Steep Canyon Rangers
The Steep Canyon Rangers started as a group of friends playing music together for fun, but after more than a dozen years together, they are instantly recognized as one of the most successful bluegrass bands touring today. Their recordings and dynamic live performances have earned them many accolades, including Grammy and IBMA Awards, but most important, is the devotion of their fans. The Steep Canyon Rangers are Woody Platt (guitar), Graham Sharp (banjo), Charles Humphrey (bass), Mike Guggino (mandolin), Nicky Sanders (fiddle) and Mike Ashworth (box kit).
The Steep Canyon Rangers play progressive bluegrass music firmly rooted in tradition, with smart, original songs. They are seasoned and dynamic, never failing to thrill their audience with instrumental dexterity and speed, tight harmonies, and the fun they obviously have on stage. Ever growing and evolving, the Steep Canyon Rangers keep things interesting by performing at an eclectic mix of venues ranging from NY’s Carnegie Hall to a stand up rock clubs; jam band festivals to traditional bluegrass festivals. They tour between 125 and 150 dates per year, typically splitting their schedule between their own shows and sharing the stage with actor/comedian and respected banjo player Steve Martin and, more recently, with Steve and Edie Brickell.
They are deeply committed to their close-knit communities of Brevard and Asheville in Western North Carolina, forming partnerships with local businesses and actively supporting local charities, including their annual Mountain Song Festival which benefits the Boys and Girls Club of Transylvania County. The band is currently working with legendary Jerry Douglas for the release their next album for Rounder Records.
“Tell The Ones I Love” music video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU_qshIQtV4
The Steep Canyon Rangers play progressive bluegrass music firmly rooted in tradition, with smart, original songs. They are seasoned and dynamic, never failing to thrill their audience with instrumental dexterity and speed, tight harmonies, and the fun they obviously have on stage. Ever growing and evolving, the Steep Canyon Rangers keep things interesting by performing at an eclectic mix of venues ranging from NY’s Carnegie Hall to a stand up rock clubs; jam band festivals to traditional bluegrass festivals. They tour between 125 and 150 dates per year, typically splitting their schedule between their own shows and sharing the stage with actor/comedian and respected banjo player Steve Martin and, more recently, with Steve and Edie Brickell.
They are deeply committed to their close-knit communities of Brevard and Asheville in Western North Carolina, forming partnerships with local businesses and actively supporting local charities, including their annual Mountain Song Festival which benefits the Boys and Girls Club of Transylvania County. The band is currently working with legendary Jerry Douglas for the release their next album for Rounder Records.
“Tell The Ones I Love” music video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU_qshIQtV4
Shawn Mullins
Since we last heard from Shawn Mullins on 2008’s honeydew, the Atlanta-based singer/songwriter and bandleader has undergone a series of transformative experiences, leading to a second coming for the veteran artist. Evidence of Mullins’ newfound level of musical and lyrical ambition courses comes through with Light You Up (Vanguard Records, Oct. 12). This captivating new song cycle will likely be viewed as a flat-out revelation even by Mullins’ most fervent fans.
His experiences included an indoctrination into the collaborative creative process by numerous bouts of intensive co-writing, in one instance putting him atop of the country charts via a key contribution to the Zac Brown Band’s “Toes,” marking his third #1 single, following 1999’s “Lullaby” and the 2006 Triple A/Americana chart-topper “Beautiful Wreck.” Further co-writing yielded nine of the 11 songs on the new album, which Mullins believes represents the strongest, most expressive writing of his distinguished career. All of this creative activity was topped off by the birth of Shawn’s first child, Murphy, in August of 2009.
“Even in the hospital with our new son, something changed for me,” Mullins recalls. “It was almost like nothing else mattered. It feels that different now. And at the same time, co-writing has become a sort of community for me.”
These two crucial realizations are at the center of Light You Up. The new album reaches out, boldly and magnanimously, into present-day existence—and at times like these, like-minded individuals can find strength in numbers. In this sense, the process that brought the new album to life parallels its underlying theme of banding together. Light You Up is an ensemble album through and through, the result of creative interaction from the writing through the recording. Tracking began with two weeks of playing and recording live at Mullins’ rustic Georgia cabin with his core musicians—drummer Gerry Hansen, bassist Patrick Blanchard and guitarist Davis Causey . The project continued with the addition of Hammond B3 organ and other keyboards from Marty Kearns, pedal steel from Dan Dugmore and Clay Cook, saxes from Tom Ryan, a string quartet and additional percussion.
The album opens with the devastating one-two punch of the cinematic “California”—which instantly takes its place alongside such latter-day Cali classics as Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’,” David & David’s “Welcome to the Boomtown,” Beck’s “Earthquake Weather” and Mullins’ own chart-topper “Lullaby”—and the smoldering, zeitgeist-capturing title track. In terms of their dramatic payloads, these two songs are of a piece, delving into the tattered yet resilient heart of the American Dream. The California setting, to which Mullins returns on “Tinseltown,” functions as a microcosm of our collective journey from wide-eyed innocence through bitter experience to the possibility of personal and collective renewal.
Shawn’s friend and collaborator, Nashville pro Chuck Cannon (whose songs have been cut by the likes of Dolly Parton, Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson), co-wrote “California” and “Light You Up” (the first single). “Chuck’s one of the world’s best songwriters and very old-school in his approach.” Mullins marvels. “A lot of songwriters will work on a song for a few hours, and when it’s pretty good they’ll call it quits. When Cannon and I are working, we won’t leave a song unfinished. There’s a lot of tweaking and fine-tuning until we know the song is right.‘California’ and ‘Light You Up’ are very special to me; they both hint at a sort of New Babylon and where we are in America right now.”
Cannon also co-wrote the Civil War narrative/plea for peace “Catoosa County” and the topical lament “Can’t Remember Summer.” The latter is a five-way collaboration with Edie Carey, Rebecca Lovell, and Toad the Wet Sprocket leader Glen Phillips, who’s Mullins’ lone co-writer on “Murphy’s Song.” The 22-year-old Taos native Max Gomez joined Shawn in the creation of “I Knew a Girl” and the closing “Love Will Find a Way,” as well as being one of four contributors to “Tinseltown,” along with Chuck Jones and Jeff Trott, while Shawn’s longtime drummer Gerry Hansen, who doubled as co-producer of Light You Up, co-wrote “You Make It Better.”
Mullins borrowed the inspiring “The Ghost of Johnny Cash” from co-writers Cannon (who contributes acoustic and backing vocals to the track) and Phil Madeira, and he revisits “No Blue Sky,” which originally appeared on the self-titled 2003 LP from the Thorns, a harmony trio comprising Mullins, Pete Droge and Matthew Sweet, the latter bringing his signature layer-cake harmonies to the rousing sing-along choruses of “California.”
“California” tells the story of a country boy from Mississippi and a hippie chick from the Pacific Northwest who first catch sight of each other in a SoCal freeway traffic jam. “Her stereo was blaring Dylan/The Bootleg Sessions/And ‘Oh the Times They Are A-Changin’’/Made a pretty good impression/She looked over and caught him smiling/Under the California setting sun/They fell in love on the 101.” From there, the lyric follows the descent of the young lovers into the dark underside of what began as their shared California idyll in what amounts to a contemporary fable about the soul-killing temptations of the material world.
The thematic thread runs seamlessly into “Light You Up,” with its unsettling spoken verses—“Everybody wants the real deal/Everybody wants to cop a good feel/Everybody wants more money/Everybody wants a taste of your honey”—and intense choruses, as scorching as the San Fernando Valley in August, as Mullins reaches upward to break into his thrilling falsetto: “I just want to light you up/Light you up like a fire/I just want to turn you on/Turn you on and take you higher.” Here, as elsewhere, a deeper perspective is embedded in the song’s bridge, as Mullins sings, “Yeah this old world can bring you down/Turn your smile into a frown/Break your heart and make you sad/Drive you stark raving mad.” Finally, the narrative drops away as the band launches into a surging extended rave-up, further deepening the song’s emotional resonance.
“Some of the songs are set in L.A.,” Mullins explains. “They’re not all lyrically about Los Angeles or Hollywood, but there’s a California theme that runs through the album. Even ‘Murphy’s Song’ has this Bakersfield sound to it, with Dan Dugmore’s classic pedal steel guitar.” Dugmore was the steel player on a lot of early James Taylor recordings as well as Linda Ronstadt’s “Blue Bayou.”
Three songs later, the band pumps out a punchy midtempo groove, and Causey’s shimmering guitar licks conjure up a smoggy sunset, setting the scene for “Tinseltown,” with its memorable payoff, “I don't wanna go downtown tonight/The neon burns just a little too bright/I just wanna watch the sun melt down/Over Tinseltown.”
The album is overflowing with perfect rhymes, telling detail and underlying intimations. This is uncommonly literate stuff, striking in its insightfulness and compassion. Delivered by Mullins in his companionable baritone, as lived-in and textured as your favorite pair of faded jeans, amid the relentless rhythms, churning Hammond organ runs and swooping guitar lines, every line is absolutely spellbinding, adding incrementally to the album’s gripping intensity. “I felt like I needed to get the listener’s attention with this record,” says Shawn. He can consider that a mission accomplished.
His experiences included an indoctrination into the collaborative creative process by numerous bouts of intensive co-writing, in one instance putting him atop of the country charts via a key contribution to the Zac Brown Band’s “Toes,” marking his third #1 single, following 1999’s “Lullaby” and the 2006 Triple A/Americana chart-topper “Beautiful Wreck.” Further co-writing yielded nine of the 11 songs on the new album, which Mullins believes represents the strongest, most expressive writing of his distinguished career. All of this creative activity was topped off by the birth of Shawn’s first child, Murphy, in August of 2009.
“Even in the hospital with our new son, something changed for me,” Mullins recalls. “It was almost like nothing else mattered. It feels that different now. And at the same time, co-writing has become a sort of community for me.”
These two crucial realizations are at the center of Light You Up. The new album reaches out, boldly and magnanimously, into present-day existence—and at times like these, like-minded individuals can find strength in numbers. In this sense, the process that brought the new album to life parallels its underlying theme of banding together. Light You Up is an ensemble album through and through, the result of creative interaction from the writing through the recording. Tracking began with two weeks of playing and recording live at Mullins’ rustic Georgia cabin with his core musicians—drummer Gerry Hansen, bassist Patrick Blanchard and guitarist Davis Causey . The project continued with the addition of Hammond B3 organ and other keyboards from Marty Kearns, pedal steel from Dan Dugmore and Clay Cook, saxes from Tom Ryan, a string quartet and additional percussion.
The album opens with the devastating one-two punch of the cinematic “California”—which instantly takes its place alongside such latter-day Cali classics as Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’,” David & David’s “Welcome to the Boomtown,” Beck’s “Earthquake Weather” and Mullins’ own chart-topper “Lullaby”—and the smoldering, zeitgeist-capturing title track. In terms of their dramatic payloads, these two songs are of a piece, delving into the tattered yet resilient heart of the American Dream. The California setting, to which Mullins returns on “Tinseltown,” functions as a microcosm of our collective journey from wide-eyed innocence through bitter experience to the possibility of personal and collective renewal.
Shawn’s friend and collaborator, Nashville pro Chuck Cannon (whose songs have been cut by the likes of Dolly Parton, Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson), co-wrote “California” and “Light You Up” (the first single). “Chuck’s one of the world’s best songwriters and very old-school in his approach.” Mullins marvels. “A lot of songwriters will work on a song for a few hours, and when it’s pretty good they’ll call it quits. When Cannon and I are working, we won’t leave a song unfinished. There’s a lot of tweaking and fine-tuning until we know the song is right.‘California’ and ‘Light You Up’ are very special to me; they both hint at a sort of New Babylon and where we are in America right now.”
Cannon also co-wrote the Civil War narrative/plea for peace “Catoosa County” and the topical lament “Can’t Remember Summer.” The latter is a five-way collaboration with Edie Carey, Rebecca Lovell, and Toad the Wet Sprocket leader Glen Phillips, who’s Mullins’ lone co-writer on “Murphy’s Song.” The 22-year-old Taos native Max Gomez joined Shawn in the creation of “I Knew a Girl” and the closing “Love Will Find a Way,” as well as being one of four contributors to “Tinseltown,” along with Chuck Jones and Jeff Trott, while Shawn’s longtime drummer Gerry Hansen, who doubled as co-producer of Light You Up, co-wrote “You Make It Better.”
Mullins borrowed the inspiring “The Ghost of Johnny Cash” from co-writers Cannon (who contributes acoustic and backing vocals to the track) and Phil Madeira, and he revisits “No Blue Sky,” which originally appeared on the self-titled 2003 LP from the Thorns, a harmony trio comprising Mullins, Pete Droge and Matthew Sweet, the latter bringing his signature layer-cake harmonies to the rousing sing-along choruses of “California.”
“California” tells the story of a country boy from Mississippi and a hippie chick from the Pacific Northwest who first catch sight of each other in a SoCal freeway traffic jam. “Her stereo was blaring Dylan/The Bootleg Sessions/And ‘Oh the Times They Are A-Changin’’/Made a pretty good impression/She looked over and caught him smiling/Under the California setting sun/They fell in love on the 101.” From there, the lyric follows the descent of the young lovers into the dark underside of what began as their shared California idyll in what amounts to a contemporary fable about the soul-killing temptations of the material world.
The thematic thread runs seamlessly into “Light You Up,” with its unsettling spoken verses—“Everybody wants the real deal/Everybody wants to cop a good feel/Everybody wants more money/Everybody wants a taste of your honey”—and intense choruses, as scorching as the San Fernando Valley in August, as Mullins reaches upward to break into his thrilling falsetto: “I just want to light you up/Light you up like a fire/I just want to turn you on/Turn you on and take you higher.” Here, as elsewhere, a deeper perspective is embedded in the song’s bridge, as Mullins sings, “Yeah this old world can bring you down/Turn your smile into a frown/Break your heart and make you sad/Drive you stark raving mad.” Finally, the narrative drops away as the band launches into a surging extended rave-up, further deepening the song’s emotional resonance.
“Some of the songs are set in L.A.,” Mullins explains. “They’re not all lyrically about Los Angeles or Hollywood, but there’s a California theme that runs through the album. Even ‘Murphy’s Song’ has this Bakersfield sound to it, with Dan Dugmore’s classic pedal steel guitar.” Dugmore was the steel player on a lot of early James Taylor recordings as well as Linda Ronstadt’s “Blue Bayou.”
Three songs later, the band pumps out a punchy midtempo groove, and Causey’s shimmering guitar licks conjure up a smoggy sunset, setting the scene for “Tinseltown,” with its memorable payoff, “I don't wanna go downtown tonight/The neon burns just a little too bright/I just wanna watch the sun melt down/Over Tinseltown.”
The album is overflowing with perfect rhymes, telling detail and underlying intimations. This is uncommonly literate stuff, striking in its insightfulness and compassion. Delivered by Mullins in his companionable baritone, as lived-in and textured as your favorite pair of faded jeans, amid the relentless rhythms, churning Hammond organ runs and swooping guitar lines, every line is absolutely spellbinding, adding incrementally to the album’s gripping intensity. “I felt like I needed to get the listener’s attention with this record,” says Shawn. He can consider that a mission accomplished.
Joe Craven
Award winning creativity educator, former museum curator, actor, festival emcee, Director of RiverTunes Music Camp, a Co-Director of the Wintergrass Youth Academy and proud father, Joe Craven’s love of music making has put him in many musical genres and alongside many musicians over the years, from Jerry Garcia, Yo-Yo Ma, David Lindley, Jason Marsalis and Roy Rogers to his fabulous Joe Craven Trio and other groups such as Alison Brown’s Quartet, The Persuasions, Psychograss, The Horseflies and the list goes on. For 17 years, he was percussionist/violinist with mandolinist David Grisman.
Whether presenting a workshop or lecture in a Costa Rican community, to business executives in Contra Costa, CA, or thousands of school kids in Scotland ~ to performing at house concerts, major music festivals, the stage of Carnegie Hall or a street corner at Cannery Row, Joe’s at home and loving every minute.
“Joe Craven is Magical.” ~ San Francisco Chronicle
Whether presenting a workshop or lecture in a Costa Rican community, to business executives in Contra Costa, CA, or thousands of school kids in Scotland ~ to performing at house concerts, major music festivals, the stage of Carnegie Hall or a street corner at Cannery Row, Joe’s at home and loving every minute.
“Joe Craven is Magical.” ~ San Francisco Chronicle
Meiko
The last time we heard from singer-songwriter Meiko, she was touring the world in support of 2012’s The Bright Side, a buoyant, optimistic record awash in the early phases of love. TV shows and commercials across the globe featured the album’s songs, and “Stuck on You” even became a No. 1 radio hit in Japan. Years after launching her songwriting career in the coffeehouses of Los Angeles, Meiko had officially found international recognition.
Her secret affinity for penning unsent letters to the various souls who have penetrated her life inspired her third studio album (and second for Fantasy/Concord) entitled Dear You; a decidedly deeper, darker record about the things that happen once a relationship’s honeymoon phase crashes to a halt. There’s heartbreak, betrayal, and longing enveloped in 11 new songs that mix Meiko’s voice—breathy and intimate—with electronic folk-pop, drum loops, acoustic guitars, keyboards and indelible melodies.
“I like writing letters: love letters, pissed-off letters, breakup letters,” she explains. “Call me passive-aggressive, but it’s easier to write someone a letter than actually confront them in person. I rarely wind up mailing those letters, though. Instead, I turn them into songs. Dear You is an album mostly filled with those unsent notes.”
Meiko turned to producer Jimmy Messer, who also helmed a good chunk of The Bright Side, to help create Dear You’s sophisticated, stripped down sound. Together, the two recorded most of the songs without outside help, only turning to musicians Don Heffington (Bob Dylan, Sheryl Crow) and the Grooveline Horns (Jason Mraz, Dave Matthews Band) for key cameos on a handful of tracks. The goal was to keep things simple, highlighting the album’s intimacy without adding too many bells and whistles. At Meiko’s request, though, Messer did sprinkle some synthesizers and electronic percussion into the mix; drawing a bridge between Meiko’s acoustic songwriting and her lifelong appreciation for electronic pioneers like Portishead.
“I’d play each song on my acoustic guitar,” Meiko remembers, “and then Jimmy and I would build it from there. We’d figure out the right tempo, play around with beats and layer some instruments… We even added a reggaeton beat to ‘Sittin’ Here,’ which was the result of me driving over to Jimmy’s studio, getting caught in traffic, and flipping through songs on the Latin stations. Dear You was like our little art project.”
Meiko’s artistic ambitions date back to 2007, when she began landing shows at the Hotel Cafe, the unofficial headquarters of young, up-and-coming songwriters on the West Coast. Things moved quickly from there. She signed with MySpace Records, reissued her self-titled debut record in 2008, and scored a hit on Triple A radio with “Boys with Girlfriends.” Pop, folk, and rock fans loved her; so did music supervisors, who placed Meiko’s songs in episodes of Grey’s Anatomy, One Tree Hill, and other prime-time TV shows. After signing with Concord Records in 2011, she released The Bright Side, which climbed to No. 1 on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter Albums chart. Meiko hit the road again, selling out concerts from Los Angeles to Tokyo.
Now, following seven years of writing, performing, traveling and learning, Meiko is ready to release her most accomplished album to date. Taking hold of her secret letters, she turns them into sweet ‘n sour alt-pop (“Be Mine”), electronic lullabies (“The Cloud Song”), minimalist indie rock (“Deep Sweat”), and digital folk (“Wake Up”).
Dear You is a breakup album that’s easy to fall in love with.
Her secret affinity for penning unsent letters to the various souls who have penetrated her life inspired her third studio album (and second for Fantasy/Concord) entitled Dear You; a decidedly deeper, darker record about the things that happen once a relationship’s honeymoon phase crashes to a halt. There’s heartbreak, betrayal, and longing enveloped in 11 new songs that mix Meiko’s voice—breathy and intimate—with electronic folk-pop, drum loops, acoustic guitars, keyboards and indelible melodies.
“I like writing letters: love letters, pissed-off letters, breakup letters,” she explains. “Call me passive-aggressive, but it’s easier to write someone a letter than actually confront them in person. I rarely wind up mailing those letters, though. Instead, I turn them into songs. Dear You is an album mostly filled with those unsent notes.”
Meiko turned to producer Jimmy Messer, who also helmed a good chunk of The Bright Side, to help create Dear You’s sophisticated, stripped down sound. Together, the two recorded most of the songs without outside help, only turning to musicians Don Heffington (Bob Dylan, Sheryl Crow) and the Grooveline Horns (Jason Mraz, Dave Matthews Band) for key cameos on a handful of tracks. The goal was to keep things simple, highlighting the album’s intimacy without adding too many bells and whistles. At Meiko’s request, though, Messer did sprinkle some synthesizers and electronic percussion into the mix; drawing a bridge between Meiko’s acoustic songwriting and her lifelong appreciation for electronic pioneers like Portishead.
“I’d play each song on my acoustic guitar,” Meiko remembers, “and then Jimmy and I would build it from there. We’d figure out the right tempo, play around with beats and layer some instruments… We even added a reggaeton beat to ‘Sittin’ Here,’ which was the result of me driving over to Jimmy’s studio, getting caught in traffic, and flipping through songs on the Latin stations. Dear You was like our little art project.”
Meiko’s artistic ambitions date back to 2007, when she began landing shows at the Hotel Cafe, the unofficial headquarters of young, up-and-coming songwriters on the West Coast. Things moved quickly from there. She signed with MySpace Records, reissued her self-titled debut record in 2008, and scored a hit on Triple A radio with “Boys with Girlfriends.” Pop, folk, and rock fans loved her; so did music supervisors, who placed Meiko’s songs in episodes of Grey’s Anatomy, One Tree Hill, and other prime-time TV shows. After signing with Concord Records in 2011, she released The Bright Side, which climbed to No. 1 on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter Albums chart. Meiko hit the road again, selling out concerts from Los Angeles to Tokyo.
