Co-written by the artist and John Carter Cash, the song will be available Friday, 6th November.
Country-Latin singer-songwriter Ana Cristina Cash has announced her new single, “The Harpeth River feat. Alison Krauss and Marty Stuart.” Co-written by Ana Cristina and her husband, John Carter Cash, who also produced the track, “The Harpeth River” will be available Friday, Nov. 6, on all major streaming platforms.
The song, which pays tribute to the enduring memory of country music icon Loretta Lynn, developed into an intimate meditation on friendship, grief, remembrance and the ways the people we love continue to live within the places and memories they leave behind.
“‘The Harpeth River’ was born as I strummed a melody on my guitar, surrounded by the Tennessee landscape near the river itself in Bellevue,” says Ana Cristina. “My husband, John Carter Cash, and I wrote the song in memory of our dear friend Loretta Lynn, reflecting on loss and cherished moments. In a poignant twist, the river also winds through her home in Hurricane Mills. What makes this release even more special is the heartfelt contribution of my friends, Alison Krauss and Marty Stuart. Their voices added a layer of magic, and I’m truly honored to have them join me on this track.”
“Ana Cristina Cash’s recording of ‘The Harpeth River’ is a beautiful song. It’s like a dream really. It was a privilege to play on it,” shares Marty Stuart. “Dream on Ana Cristina…”
The song’s deeply personal imagery includes a friend walking on “in a glittering dress” and the bittersweet thought of being reunited with her dressmaker, who might now fashion her “a twinkling gown” from the stars of the Milky Way—a nod to Lynn’s longtime collaborator Tim Cobb, another friend of the couple. Against the backdrop of the river, those memories become a portrait of Lynn that is tender, colorful and unmistakably rooted in the friendship that inspired the song.
“The Harpeth River” uses vivid imagery of water, nature and music to explore the passage between grief and remembrance. The recurring refrain — “The river learns, the river writes / It writes the song that tells your life” — frames the body of water as both witness and storyteller, carrying memories forward even after someone is gone.
With the river itself serving as an especially meaningful thread in the song, it provides a natural setting to remember and reflect on the lasting imprint Lynn left on the Cash family. In prehistoric times, Native Americans created a 500-acre ceremonial complex, complete with a plaza and burial grounds, at what is now preserved as Mound Bottom in Harpeth River State Park. The single artwork draws inspiration from sacred Indigenous pictographs of the sun and moon found on the 1,000-year-old Paint Rock Bluff.
Each year, approximately 500,000 visitors come from around the world to enjoy recreational activities along the Harpeth River. Ana Cristina has partnered with Tennessee Riverkeeper to help educate the public about the importance of protecting our rivers and keeping them clean, ensuring that future generations can enjoy safe, clean water in their communities.
“John Carter and I are proud supporters of Tennessee Riverkeeper and believe deeply in its mission to protect our rivers and keep our waterways clean,” she expresses. “The Harpeth River is truly special to us, and we’re honored to help raise awareness about the importance of preserving these natural treasures.”
Fans can pre-save the single here and learn more about Tennessee Riverkeeper here.
ABOUT ANA CRISTINA CASH:
Ana Cristina Cash fuses the luminous spirit of her Miami roots with the rich traditions of country music. A lifelong performer, she began her career at age six on Univision’s Sábado Gigante and signed with Sony Music Latin at just 15 years old. Since then, Ana Cristina has built a diverse career performing in multiple languages, collaborating with country legends such as Loretta Lynn and Latin superstars including Emilio Estefan Jr. and Chris Pérez of Selena y Los Dinos, and appearing on prestigious stages including the White House, the Kennedy Center, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and the Ryman Auditorium, while frequently performing at the Grand Ole Opry. She first performed on the Opry stage in 2016, before making her official debut in 2019. Since then, Ana Cristina has stepped into the special circle 17 times.
Now living in Tennessee with her husband, Grammy-winning producer John Carter Cash, she has recorded music in Nashville for more than a decade, primarily at the historic Cash Cabin studio. Ana Cristina has contributed to Grammy-winning projects, signed a global publishing deal with BMG Rights Management, and continues to carve out her own distinctive path.
For more information, visit her website and follow her on Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube.