Brittney Spencer Reflects on Home, Identity & the Power of Music For Songs of U.S. Around America 250

The New Music and Conversation Series From Salt Lick Sessions Features Durand Bernarr, Paula Prieto, Trousdale, Swamp Dogg, Joy Oladokun, Mickey Guyton, Samara Joy, Old Crow Medicine Show, Tiny Habits and More

June 22, 2026 - Brittney Spencer shines in this week's sessions for Salt Lick's new Songs of U.S. series, sharing a soulful cover of Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly With His Song" along with an in-depth interview about how music can change the world. Tomorrow (June 23), her cover of Miranda Lambert's "The House That Built Me" will debut, followed by a performance of her original song "Bigger Than The Song" on June 24. Together, Spencer's trio of performances and her interview reflect on how music reveals the evolving concept of what home and comfort look like in America.

Songs of U.S. is the new performance and conversation series that brings together musicians from across genres to reinterpret songs that have shaped the country's cultural identity while exploring what belongs in the American songbook today.

Today, Salt Lick Sessions premiered Spencer's performance of "Killing Me Softly With His Song," which she selected as belonging to the American songbook. The track was originally written by Lori Lieberman and later popularized by Roberta Flack followed by The Fugees. By choosing to perform "a cover of a cover of a very famous song," Spencer shows how music is passed down through genres and generations, evolving alongside America.

Tomorrow (June 23), Spencer's poignant performance of Miranda Lambert's "The House That Built Me" will go live, which Spencer chose as a song that she believes deserves to be in the American songbook. She first sang this publicly in 2024 for a benefit for hurricane relief. "I've always wanted to see America become inclusive for folks that call it home… home is a very complicated subject right now in America. Hopefully my singing this song sheds a little light for folks who feel like they have home and [for] folks who are still trying to feel like they are at home," Spencer shares in her Song of U.S. interview .

Spencer's performance of her original track "Bigger Than The Song" will be shared on June 24, which celebrates the legends - Reba McEntire, Aretha Franklin, Alanis Morissette, Dolly Parton, to name a few - that inspired her to pursue music.

Out today, accompanying Spencer's performances is an in-depth interview about how music can change the world. She reflects on her identity as an artist, the importance of diversity across genres, and music's ability to inspire the next generation: "I know there are a lot of people who are excited to see so many folks like me in country music… I hear about it all the time when I go to shows and they run up to me and little Black girls [say]... 'I love country music and I feel like I can listen to it and do all sorts of things with it now.'"

Watch Brittney Spencer's "Killing Me Softly With His Song" performance HERE .

Watch Brittney Spencer's Songs of U.S. performance HERE .

The new series debuted earlier this month with Amy Grant's reimagination of James Taylor's beloved classic "Carolina in My Mind." Watch Grant's performance HERE and accompanying interview HERE . Additional artists with sessions out now include Grace Potter , who discusses the often-forgotten verse of "This Land Is Our Land"; corook , who reflects on their experience as a trans nonbinary artist in America; and The Temptations' Otis Williams , who emphasizes the importance of music as a tool for education.

Forthcoming sessions featuring Durand Bernarr, Paula Prieto, Swamp Dogg, Old Crow Medicine Show, Mickey Guyton, Samara Joy, Tiny Habits, Trousdale, Joy Oladokun, and more will roll out throughout the summer via Salt Lick Sessions' YouTube channel and social platforms. A session with Tiny Habitswill begin rolling out this week on June 25, following the announcement of their sophomore album Keepers arriving August 28.

Across the series, artists reinterpret works by writers including Woody Guthrie, Nina Simone, Bob Dylan, Beyoncé, Bill Withers, Roberta Flack and John Denver. Featured performances include Mickey Guyton revisiting "Take Me Home, Country Roads," Tiny Habits reimagining "Blowin' in the Wind," Joy Oladokun performing "Ain't No Sunshine," and Trousdale performing "Amazing Grace."

In announcing the series, Variety noted thatSongs of U.S. arrives amid renewed conversations about patriotism and American identity, describing the project as offering "a more thoughtful and perhaps meaningfully patriotic approach" to celebrating the nation's 250th anniversary. You can read more about the series in Variety's exclusive HERE .

About Salt Lick Sessions

Salt Lick Incubator's signature series, Salt Lick Sessions, is known for its artist-first approach to compensation, rights, and creative collaboration. The series takes viewers on a nationwide discovery tour, featuring more than 50 musicians each year through intimate video portraits that invite viewers directly into the artist's realm. Past performers include Jon Batiste, Big Freedia, Sheryl Crow, Lalah Hathaway, Mickey Guyton, Madison Cunningham, Tank and the Bangas, Dawes, and many more.

About Salt Lick Incubator

Salt Lick Incubator is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting innovative musicians at critical stages of their careers. Founded by Roger Brown, former president of Berklee College of Music and Liza Levy, the organization provides grants, mentorship, creative development and media platforms for artists building sustainable careers. Its signature series, Salt Lick Sessions, is known for its artist-first approach.

For more information, please contact [email protected] .