Now, following seven years of writing, performing, traveling and learning, Meiko is ready to release her most accomplished album to date. Taking hold of her secret letters, she turns them into sweet ‘n sour alt-pop (“Be Mine”), electronic lullabies (“The Cloud Song”), minimalist indie rock (“Deep Sweat”), and digital folk (“Wake Up”).
Dear You is a breakup album that’s easy to fall in love with.
Willie Sugarcapps
Featuring Will Kimbrough, Sugarcane Jane (Anthony Crawford & Savana Lee), Grayson Capps & Corky Hughes
Way down in lower Alabama, almost every weekend for the past two years, folks have been coming together for amusic gathering called The Frog Pond at Blue Moon Farm. One part house concert, one part Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble, the affair has hosted some of the country's finest songwriters, pickers, bluesman and troubadours rangingfrom Mary Gauthier to Alvin Youngblood Hart, Malcolm Holcombe to Randall Bramblett, Sergio Webb to George Porter, Jr. It was here that frequent encounters between reoccurring artists—Grayson Capps, Will Kimbrough, Corky Hughes and the duo Sugarcane Jane featuring Savana Lee and Anthony Crawford—led to the birth of a band, the aptly named Willie Sugarcapps.
At first it was simply songwriter-in-the-round and jam session-styled collaborations, but it quickly grew to become something more. There was chemistry between the five distinct musicians that inspired a repertoire of songs demanding to be documented. They recruited Capps' longtime partner and Grammy Award-winning producer/engineer Trina Shoemaker to record them, which resulted in the self-titled, debut album, Willie Sugarcapps.The collection presents ten impeccably crafted songs imbued by relaxed performances, angelic harmonies and country Zen sentiment. Band members often take turns singing lead as they switch up between fiddle, banjo, mandolin, lap steel, bass and even ukulele.“
Willie Sugarcapps is a homecoming for all of us,” explains Will Kimbrough. “It’s coming full circle back to the beginning of why we do this in the first place and the joy of what happens when you play and sing with people who are alike in spirit and mind.”
Their collective musical experiences mingle together to create a new kind of organic and artisanal music. It's laid back,it rocks, it comes from classic country, from the blues, from New Orleans and from the best kind of rock 'n' roll. It tells a story through five individual voices full of character and experience with humanity, energy and soul. It's comforting to know that music in the hands of these five artists still happens for no other reason than purely the sake of the music itself.
2013 Independent Music Awards Winners! “Best Americana Album” http://www.independentmusicawards.com/ima/2014/13th-annual-independent-m...
Press Quotes:
“Willie Sugarcapps takes some of coastal Alabama’s biggest talents and puts them together in a format that preserves their individual gifts, adding a group dynamic that makes them seem even better. Remember the 1988 debut of the Traveling Wilburys, that miraculous project that pooled the talents of George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison? Here is Lower Alabama’s answer.” -Mobile Press Register
"almost supernatural level of musical chemistry” Country Standard Time
“If you love the South, check out Willie Sugarcapps” –Los En Bolos
Way down in lower Alabama, almost every weekend for the past two years, folks have been coming together for amusic gathering called The Frog Pond at Blue Moon Farm. One part house concert, one part Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble, the affair has hosted some of the country's finest songwriters, pickers, bluesman and troubadours rangingfrom Mary Gauthier to Alvin Youngblood Hart, Malcolm Holcombe to Randall Bramblett, Sergio Webb to George Porter, Jr. It was here that frequent encounters between reoccurring artists—Grayson Capps, Will Kimbrough, Corky Hughes and the duo Sugarcane Jane featuring Savana Lee and Anthony Crawford—led to the birth of a band, the aptly named Willie Sugarcapps.
At first it was simply songwriter-in-the-round and jam session-styled collaborations, but it quickly grew to become something more. There was chemistry between the five distinct musicians that inspired a repertoire of songs demanding to be documented. They recruited Capps' longtime partner and Grammy Award-winning producer/engineer Trina Shoemaker to record them, which resulted in the self-titled, debut album, Willie Sugarcapps.The collection presents ten impeccably crafted songs imbued by relaxed performances, angelic harmonies and country Zen sentiment. Band members often take turns singing lead as they switch up between fiddle, banjo, mandolin, lap steel, bass and even ukulele.“
Willie Sugarcapps is a homecoming for all of us,” explains Will Kimbrough. “It’s coming full circle back to the beginning of why we do this in the first place and the joy of what happens when you play and sing with people who are alike in spirit and mind.”
Their collective musical experiences mingle together to create a new kind of organic and artisanal music. It's laid back,it rocks, it comes from classic country, from the blues, from New Orleans and from the best kind of rock 'n' roll. It tells a story through five individual voices full of character and experience with humanity, energy and soul. It's comforting to know that music in the hands of these five artists still happens for no other reason than purely the sake of the music itself.
2013 Independent Music Awards Winners! “Best Americana Album” http://www.independentmusicawards.com/ima/2014/13th-annual-independent-m...
Press Quotes:
“Willie Sugarcapps takes some of coastal Alabama’s biggest talents and puts them together in a format that preserves their individual gifts, adding a group dynamic that makes them seem even better. Remember the 1988 debut of the Traveling Wilburys, that miraculous project that pooled the talents of George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison? Here is Lower Alabama’s answer.” -Mobile Press Register
"almost supernatural level of musical chemistry” Country Standard Time
“If you love the South, check out Willie Sugarcapps” –Los En Bolos
Seth Walker
The driving delivery and infectious down-home style of Seth Walker’s voice and songs resonate with Blues and Roots music. Although he is heavily influenced by guitar players--B.B. King, T-Bone Walker and Snooks Eaglin to name just a few, Seth also has a great gift for songwriting in the blues idiom. “These songs sound like classics-- matter of fact, they are!” says Chris Tomlin, Gold Record recording artist.
Growing up in rural North Carolina surrounded by a musical, artistic family has lent itself to Seth’s natural ability to entertain audiences with his music and the ease with which he performs. W.C. Clark, considered The Godfather of Austin’s blues scene, is featured on Seth’s second album Meet Me in the Middle and believes the music is in his blood. “Seth is from a long line of great players and singers. He’s rich with soul, a tasteful player and a warrior in the field.”
Seth has honed his skills for the last ten years in Austin, TX, playing among the best blues musicians in the world. Having shared the stage with icons such as Ray Charles, B.B. King and Jimmie Vaughan, Walker has established himself in the music world as a unique and compelling performer. His eclectic blend of outstanding guitar talent and rootsy, soul filled vocals will thrill any music fan.Seth impressed Taj Mahal when he opened up for the blues legend in 2005. “He’s playing some hip music, with changes and soul,” he commented. “A little, white Ray Charles!”
Growing up in rural North Carolina surrounded by a musical, artistic family has lent itself to Seth’s natural ability to entertain audiences with his music and the ease with which he performs. W.C. Clark, considered The Godfather of Austin’s blues scene, is featured on Seth’s second album Meet Me in the Middle and believes the music is in his blood. “Seth is from a long line of great players and singers. He’s rich with soul, a tasteful player and a warrior in the field.”
Seth has honed his skills for the last ten years in Austin, TX, playing among the best blues musicians in the world. Having shared the stage with icons such as Ray Charles, B.B. King and Jimmie Vaughan, Walker has established himself in the music world as a unique and compelling performer. His eclectic blend of outstanding guitar talent and rootsy, soul filled vocals will thrill any music fan.Seth impressed Taj Mahal when he opened up for the blues legend in 2005. “He’s playing some hip music, with changes and soul,” he commented. “A little, white Ray Charles!”
Caroline Kole
Caroline Kole is not your average teenager. Her normal week may consist of school on Monday, a writing appointment on Tuesday, recording in a studio Wednesday and then opening shows for artists like Reba, Blake Shelton, Alan Jackson, Martina McBride and Charlie Daniels on Friday. At just 16 years old, Caroline knows her passion lies in becoming a Country music artist.
Caroline was born in Houston, TX and grew up in Tampa, FL singing along to The Phantom of the Opera soundtrack and the Dixie Chicks while riding in her car seat. After many failed attempts at sports, she received her first guitar at 8 years old from her parents. Caroline took to it immediately and with green crayon in hand wrote her first song, “Questions,” about a boy at school. Songwriting eventually led Caroline to visit Nashville, where through a friend she was connected to Narvel Blackstock, Reba McEntire’s husband and manager.
Narvel heard Caroline’s song “Old Enough To Love” and immediately wanted to meet her. They have been working together ever since.
In 2011, Caroline moved to Nashville after being offered a publishing and artist development deal with Sony/ATV. She most recently released her debut single, “Money To Me,” on Starstruck Records and can currently be found on the road opening for Reba. Caroline also has an endorsement deal with Martin Guitars.
When Caroline isn’t performing or writing, she can be found out hanging out with her family and friends, shopping online, playing with her cat Rikki or reading.
Caroline was born in Houston, TX and grew up in Tampa, FL singing along to The Phantom of the Opera soundtrack and the Dixie Chicks while riding in her car seat. After many failed attempts at sports, she received her first guitar at 8 years old from her parents. Caroline took to it immediately and with green crayon in hand wrote her first song, “Questions,” about a boy at school. Songwriting eventually led Caroline to visit Nashville, where through a friend she was connected to Narvel Blackstock, Reba McEntire’s husband and manager.
Narvel heard Caroline’s song “Old Enough To Love” and immediately wanted to meet her. They have been working together ever since.
In 2011, Caroline moved to Nashville after being offered a publishing and artist development deal with Sony/ATV. She most recently released her debut single, “Money To Me,” on Starstruck Records and can currently be found on the road opening for Reba. Caroline also has an endorsement deal with Martin Guitars.
When Caroline isn’t performing or writing, she can be found out hanging out with her family and friends, shopping online, playing with her cat Rikki or reading.
Callaghan
Performing live Callaghan plays piano and guitar and delivers a vocal which earns frequent comparisons with artists like Sarah McLachlan and Emmy Lou Harris. Her songs chronicle stories and moments from her own life and from others. Watching her show you’ll enjoy thoughtful lyrics, haunting vocals, and catchy melodies.
Callaghan’s debut album, Life In Full Colour, released in spring 2012. The release was the culmination of a journey which brought the singer-songwriter across the Atlantic from London to live and record in the USA.
A long-time Shawn Mullins fan, Callaghan contacted the Atlanta singer-songwriter through MySpace, and after being knocked out by her music he agreed to a rare collaboration. Callaghan left her London digs and boarded a plane headed for the American South: the experience was the inspiration for the opening track and first single from her album, Best Year.
Life in Full Colour was tracked in and around Atlanta with Mullins both producing and playing on the record. Its 12 songs combine shades of folk, country, rock and pop into a fusion of feeling and melody.
