Here’s Who Brandi Carlile Wants For a Supergroup and How She’s Navigating Coming Changes in D.C.

Brandi Carlile’s solo career is going pretty well by any measure, but she has a dream about expanding into her own supergroup, she revealed to Billboard on the red carpet at Washington, D.C.’s  Kennedy Center Honors on Sunday night (Dec. 8), where she helped honor Bonnie Raitt.

“I’ve got this  plan — I’ve been hitting Bonnie up for a couple of years now to do a little trio with Bonnie and Sheryl [Crow],” she says. She almost realized her wish Sunday night as she and Crow performed Raitt’s classic song,  “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” as Raitt looked down appreciatively from her seat next to the other honorees — the Grateful Dead, Arturo Sandoval and Francis Ford Coppola — as well as President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden.

“I just think it’s the best idea, so if you know anyone in high places who could put in a good word for me,” Carlile joked. “Is it not a good idea? I think it’s a good idea.”

The idea evokes memories of another super group of women: Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris, who formed their own collective and released a Grammy-winning Trio album in 1987; another album followed in 1999. Harris was also at the Kennedy Center Honors Sunday night, joined by Dave Matthews to perform Raitt’s version of John Prine’s “Angel from Montgomery.”

This being Washington, Carlile was also asked about the presidential election results and said there has “definitely” been some self-care going on as Biden leaves office and Donald Trump returns as president on Jan. 20.

“I wake up every morning a political lesbian whether I want to or not in a house with women raising two young women that I need to keep safe and that I need to constantly balance and evaluate how much a part our family can be of helping to move this country forward in any way we possibly can,” Carlile said. “It’s been sort of profound and somber in a way to be here and watch the honorees come forward and accept their honor of diplomacy and mastership on behalf of our country, but it’s also been heartening because it’s reminding me that the arts are the best of what we have to offer.  This is how we represent ourselves.”