “The Spark” series and working with institutions like the Library of Congress. She currently serves as Practitioner-in-Residence at Duke University and is developing The Gables Lodge, a creative residency center in Raleigh dedicated to nurturing the artistic process.
For more information, please contact Allison Elbl (AElbl@ShoreFire.com) and Taylor Perry (TPerry@ShoreFire.com).