Life in Full Colour has been getting a great reaction. The Huffington Post describes the album as “joyful listening”, while InLiveMusic says “Callaghan’s voice is stunning, clear and is perfect for the story telling of her songs”
2013 saw her releasing her live album ‘Callaghan Live in America’ and touring from coast-to-coast. To enjoy a taste of Callaghan’s music please download her free six song EP ’40 States and Counting’ which draws songs from both her live and studio albums: www.noisetrade.com/callaghan
Callaghan’s debut album, Life In Full Colour, released in spring 2012. The release was the culmination of a journey which brought the singer-songwriter across the Atlantic from London to live and record in the USA.
A long-time Shawn Mullins fan, Callaghan contacted the Atlanta singer-songwriter through MySpace, and after being knocked out by her music he agreed to a rare collaboration. Callaghan left her London digs and boarded a plane headed for the American South: the experience was the inspiration for the opening track and first single from her album, Best Year.
Life in Full Colour was tracked in and around Atlanta with Mullins both producing and playing on the record. Its 12 songs combine shades of folk, country, rock and pop into a fusion of feeling and melody.
Life in Full Colour has been getting a great reaction. The Huffington Post describes the album as “joyful listening”, while InLiveMusic says “Callaghan’s voice is stunning, clear and is perfect for the story telling of her songs”
2013 saw her releasing her live album ‘Callaghan Live in America’ and touring from coast-to-coast. To enjoy a taste of Callaghan’s music please download her free six song EP ’40 States and Counting’ which draws songs from both her live and studio albums: www.noisetrade.com/callaghan
randall bramblett
A jewel of Southern music, Randall Bramblett shines on his latest release, The Bright Spots, due out May 14 on New West Records. Fresh off the inclusion of one of his songs on Bonnie Raitt’s Grammy-winning album Slipstream, he has put together a masterful recording soaked with the soulful feel that has defined his music and that of his Southern contemporaries like Gregg Allman and Warren Haynes. From Howlin’ Wolf to Ray Charles and “dark Motown” influences, sitar samples, gospel strains and even a snippet of water-splashing pygmies, The Bright Spots mixes diverse elements that dovetail into Randall’s finest album yet.
Although sometimes associated with the Southern rock scene built around the ’70s-’80s Capricorn label’s core, Randall has never identified with that sound. “Black music is what I grew up loving and the folk scene really hit me too,” he says. “So it’s a combination of Dylan and Ray Charles.”
Elements of pop, soul, blues, and the sounds of the church combine with Randall’s often wistful, beautifully conceived lyrics on these dozen ruminative, roots-based tunes. “Some of the words come from dreams. I do meditations in the morning and write in a journal,” he says. His lyrical strength is mixing unusual thematic concepts with dry humor. That helps explain the album’s upbeat title. “In almost every song there is darkness, yet some thread of humor. The irony of the bright spots is that there is a lot of hurt in these songs and there are the bright spots too. It’s pain and joy simultaneously. There are gifts of desperation.”
That takes the form of the lowdown “Whatever That Is,” his most overtly blues composition, and the sing-along gospel of “Shine,” which sports an anthemic chorus different from anything Bramblett has previously written. “I’ve tried to push the boundaries, but we always follow the song and see what it needs. If the song doesn’t like something, it will tell you.”
With five songs recorded in Nashville and seven more tracked with his long time touring band on his home turf in Athens, GA, the multi-instrumentalist (guitar, keyboards, woodwinds) says his ninth studio release was the easiest and most organic to record. “It felt good and went quickly,” he explains. “It just fell together easily compared to my other records. We did not obsess about this one. A lot of it is live in the studio; we didn’t do a lot of takes or overdubs either.”
Perhaps that’s because the songs come from the experiences accumulated during his extensive career, starting in the ’70s as a member of the jazzy Southern band Sea Level. Add to that a far-reaching resume of work with artists such as Steve Winwood (for 16 years), Gregg Allman, Chuck Leavell, Levon Helm, Widespread Panic, and Gov’t Mule, and the touchstones of Randall’s music emerge. “All these songs came from my life, just feeling that I’m getting a little older and trying to squeeze out a little more time or creativity before it’s too late.”
Having a surfeit of original material to choose from, and highly creative, imaginative musicians in both Nashville and Athens to flesh out the tracks and mold them into bold, soulful statements also helped. “I had 18-20 songs and chose the best 12. As you start recording, you get a feel for where the record is going and it starts to have a life of its own. I have a lot of different styles I can do . . . I like variety but it shouldn’t sound like it’s arbitrary.” As in the past, Bramblett’s dusky, soulful voice and sympathetic backing is unified by the sharp production of veteran shotgun-riding drummer Gerry Hansen. He effortlessly ties the somewhat disparate elements that include short bits of African pygmy children splashing water, and the occasional R&B horn section, together into a cohesive set.
It helps to have high profile fans too. The multi-Grammy winning Raitt has been a Bramblett devotee since the late Stephen Bruton gave her a copy of 2001’s No More Mr. Lucky. She invited Bramblett’s band on the road to open shows and recorded his compositions “God Was in the Water” which appears on the album Souls Alike, and the gutsy “Used To Rule the World” (which has become a focus track) on Slipstream, which in addition to winning Grammy gold has sold more than 300,000 units to date.
The self-effacing artist downplays his previous sideman status, yet is grateful for valuable lessons gained from his work with Gregg Allman (“I learned about organ, vocals and drama through the bluesiness and dynamics of his playing”), watching The Band’s Levon Helm (“his joy of playing freed me up”) and Steve Winwood (“he taught me a lot about organ and melody, working out details and how to create the background beds he was so good at”).
The challenge of composing moving, often emotionally driven songs with words that aim to stir the listener’s feelings has always motivated Bramblett and creates this inspired album. Writing a song is “like playing with the pieces of a puzzle or playing in the sand until you start seeing something,” he asserts.
Despite Bramblett’s antecedents in Americana and specifically Southern music, this is no stroll down the red clay back roads of his youth. The album bridges the past and the present in the loop-driven rhythms of “John the Baptist,” “Trying To Steal a Minute” and the upbeat groove funk of “’Til the Party’s All Gone” as well as the more meditative keyboard based ballad “Detox Bracelet.” Overall The Bright Spots is steeped in soul with a modern edge. “I didn’t want to make a retro record. I like doing something different every time,” he says.
Randall Bramblett continues to push the envelope of his Southern soul into areas that further illuminate his past, while expanding and nudging his roots into the future. The music reflects “a lot of angst, salvation and redemption but it all comes from my experiences,” he concludes. “It’s an honest album that has heart.”
Although sometimes associated with the Southern rock scene built around the ’70s-’80s Capricorn label’s core, Randall has never identified with that sound. “Black music is what I grew up loving and the folk scene really hit me too,” he says. “So it’s a combination of Dylan and Ray Charles.”
Elements of pop, soul, blues, and the sounds of the church combine with Randall’s often wistful, beautifully conceived lyrics on these dozen ruminative, roots-based tunes. “Some of the words come from dreams. I do meditations in the morning and write in a journal,” he says. His lyrical strength is mixing unusual thematic concepts with dry humor. That helps explain the album’s upbeat title. “In almost every song there is darkness, yet some thread of humor. The irony of the bright spots is that there is a lot of hurt in these songs and there are the bright spots too. It’s pain and joy simultaneously. There are gifts of desperation.”
That takes the form of the lowdown “Whatever That Is,” his most overtly blues composition, and the sing-along gospel of “Shine,” which sports an anthemic chorus different from anything Bramblett has previously written. “I’ve tried to push the boundaries, but we always follow the song and see what it needs. If the song doesn’t like something, it will tell you.”
With five songs recorded in Nashville and seven more tracked with his long time touring band on his home turf in Athens, GA, the multi-instrumentalist (guitar, keyboards, woodwinds) says his ninth studio release was the easiest and most organic to record. “It felt good and went quickly,” he explains. “It just fell together easily compared to my other records. We did not obsess about this one. A lot of it is live in the studio; we didn’t do a lot of takes or overdubs either.”
Perhaps that’s because the songs come from the experiences accumulated during his extensive career, starting in the ’70s as a member of the jazzy Southern band Sea Level. Add to that a far-reaching resume of work with artists such as Steve Winwood (for 16 years), Gregg Allman, Chuck Leavell, Levon Helm, Widespread Panic, and Gov’t Mule, and the touchstones of Randall’s music emerge. “All these songs came from my life, just feeling that I’m getting a little older and trying to squeeze out a little more time or creativity before it’s too late.”
Having a surfeit of original material to choose from, and highly creative, imaginative musicians in both Nashville and Athens to flesh out the tracks and mold them into bold, soulful statements also helped. “I had 18-20 songs and chose the best 12. As you start recording, you get a feel for where the record is going and it starts to have a life of its own. I have a lot of different styles I can do . . . I like variety but it shouldn’t sound like it’s arbitrary.” As in the past, Bramblett’s dusky, soulful voice and sympathetic backing is unified by the sharp production of veteran shotgun-riding drummer Gerry Hansen. He effortlessly ties the somewhat disparate elements that include short bits of African pygmy children splashing water, and the occasional R&B horn section, together into a cohesive set.
It helps to have high profile fans too. The multi-Grammy winning Raitt has been a Bramblett devotee since the late Stephen Bruton gave her a copy of 2001’s No More Mr. Lucky. She invited Bramblett’s band on the road to open shows and recorded his compositions “God Was in the Water” which appears on the album Souls Alike, and the gutsy “Used To Rule the World” (which has become a focus track) on Slipstream, which in addition to winning Grammy gold has sold more than 300,000 units to date.
The self-effacing artist downplays his previous sideman status, yet is grateful for valuable lessons gained from his work with Gregg Allman (“I learned about organ, vocals and drama through the bluesiness and dynamics of his playing”), watching The Band’s Levon Helm (“his joy of playing freed me up”) and Steve Winwood (“he taught me a lot about organ and melody, working out details and how to create the background beds he was so good at”).
The challenge of composing moving, often emotionally driven songs with words that aim to stir the listener’s feelings has always motivated Bramblett and creates this inspired album. Writing a song is “like playing with the pieces of a puzzle or playing in the sand until you start seeing something,” he asserts.
Despite Bramblett’s antecedents in Americana and specifically Southern music, this is no stroll down the red clay back roads of his youth. The album bridges the past and the present in the loop-driven rhythms of “John the Baptist,” “Trying To Steal a Minute” and the upbeat groove funk of “’Til the Party’s All Gone” as well as the more meditative keyboard based ballad “Detox Bracelet.” Overall The Bright Spots is steeped in soul with a modern edge. “I didn’t want to make a retro record. I like doing something different every time,” he says.
Randall Bramblett continues to push the envelope of his Southern soul into areas that further illuminate his past, while expanding and nudging his roots into the future. The music reflects “a lot of angst, salvation and redemption but it all comes from my experiences,” he concludes. “It’s an honest album that has heart.”
The Vespers
The Vespers are one of those bands that have built an extensive underground following simply through word of mouth and heavy touring. The band is uniquely made up of two sibling duos; the Cryar sisters, and the Jones brothers. The four have distinguished their sound with an arsenal of acoustic instruments and harmonies only siblings can create. Their showmanship generates a roller coaster of sight, sound, and emotion and their inherent chemistry continues to set them apart. The band has independently released two full-length records and have been busy touring all across the US wherever folks will let them since their first “jam” back in May 2009.
SongFest 2015 Set List:
Grinnin • Signs • We Win • Break the Cycle • Cynical Soul • Out West • Better Now • New Kids • Sisters and Brothers • Close My Eyes
SongFest 2015 Set List:
Grinnin • Signs • We Win • Break the Cycle • Cynical Soul • Out West • Better Now • New Kids • Sisters and Brothers • Close My Eyes
david jacobs-strain
David Jacobs-Strain is a fierce slide guitar player, and a song poet from Oregon. He’s known for both his virtuosity and spirit of emotional abandon; his live show moves from humorous, subversive blues, to delicate balladry, and then swings back to swampy rock and roll. It’s a range that ties Jacobs-Strain to his own generation and to guitar-slinger troubadours like Robert Johnson and Jackson Browne. “I try to make art that you can dance to, but I love that darker place, where in my mind, Skip James, Nick Drake, and maybe Elliot Smith blur together.” His new album, “Geneseo,” speaks of open roads, longing hearts and flashbacks of Oregon– a record of emotions big and small, and lyrics that turn quickly from literal to figurative. “I’m fascinated by the way that rural blues inscribes movement and transience. The music that frees a singer keeps them on the run; there’s a crossroads where a thing can be enchanting but dangerous; damaging but beautiful.”
Geneseo began as an experiment. Camped out in a converted 1820s church, Jacobs-Strain recorded guitar and vocals on a laptop, rarely using more than one microphone. “It was winter in rural upstate New York. We had very little daylight but endless old instruments to try: a swap-meet banjo on one song, on another, the Conn Electric Band–an orphaned keyboard from the 60s –which seemed to sound best only on tuesdays.” A road trip to Los Angeles brought in Scott Seiver (Pete Yorn, Flight of the Concords) on drums, and, after a chance meeting in a Hollywood bar, Jon Flaughers (Ryan Adams) on bass and David Immergluck (Counting Crows) on pedal steel. “I had all the songs written but I didn’t have a budget or a plan. I couldn’t stand waiting, so we just started recording ad hoc.” Caitlin Carey of Whiskey Town sent harmonies and fiddle tracks by email, Band of Horses’ Bill Reynolds Dropboxed a track for the impressionist blues “Josephine,” and long-time collaborator Bob Beach recorded harmonica solos in Philadelphia. By spring, the record was an overwhelming collage of sounds and parts. To pair the record back to its organic core, David enlisted two Oregon engineers, Beau Sorenson (Death Cab for Cutie) and Billy Barnett (Frank Black, Cherry Popping Daddies): “Everything that would fit on twenty-three tracks was moved to analog tape, then we turned off the computer screen and mixed as if it was forty years ago.”
Jacobs-Strain began playing on street corners and at farmers markets as a teenager, and bought his first steel guitar with the quarters he saved up. Before he dropped out of Stanford to play full time, he had already appeared at festivals across the country, often billed as a blues prodigy, but he had to fight to avoid being a novelty act: “I wanted to tell new stories, it just wasn’t enough to relive the feelings in other people’s music.”
On Geneseo, old sounds become new, the blues takes an unexpected turn, and Jacobs-Strain moves further into his own territory. The gleaming, mercurial “Golden Gate” eddies and surges with glinting guitar strings: “I needed you like you needed me/ like a prisoner needs a broken key/ I never knew the secret behind your smile/ but I heard the scream behind your sigh.” When Dan Brantigan’s horn section–recorded in a NY city walk-up– roars in, the song leaps from confession to nightmare: “I dreamt a war with no end or retreat/ I cried out for more but there were none to defeat/ I clung to the shore as blood filled the street/ the devil tossed me an oar and cracked his canteen.” Jacobs-Strain recalls, “Late one night, in a stream-of-consciousness, I filled page after page with seemingly unrelated couplets. I had a lucky accident when I began to play the guitar–mistakenly in the wrong tuning– the slide riff fell right under my hand and the song came to life.”
“Raleigh” arcs gently, with the cadence of a Carolina railroad, bearing an understated pathos: “She says that love is made of diamonds/ I say it’s made of glass/ sharper than a winter morning/ tonight I have no words to get it back.” “I had the guitar part for months, but the meaning of the song came later. I tried to write it about somebody else– I’ve never been to Raleigh! But when I finished the lyrics–on a park bench in Wyoming– I looked at the page and thought ‘Dang!– that’s about me, isn’t it?’”
There’s an excitement about Geneseo that comes from having the record funded by fans: over two hundred people pitched in on Kickstarter to pay for the mixing and promotion: “This record is intentionally under the corporate music radar; I’ve been making music on my own since I was a kid– it’s the only thing I’ve ever fooled anyone into paying me to do! It feels very sweet to have people stand up and say that it means something to them.”
David Jacobs-Strain has appeared at festivals from British Columbia to Australia, including Merlefest, Telluride Blues Festival, Philadelphia Folk Festival, Hardly Strictly, Bumbershoot, and Blues to Bop in Switzerland. He’s taught at Jorma Kaukonen’s Fur Peace Ranch, and at fifteen years old was on the faculty at Centrum’s Blues and Heritage workshop. On the road, he’s shared the stage with Lucinda Williams, Boz Scaggs (more than 60 shows), Etta James, The Doobie Brothers, George Thorogood, Robert Earle Keen, Todd Snider, Taj Mahal, Janis Ian, Tommy Emmanuel, Bob Weir, T-Bone Burnett, and Del McCoury.
Geneseo began as an experiment. Camped out in a converted 1820s church, Jacobs-Strain recorded guitar and vocals on a laptop, rarely using more than one microphone. “It was winter in rural upstate New York. We had very little daylight but endless old instruments to try: a swap-meet banjo on one song, on another, the Conn Electric Band–an orphaned keyboard from the 60s –which seemed to sound best only on tuesdays.” A road trip to Los Angeles brought in Scott Seiver (Pete Yorn, Flight of the Concords) on drums, and, after a chance meeting in a Hollywood bar, Jon Flaughers (Ryan Adams) on bass and David Immergluck (Counting Crows) on pedal steel. “I had all the songs written but I didn’t have a budget or a plan. I couldn’t stand waiting, so we just started recording ad hoc.” Caitlin Carey of Whiskey Town sent harmonies and fiddle tracks by email, Band of Horses’ Bill Reynolds Dropboxed a track for the impressionist blues “Josephine,” and long-time collaborator Bob Beach recorded harmonica solos in Philadelphia. By spring, the record was an overwhelming collage of sounds and parts. To pair the record back to its organic core, David enlisted two Oregon engineers, Beau Sorenson (Death Cab for Cutie) and Billy Barnett (Frank Black, Cherry Popping Daddies): “Everything that would fit on twenty-three tracks was moved to analog tape, then we turned off the computer screen and mixed as if it was forty years ago.”
Jacobs-Strain began playing on street corners and at farmers markets as a teenager, and bought his first steel guitar with the quarters he saved up. Before he dropped out of Stanford to play full time, he had already appeared at festivals across the country, often billed as a blues prodigy, but he had to fight to avoid being a novelty act: “I wanted to tell new stories, it just wasn’t enough to relive the feelings in other people’s music.”
On Geneseo, old sounds become new, the blues takes an unexpected turn, and Jacobs-Strain moves further into his own territory. The gleaming, mercurial “Golden Gate” eddies and surges with glinting guitar strings: “I needed you like you needed me/ like a prisoner needs a broken key/ I never knew the secret behind your smile/ but I heard the scream behind your sigh.” When Dan Brantigan’s horn section–recorded in a NY city walk-up– roars in, the song leaps from confession to nightmare: “I dreamt a war with no end or retreat/ I cried out for more but there were none to defeat/ I clung to the shore as blood filled the street/ the devil tossed me an oar and cracked his canteen.” Jacobs-Strain recalls, “Late one night, in a stream-of-consciousness, I filled page after page with seemingly unrelated couplets. I had a lucky accident when I began to play the guitar–mistakenly in the wrong tuning– the slide riff fell right under my hand and the song came to life.”
“Raleigh” arcs gently, with the cadence of a Carolina railroad, bearing an understated pathos: “She says that love is made of diamonds/ I say it’s made of glass/ sharper than a winter morning/ tonight I have no words to get it back.” “I had the guitar part for months, but the meaning of the song came later. I tried to write it about somebody else– I’ve never been to Raleigh! But when I finished the lyrics–on a park bench in Wyoming– I looked at the page and thought ‘Dang!– that’s about me, isn’t it?’”
There’s an excitement about Geneseo that comes from having the record funded by fans: over two hundred people pitched in on Kickstarter to pay for the mixing and promotion: “This record is intentionally under the corporate music radar; I’ve been making music on my own since I was a kid– it’s the only thing I’ve ever fooled anyone into paying me to do! It feels very sweet to have people stand up and say that it means something to them.”
David Jacobs-Strain has appeared at festivals from British Columbia to Australia, including Merlefest, Telluride Blues Festival, Philadelphia Folk Festival, Hardly Strictly, Bumbershoot, and Blues to Bop in Switzerland. He’s taught at Jorma Kaukonen’s Fur Peace Ranch, and at fifteen years old was on the faculty at Centrum’s Blues and Heritage workshop. On the road, he’s shared the stage with Lucinda Williams, Boz Scaggs (more than 60 shows), Etta James, The Doobie Brothers, George Thorogood, Robert Earle Keen, Todd Snider, Taj Mahal, Janis Ian, Tommy Emmanuel, Bob Weir, T-Bone Burnett, and Del McCoury.
Jim Lauderdale
Jim Lauderdale is a Grammy® Award winning musician and one of the most respected artists working in the Bluegrass, Country and Americana music communities today. He is considered one of Nashville’s “A” list of songwriters with songs recorded by artists such as Patty Loveless, Shelby Lynne, Solomon Burke, The Dixie Chicks and George Strait, who has had numerous hits with Jim’s songs. Jim’s music has been featured recently on the ABC hit show “Nashville” and he had several tracks on the soundtrack of the successful film “Pure Country.” Jim is also in high demand as a player, touring with the likes of Lucinda Williams, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Rhonda Vincent and Elvis Costello.
Jim, who frequently collaborates with legends like Ralph Stanley and Elvis Costello, is also a critically acclaimed solo artist with dozens of studio releases, including his latest Carolina Moonrise, written with Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter and Buddy and Jim the critically acclaimed new duets album recorded with long time friend Buddy Miller of which Mojo states: “Miller and Lauderdale’s duets have both the easy familiarity of old friends and the musicianship of old pros.”
In addition to making music together, Buddy and Jim also co-host “The Buddy & Jim Show,” recently described as “…highly entertaining…” by NPR’s Fresh Air. Each week Buddy and Jim invite artists to Buddy’s home studio in Nashville, where they tape performances and in depth interviews with a wide variety of artists and friends. Jim also hosts the popular Music City Roots each week from the Loveless Barn in Nashville. And since winning “Artist of the Year” and “Song of the Year” at the first “Honors and Awards Show” held by the Americana Music Association in 2002, he has subsequently hosted the show each year.
Jim is the subject of a new documentary, directed by Australian filmmaker Jeremy Dylan called “The King Of Broken Hearts.” The feature length documentary tells of Jim’s unconventional and prolific story from his North Carolina roots, being immersed in the country music scenes in both New York City and Los Angeles, to breaking through in Nashville as a songwriter.
Jim’s musical influences, including the legendary Dr. Ralph Stanley and George Jones, can be heard in his songs with his unique sense of melody and lyrical expertise. He won his first Grammy Award in 2002 with Dr. Ralph Stanley for Lost in the Lonesome Pines (Dualtone) and then for The Bluegrass Diaries (Yep Roc) in 2007. In addition to previously mentioned releases, as a performer Jim is credited with production, writing and collaborating on over two dozen albums including Wait ‘Til Spring (SkyCrunch/Dualtone 2003) with Donna the Buffalo and Headed for the Hills (Dualtone 2004) his first total project with Robert Hunter, Planet of Love (Reprise 1991,) Pretty Close to the Truth (Atlantic 1994,) Every Second Counts (Atlantic 1995,) Persimmons (Upstart 1998,) Whisper (BNA 1998,) Onward Through It All (RCA 1999,) The Other Sessions (Dualtone 2001,) The Hummingbirds (Dualtone 2002,) Bluegrass (Yep Roc 2006,) Country Super Hits, Volume 1 (Yep Roc 2006,) Honey Songs (Yep Roc 2008), Could We Get Any Closer? (SkyCrunch 2009,) Patchwork River (Thirty Tigers 2010), Reason and Rhyme (Sugar Hill Records 2011), and Carolina Moonrise (SkyCrunch/Compass Records 2012.)
Jim, who frequently collaborates with legends like Ralph Stanley and Elvis Costello, is also a critically acclaimed solo artist with dozens of studio releases, including his latest Carolina Moonrise, written with Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter and Buddy and Jim the critically acclaimed new duets album recorded with long time friend Buddy Miller of which Mojo states: “Miller and Lauderdale’s duets have both the easy familiarity of old friends and the musicianship of old pros.”
In addition to making music together, Buddy and Jim also co-host “The Buddy & Jim Show,” recently described as “…highly entertaining…” by NPR’s Fresh Air. Each week Buddy and Jim invite artists to Buddy’s home studio in Nashville, where they tape performances and in depth interviews with a wide variety of artists and friends. Jim also hosts the popular Music City Roots each week from the Loveless Barn in Nashville. And since winning “Artist of the Year” and “Song of the Year” at the first “Honors and Awards Show” held by the Americana Music Association in 2002, he has subsequently hosted the show each year.
Jim is the subject of a new documentary, directed by Australian filmmaker Jeremy Dylan called “The King Of Broken Hearts.” The feature length documentary tells of Jim’s unconventional and prolific story from his North Carolina roots, being immersed in the country music scenes in both New York City and Los Angeles, to breaking through in Nashville as a songwriter.
Jim’s musical influences, including the legendary Dr. Ralph Stanley and George Jones, can be heard in his songs with his unique sense of melody and lyrical expertise. He won his first Grammy Award in 2002 with Dr. Ralph Stanley for Lost in the Lonesome Pines (Dualtone) and then for The Bluegrass Diaries (Yep Roc) in 2007. In addition to previously mentioned releases, as a performer Jim is credited with production, writing and collaborating on over two dozen albums including Wait ‘Til Spring (SkyCrunch/Dualtone 2003) with Donna the Buffalo and Headed for the Hills (Dualtone 2004) his first total project with Robert Hunter, Planet of Love (Reprise 1991,) Pretty Close to the Truth (Atlantic 1994,) Every Second Counts (Atlantic 1995,) Persimmons (Upstart 1998,) Whisper (BNA 1998,) Onward Through It All (RCA 1999,) The Other Sessions (Dualtone 2001,) The Hummingbirds (Dualtone 2002,) Bluegrass (Yep Roc 2006,) Country Super Hits, Volume 1 (Yep Roc 2006,) Honey Songs (Yep Roc 2008), Could We Get Any Closer? (SkyCrunch 2009,) Patchwork River (Thirty Tigers 2010), Reason and Rhyme (Sugar Hill Records 2011), and Carolina Moonrise (SkyCrunch/Compass Records 2012.)
Kawehi
With a voice uniquely her own, Hawaiian singer-songwriter Kawehi draws you in with her catchy hooks and honest lyric. Manned by a Guitar, KoAloha 'Ukulele and Boss RC-300 Looping Station, she's known across the nation as a "one-man band," creating intricate loops via beatboxing and creative guitar/'ukulele usage. Since taking a GIANT leap to L.A. from her home in Hawai'i, she has been featured in Music Connection Magazine's "Hot 100 Unsigned Artists & Bands" in 2011. In less than a year, her videos have been featured on CBS News Most Viral Videos, Vimeo, Booooooom! and Sony Music. Kawehi is also known across the web as "The Kickstarter Darling," raising funds for three EP's through crowd-funding alone, made possible by Kickstarter. In February 2013, she played for the TED attendees at the TED 2013 Conference in Long Beach, CA.
Now with over 300 shows nationally under her belt, Kawehi is making a name for herself as a true DIY artist, creating music that is both tangible and relative - and generating much-deserved attention from both fans and industry folk alike.
Now with over 300 shows nationally under her belt, Kawehi is making a name for herself as a true DIY artist, creating music that is both tangible and relative - and generating much-deserved attention from both fans and industry folk alike.
Joseph Arthur
Joseph Arthur (born September 28, 1971) is an American singer-songwriter and artist from Akron, Ohio. He is best known for his solo material, and as a member of Fistful of Mercy and RNDM. Combining poetic lyrics with a layered sonic palette, Arthur has built his reputation over the years through critically acclaimed releases and constant touring; his unique solo live performances often incorporate the use of a number of distortion and loop pedals, and his shows are recorded live at the soundboard and made available to concertgoers immediately following the show on recordable media.
Arthur was discovered by Peter Gabriel in the mid-1990s, and signed to Gabriel's Real World label as the first North American artist on the label's roster. Arthur released his debut album, Big City Secrets (1997), and follow-up, Come to Where I'm From (2000), on Real World before signing with various independent labels between 2002 and 2006. He established his own record label, Lonely Astronaut Records, in 2006, and released two studio albums, Let's Just Be (2007) and Temporary People (2008) with backing band The Lonely Astronauts. Arthur subsequently returned to performing and recording as a solo artist, releasing The Graduation Ceremony in 2011 and the double album, Redemption City in 2012.
In 2013, Arthur started a Pledge Music campaign to fund the release of his tenth studio album, The Ballad of Boogie Christ. The album was released on June 11, 2013.
Arthur is also an acclaimed painter and designer. His artwork has graced the sleeves of his entire discography; the sleeve design for his 1999 extended play Vacancy was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording Package.
Arthur was discovered by Peter Gabriel in the mid-1990s, and signed to Gabriel's Real World label as the first North American artist on the label's roster. Arthur released his debut album, Big City Secrets (1997), and follow-up, Come to Where I'm From (2000), on Real World before signing with various independent labels between 2002 and 2006. He established his own record label, Lonely Astronaut Records, in 2006, and released two studio albums, Let's Just Be (2007) and Temporary People (2008) with backing band The Lonely Astronauts. Arthur subsequently returned to performing and recording as a solo artist, releasing The Graduation Ceremony in 2011 and the double album, Redemption City in 2012.
In 2013, Arthur started a Pledge Music campaign to fund the release of his tenth studio album, The Ballad of Boogie Christ. The album was released on June 11, 2013.
Arthur is also an acclaimed painter and designer. His artwork has graced the sleeves of his entire discography; the sleeve design for his 1999 extended play Vacancy was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording Package.
Daphne Willis
With Chicago roots and Texas ties, Daphne Willis brings both musicality and grit to the songs she writes and plays. Born in San Antonio to a classically trained vocalist and audio engineer, Daphne began singing at an early age and found her way to the guitar in high school. Since then, she’s developed the confidence, melodic mastery and vocal range that have won her admirers from here to Beijing.
Daphne didn’t plan a career in music. But as a student at DePaul University in Chicago, she found herself performing at open mic nights, which led to regular Chicago gigs and, eventually, a decision to leave school and hit the road. So she assembled a band and began playing 200 shows a year across the United States. Daphne released her independent EP Matter of Time in September 2007; in a twist of fate, Vanguard Records head Kevin Welk heard a track on an American Airlines flight. This led to a record deal in 2008 and the release of her second EP, Exhibit A.
To record her first full-length album, Daphne headed to the hills of Tennessee. She released What to Say in 2010, which was co-produced by Tim Lauer and Grammy winner Gary Paczosa. Album number two, Because I Can, came out in 2011 and reached the number two spot on iTunes’ Top 40 Singer/Songwriter Chart. On her latest EP, Inside Outright, Daphne co-wrote songs with Hunter Davis, Chris Faulk, Angela Lauer, John Oates of Hall & Oates, Keri Barnes and Tim Lauer.
Daphne currently calls Nashville home, where she crafts her distinct brand of pop and is poised to expand her fan base world wide.
Daphne didn’t plan a career in music. But as a student at DePaul University in Chicago, she found herself performing at open mic nights, which led to regular Chicago gigs and, eventually, a decision to leave school and hit the road. So she assembled a band and began playing 200 shows a year across the United States. Daphne released her independent EP Matter of Time in September 2007; in a twist of fate, Vanguard Records head Kevin Welk heard a track on an American Airlines flight. This led to a record deal in 2008 and the release of her second EP, Exhibit A.
To record her first full-length album, Daphne headed to the hills of Tennessee. She released What to Say in 2010, which was co-produced by Tim Lauer and Grammy winner Gary Paczosa. Album number two, Because I Can, came out in 2011 and reached the number two spot on iTunes’ Top 40 Singer/Songwriter Chart. On her latest EP, Inside Outright, Daphne co-wrote songs with Hunter Davis, Chris Faulk, Angela Lauer, John Oates of Hall & Oates, Keri Barnes and Tim Lauer.
Daphne currently calls Nashville home, where she crafts her distinct brand of pop and is poised to expand her fan base world wide.
Chris Gelbuda
Chris Gelbuda is one of Nashville's brightest new writers. Originally from Chicago, Chris made his way to Nashville after Billy Currington began performing his song "Wingman", which was co-written with Jeff Silbar (Wind Beneath My Wings). Currington eventually cut the song for his new album "We Are Tonight", which is steadily climbing the charts. "Wingman" is slated to be released as a radio single this summer. Chris also writes songs for pop artists. His song "Nintendo" (performed by Todd Carey) is currently going viral on YouTube, and his song "Can't Blame A Girl For Trying" is climbing the Radio Disney and XM charts (performed by actress Sabrina Carpenter of the new Disney show "Girl Meets World"). Chris has written songs with some of the best writers and artists in Nashville and LA, including: Jeffrey Steele, Big Al Anderson, Jeff Silbar, John Mabe, Mark D. Sanders, Jon McLaughlin, Gary Nicholson, Marcus Hummon, Stephony Smith, and Shawn Camp.
Ryan Montbleau
Ryan Montbleau, who has been recording and touring as both a solo act and bandleader for much of the last 15 years, moves people. A gifted songwriter, he has developed a very special history and bond to a deeply-rooted fanbase that now stretches all over the United States and beyond. Montbleau's transcendent songcraft and powerful, uplifting voice can tackle intense topics just as easily as expressing life's simple, everyday joys. He continues to speak to a generation of fans who have been along for his rise. Like an intense, slow-burning wildfire, Montbleau has toured relentlessly and connected with audiences night after night, year after year.
A self-described late-bloomer, Montbleau didn't start singing until he was 21 years old while attending his final semsester of college at Villanova University. “I had been playing guitar night and day during those years and eventually I was studying poetry very seriously and writing poetry of my own. Once I started to sing, all of those elements came into alignment I knew what I wanted to do.” In 2003, he formed the Ryan Montbleau Band, which spent 10 solid years on the road until disbanding in 2013 after countless successful national tours, three studio records, and a double-live album recorded in partnership with Boston-based Life is good.
"Currently I am a band of one," Montbleau said in 2014. "I had an amazing group of guys on the road for a decade. We drove about 60,000 miles a year and played 200 shows a year. But last year we closed that chapter of our musical lives. We'll see what the future brings. In the meantime I'm continuing to play solo, as I have always loved to do. And I'm excited to be putting together new band configurations. It's all taking me back to the center of who I am as a performer and as a songwriter and who I want to be as an artist."
In 2014, Montbleau’s band configurations have been as inspired as his art. For his Gathering of the Vibes performance in July—his tenth appearance at the Festival—the band of ‘Friends’ he assembled included Marco Benevento, Mike Dillon, Stanley Jordan, Marc Friedman, John Kimock and Kenwood Denard.
He’s no stranger to playing with such world-class players. Montbleau's last record, For Higher, featured George Porter, Jr. on bass, Anders Osborne on guitar, Ivan Neville on keys and Simon Lott on drums, and was recorded over the course of two days in New Orleans with Galactic's Ben Ellman producing. The album is a bit different than Montbleau's band records in that he added some inspired cover tunes to the mix. But at the end of the day, Montbleau is a writer through and through.
"Songwriting sits at the center of my life, basically. I always look at life through the lens of songwriting and poetry. I tend to get little scraps of writing done constantly throughout each day and night of my life. The real challenge is to build and create finished pieces and to uncover the truth of a particular song. The words have to be just right and I don't stop until I get it right."
At the end of the day, it works. An example is one of his best-known songs, '75 and Sunny,' a deceptively upbeat tune heavy on introspection and wordplay, as are most of Montbleau's songs. He was also invited to contribute songwriting ('Something Beautiful,' 'One Night Only') to Backatown, Trombone Shorty's Grammy-nominated debut album. That went so well, Montbleau co-wrote two more songs ('Do To Me,' 'Roses') for Shorty's 2011 follow-up, For True.
"I've gone through a huge transition over the last year and I feel like I'm coming out on the other side beaming brighter than ever. I'm excited by the new people I've gotten to play with as well as just being able to see the effect that these songs can still have on a crowd. Whether it's solo acoustic, with a trio, or with a full band of amazing players, my goal is to put on a great show every single night and to sing my truth as clearly as I can. I think I've been doing that and it's what I love to do."
A self-described late-bloomer, Montbleau didn't start singing until he was 21 years old while attending his final semsester of college at Villanova University. “I had been playing guitar night and day during those years and eventually I was studying poetry very seriously and writing poetry of my own. Once I started to sing, all of those elements came into alignment I knew what I wanted to do.” In 2003, he formed the Ryan Montbleau Band, which spent 10 solid years on the road until disbanding in 2013 after countless successful national tours, three studio records, and a double-live album recorded in partnership with Boston-based Life is good.
"Currently I am a band of one," Montbleau said in 2014. "I had an amazing group of guys on the road for a decade. We drove about 60,000 miles a year and played 200 shows a year. But last year we closed that chapter of our musical lives. We'll see what the future brings. In the meantime I'm continuing to play solo, as I have always loved to do. And I'm excited to be putting together new band configurations. It's all taking me back to the center of who I am as a performer and as a songwriter and who I want to be as an artist."
In 2014, Montbleau’s band configurations have been as inspired as his art. For his Gathering of the Vibes performance in July—his tenth appearance at the Festival—the band of ‘Friends’ he assembled included Marco Benevento, Mike Dillon, Stanley Jordan, Marc Friedman, John Kimock and Kenwood Denard.
He’s no stranger to playing with such world-class players. Montbleau's last record, For Higher, featured George Porter, Jr. on bass, Anders Osborne on guitar, Ivan Neville on keys and Simon Lott on drums, and was recorded over the course of two days in New Orleans with Galactic's Ben Ellman producing. The album is a bit different than Montbleau's band records in that he added some inspired cover tunes to the mix. But at the end of the day, Montbleau is a writer through and through.
"Songwriting sits at the center of my life, basically. I always look at life through the lens of songwriting and poetry. I tend to get little scraps of writing done constantly throughout each day and night of my life. The real challenge is to build and create finished pieces and to uncover the truth of a particular song. The words have to be just right and I don't stop until I get it right."
At the end of the day, it works. An example is one of his best-known songs, '75 and Sunny,' a deceptively upbeat tune heavy on introspection and wordplay, as are most of Montbleau's songs. He was also invited to contribute songwriting ('Something Beautiful,' 'One Night Only') to Backatown, Trombone Shorty's Grammy-nominated debut album. That went so well, Montbleau co-wrote two more songs ('Do To Me,' 'Roses') for Shorty's 2011 follow-up, For True.
"I've gone through a huge transition over the last year and I feel like I'm coming out on the other side beaming brighter than ever. I'm excited by the new people I've gotten to play with as well as just being able to see the effect that these songs can still have on a crowd. Whether it's solo acoustic, with a trio, or with a full band of amazing players, my goal is to put on a great show every single night and to sing my truth as clearly as I can. I think I've been doing that and it's what I love to do."
Gareth Asher
With the kind of voice that stops every passer-by on it's sheer power and resonance, Gareth Asher’s music has grabbed the attention of some pretty impressive names in the music industry both in and out of his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia.
Born and raised in a small town of West GA, music found Gareth at an early age. "My family was very musical. My Father a songwriter/guitarist, my Mother a drummer. They were part of the hot local band, Touchstone, and they would play parties in barns and fields, build stages out of old trailers and plywood, and rock the local gatherings of hippies and music lovers. I have fond memories of watching my Mom breaking drum sticks, and my Dad singing the songs that I still sing today. Their love for music paved the way for me. They were... they are my main inspiration", says Asher.
As a singer-songwriter, Gareth also attributes many of his musical sensibilities to influential artists like Jackson Browne, Don Henley and Otis Redding. Some of his current influences are more contemporary - Toad the Wet Sprocket, Aqualung, and Amos Lee among them.
Gareth's newest (untitled) CD release slated for early 2012 is currently in production. And just before the sessions began in the fall of this year, Gareth's demos caught the attention of a fellow Georgian and iconic keyboardist Chuck Leavell, who spends his spare time helping out his pals The Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton, playing piano and B-3 Organ on their tours. As Chuck was laying down keyboard tracks for the new Gareth CD he commented “Gareth Asher is an exceptional songwriter and truly unique vocalist.” The other band members to join in on the 2011 sessions were guitar wizard Jack Pearson (Allman Brothers Band), Pat McDonald (CDB) and Randy Smith (Larry Carlton).
More evidence that the universe is conspiring to bring good things to his journey, in August of 2011 an Indie Film Director namedShayde Christian walked in on a Gareth set at the World Famous “Eddie's Attic” in Decatur, GA just outside Atlanta. Christian was so taken by the young Singer-Songwriter, he has scrapped ALL of the music for his up and coming feature film entitled “PAINTING IN THE RAIN” to insert 7 Gareth songs including “Safe and Sound”, a haunting duet that will play over the credits – with a full ”Music By” credit going to Gareth for the seven songs he's contributing to the film.
As a touring artist, Asher has shared the stage with Shawn Mullins, Glen Philips, Emerson Hart, Angie Aparo, Steve Cropper to name a few. So as the new CD is made ready for early 2012 release, watch for Gareth Asher & The Earthlings at a music venue near you real soon.
“When I'm onstage it's a real quiet place for me where I can zone out the whole world and just play and sing the song in my heart. Once that first chord is struck I'm in a magical place where everything is perfect” says Asher.
Holly Firfer of Atlanta media fame said “Gareth Asher has the most soulful voice I have ever heard. I imagine that this is what it was like for those who heard Ray Charles or John Lennon for the first time.”
It has been said that some things were just meant be. And once you witness Gareth Asher's level of conviction in his music and his performances, it's not hard to affirm that this is exactly where this man was destined to spend his days (and nights).
Born and raised in a small town of West GA, music found Gareth at an early age. "My family was very musical. My Father a songwriter/guitarist, my Mother a drummer. They were part of the hot local band, Touchstone, and they would play parties in barns and fields, build stages out of old trailers and plywood, and rock the local gatherings of hippies and music lovers. I have fond memories of watching my Mom breaking drum sticks, and my Dad singing the songs that I still sing today. Their love for music paved the way for me. They were... they are my main inspiration", says Asher.
As a singer-songwriter, Gareth also attributes many of his musical sensibilities to influential artists like Jackson Browne, Don Henley and Otis Redding. Some of his current influences are more contemporary - Toad the Wet Sprocket, Aqualung, and Amos Lee among them.
Gareth's newest (untitled) CD release slated for early 2012 is currently in production. And just before the sessions began in the fall of this year, Gareth's demos caught the attention of a fellow Georgian and iconic keyboardist Chuck Leavell, who spends his spare time helping out his pals The Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton, playing piano and B-3 Organ on their tours. As Chuck was laying down keyboard tracks for the new Gareth CD he commented “Gareth Asher is an exceptional songwriter and truly unique vocalist.” The other band members to join in on the 2011 sessions were guitar wizard Jack Pearson (Allman Brothers Band), Pat McDonald (CDB) and Randy Smith (Larry Carlton).
More evidence that the universe is conspiring to bring good things to his journey, in August of 2011 an Indie Film Director namedShayde Christian walked in on a Gareth set at the World Famous “Eddie's Attic” in Decatur, GA just outside Atlanta. Christian was so taken by the young Singer-Songwriter, he has scrapped ALL of the music for his up and coming feature film entitled “PAINTING IN THE RAIN” to insert 7 Gareth songs including “Safe and Sound”, a haunting duet that will play over the credits – with a full ”Music By” credit going to Gareth for the seven songs he's contributing to the film.
As a touring artist, Asher has shared the stage with Shawn Mullins, Glen Philips, Emerson Hart, Angie Aparo, Steve Cropper to name a few. So as the new CD is made ready for early 2012 release, watch for Gareth Asher & The Earthlings at a music venue near you real soon.
“When I'm onstage it's a real quiet place for me where I can zone out the whole world and just play and sing the song in my heart. Once that first chord is struck I'm in a magical place where everything is perfect” says Asher.
Holly Firfer of Atlanta media fame said “Gareth Asher has the most soulful voice I have ever heard. I imagine that this is what it was like for those who heard Ray Charles or John Lennon for the first time.”
It has been said that some things were just meant be. And once you witness Gareth Asher's level of conviction in his music and his performances, it's not hard to affirm that this is exactly where this man was destined to spend his days (and nights).
Emily Kopp
Emily Kopp's music has been described as a marriage between "bluesy heartache vocals and pop songwriting smarts" (The Advocate), and the soon to be 23 year old singer-songwriter is ready to become a full-time road warrior with the release of her debut full length album, "Serendipity Find Me” (10/15). Though an independent artist, Kopp has already gained much momentum and the attention of many, working in the grassroots-esque style of countless artists who she most admires; Among them, Brandi Carlile, who Kopp had the opportunity to open for on tour in early 2013. She has spent the last two years honing her skills the traditional way:
Touring the Southeast along with her top-notch band in-tow, and also sharing stages with artists such as Michelle Branch, Parachute, Boyce Avenue, Air Supply, ZZ Ward, Delta Rae, and even Matchbox 20. Like many artists, Kopp's musical beginnings started at a young age. She grew up singing in the school choir, playing behind the drum-kit in garage bands, to eventually strumming cover songs on her guitar at wine bars and coffee shops. After relocating to Orlando, FL to study at The University of Central Florida, Kopp began working at local music venue, running errands and providing hospitality for artists (Marc Cohn, Joshua Radin, Joe Bonamassa, The Civil Wars, Dr. John, Bryan Adams, Ani DiFranco, among many others).
Much of Kopp’s tenacity and knowledge about the music industry was developed while cutting her teeth behind the scenes—working hard and watching from the sidelines. Now after finding her own voice, Kopp shares a similar soulfulness, lyrical knowhow, and pop sensibility that blends beautifully with the same artists who she has always admired, and in many instances, worked for. Kopp will be touring heavily this Spring, with trips planned to all of the major markets throughout 2014.
Touring the Southeast along with her top-notch band in-tow, and also sharing stages with artists such as Michelle Branch, Parachute, Boyce Avenue, Air Supply, ZZ Ward, Delta Rae, and even Matchbox 20. Like many artists, Kopp's musical beginnings started at a young age. She grew up singing in the school choir, playing behind the drum-kit in garage bands, to eventually strumming cover songs on her guitar at wine bars and coffee shops. After relocating to Orlando, FL to study at The University of Central Florida, Kopp began working at local music venue, running errands and providing hospitality for artists (Marc Cohn, Joshua Radin, Joe Bonamassa, The Civil Wars, Dr. John, Bryan Adams, Ani DiFranco, among many others).
Much of Kopp’s tenacity and knowledge about the music industry was developed while cutting her teeth behind the scenes—working hard and watching from the sidelines. Now after finding her own voice, Kopp shares a similar soulfulness, lyrical knowhow, and pop sensibility that blends beautifully with the same artists who she has always admired, and in many instances, worked for. Kopp will be touring heavily this Spring, with trips planned to all of the major markets throughout 2014.
Shannon Whitworth
The coast is calling, and Shannon Whitworth is packed and ready.
If her first two albums were cross-country treks (and they were, taking her across the U.S. and Canada in support of Chris Isaak and the Tedeschi-Trucks Band), High Tide is a trans-Atlantic voyage. Leaving all preconceptions of the banjo-wielding songstress behind, Whitworth’s new adventure steers into waters both familiar and refreshingly new.
Since her days as the anchor voice and songwriter of lauded N.C. ensemble The Biscuit Burners, Shannon Whitworth has attracted international attention with her passionate presence and a talent that’s evident within moments of taking the stage.
Whitworth’s swoon-inducing style found its first showcase in her Asheville-produced solo debut, 2007’s No Expectations. Followed by 2009’s critically-acclaimed Water Bound (an album that drew comparisons to Emmylou Harris’ Wrecking Ball), Whitworth garnered praise in outlets ranging from People magazine to Garden & Gun. Her honest reinterpretation of ‘Americana,’ a la Mark Knopfler meets Norah Jones and the ghost of Julie London, has garnered Whitworth prime appearances from Philledelphia Folk Festival to Yosemite’s Strawberry Music Festival to Nashville’s own Ryman Auditorium.
Back home last year after endless months traveling coast-to-coast, Whitworth took time to relax on her Brevard, N.C. farm, painting in her barn-cum-studio and letting songs come naturally to her. Organic and pure in its origins and execution, High Tide is poised to outfit Whitworth’s vessel for a figurative ocean crossing.From the first rolling rhythms, it’s evident that this album charts new waters. A Gibson SG joins Whitworth’s quiver of acoustic guitar, banjo and ukelele, and for the first time, the band is her own. Whereas her first two efforts utilized seasoned Nashville studio pros, High Tide calls upon the people who know her music best, from producer Seth Kauffman (Floating Action) to bassist Bill Reynolds (Band of Horses).
Just as her music stems from Appalachian roots (she’s a favorite at MerleFest) but sheds its traditional skin at the door, High Tide begins with a journey to the sea that takes rest stops in reverb-drenched jazz and indie rock along the way, setting the mood for a tight but playful expedition.
“So many of my songs were penned from darkness, and High Tide came from a place of light,” Whitworth explains. “It’s about heading towards that good feeling.” ‘La Croix’ takes listeners to the islands, diving into a reef of deep poignancy and examining the ‘Oh shit, I’m vulnerable,’ catch-22 that comes with falling in love. ‘Henry,’ the album’s oldest track, was born of two women drinking at a bar, commiserating over another foolhardy romance gone wrong. Whitworth dug up the rudimentary original lyrics years later from the back of a journal, its words smeared by the sweat of a bottle. “I feel like you make peace with life’s situations by making songs of them along the way,” says Whitworth, underscoring her desire to engage audiences with clarity and honesty.
A remake of ‘Don’t Lie,’ originally recorded as a banjo-rambler on Water Bound, embodies Whitworth’s new approach, recalling more Mazzy Star than Patsy Cline (but still without shedding her indelible Southern charm).
Following a year that heard Whitworth as the singing voice of Belk department store’s latest national marketing campaign and the release of a duets album, Bring It On Home (including deep tracks from Paul Simon, Tom Waits, and Sam Cooke) with band member and guitarist Barrett Smith, Whitworth releases High Tide with a reinvigorated confidence and enthusiasm. Whether you’re holed up in a chilly Appalachian barn or walking the coast on a hot August evening, Whitworth’s High Tide holds universal appeal, from the mountains to the sea.
If her first two albums were cross-country treks (and they were, taking her across the U.S. and Canada in support of Chris Isaak and the Tedeschi-Trucks Band), High Tide is a trans-Atlantic voyage. Leaving all preconceptions of the banjo-wielding songstress behind, Whitworth’s new adventure steers into waters both familiar and refreshingly new.
Since her days as the anchor voice and songwriter of lauded N.C. ensemble The Biscuit Burners, Shannon Whitworth has attracted international attention with her passionate presence and a talent that’s evident within moments of taking the stage.
Whitworth’s swoon-inducing style found its first showcase in her Asheville-produced solo debut, 2007’s No Expectations. Followed by 2009’s critically-acclaimed Water Bound (an album that drew comparisons to Emmylou Harris’ Wrecking Ball), Whitworth garnered praise in outlets ranging from People magazine to Garden & Gun. Her honest reinterpretation of ‘Americana,’ a la Mark Knopfler meets Norah Jones and the ghost of Julie London, has garnered Whitworth prime appearances from Philledelphia Folk Festival to Yosemite’s Strawberry Music Festival to Nashville’s own Ryman Auditorium.
Back home last year after endless months traveling coast-to-coast, Whitworth took time to relax on her Brevard, N.C. farm, painting in her barn-cum-studio and letting songs come naturally to her. Organic and pure in its origins and execution, High Tide is poised to outfit Whitworth’s vessel for a figurative ocean crossing.From the first rolling rhythms, it’s evident that this album charts new waters. A Gibson SG joins Whitworth’s quiver of acoustic guitar, banjo and ukelele, and for the first time, the band is her own. Whereas her first two efforts utilized seasoned Nashville studio pros, High Tide calls upon the people who know her music best, from producer Seth Kauffman (Floating Action) to bassist Bill Reynolds (Band of Horses).
Just as her music stems from Appalachian roots (she’s a favorite at MerleFest) but sheds its traditional skin at the door, High Tide begins with a journey to the sea that takes rest stops in reverb-drenched jazz and indie rock along the way, setting the mood for a tight but playful expedition.
“So many of my songs were penned from darkness, and High Tide came from a place of light,” Whitworth explains. “It’s about heading towards that good feeling.” ‘La Croix’ takes listeners to the islands, diving into a reef of deep poignancy and examining the ‘Oh shit, I’m vulnerable,’ catch-22 that comes with falling in love. ‘Henry,’ the album’s oldest track, was born of two women drinking at a bar, commiserating over another foolhardy romance gone wrong. Whitworth dug up the rudimentary original lyrics years later from the back of a journal, its words smeared by the sweat of a bottle. “I feel like you make peace with life’s situations by making songs of them along the way,” says Whitworth, underscoring her desire to engage audiences with clarity and honesty.
A remake of ‘Don’t Lie,’ originally recorded as a banjo-rambler on Water Bound, embodies Whitworth’s new approach, recalling more Mazzy Star than Patsy Cline (but still without shedding her indelible Southern charm).
Following a year that heard Whitworth as the singing voice of Belk department store’s latest national marketing campaign and the release of a duets album, Bring It On Home (including deep tracks from Paul Simon, Tom Waits, and Sam Cooke) with band member and guitarist Barrett Smith, Whitworth releases High Tide with a reinvigorated confidence and enthusiasm. Whether you’re holed up in a chilly Appalachian barn or walking the coast on a hot August evening, Whitworth’s High Tide holds universal appeal, from the mountains to the sea.
Robin Zander JR
Influenced by the best of rock n roll, blues, pop, electronica and RnB, RTZ is a new local band straight from Safety Harbor, Fl. This new project includes Robin Zander and Micah Propher, both accomplished musicians looking to push the boundaries of modern popular music.
The set includes all original material, with a combination of heavy blues rock. This will be there debut as a two piece, both musicians being multi- instrumentalists.
Look out for an ep being released in the near future, these guys know how to rock!
The set includes all original material, with a combination of heavy blues rock. This will be there debut as a two piece, both musicians being multi- instrumentalists.
Look out for an ep being released in the near future, these guys know how to rock!
Nancy Alexander Marina Stage MC
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Nancy has been a beloved Tampa Bay radio and television personality for over 30 (yikes!) years.
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