In 2004, Katie Herzig set out on her own after fronting her college band Newcomers Home for more than a few years. With Watch Them Fall, she began the journey toward finding her own voice as a solo artist. Each subsequent musical step she’s taken has actually been an artistic leap.
The diversity of Josh Garrels’ music represents the textured patchwork of both the nature and nurture of his upbringing. The roads that draw the map of his life trace through various stops.
Back in 2005, when Brandi Carlile first came on the scene, a DJ friend of mine – knowing my deep love for female singer/songwriters – told me to take a listen. So, I hit YouTube and found a shaky video of Brandi and Shawn Colvin singing “Calling All Angels” at the Birchmere.
The simple story of Brooke Waggoner’s life belies the complexity that is her artistry. She grew up studying classical music in Louisiana – though plump with music, it’s not exactly a state known as a classical hotbed. That didn’t stop Brooke, though, who earned a degree in Music Composition & Orchestration from LSU before trotting off to Nashville to make some noise.
Graham Colton somehow escaped the standard country music calling of his native Oklahoma, making his way, instead, into the wild world of rock. Regardless of the genre, he’s done well enough for himself to make the home crowd proud.
Since debuting in 1998 with Dressed Up Like Nebraska, singer/songwriter Josh Rouse has tread one of the least straightforward musical paths you can imagine. His early records were full of impressively solid and accessible tunes representative of his Midwestern roots.
In June of 1999, Napster revolutionized and galvanized the music industry in one fell swoop. While turning the business on its ear, Napster turned everyone else’s focus toward the digital … Read More
Brandi Carlile – Give Up the Ghost – I’ve actually been on a Brandi binge lately. Having liked her upon first listen, I’ve grown to truly, madly, deeply love her upon further devoted attention to her songs. This year’s release didn’t initially win me over, but subsequent listens (and a different emotional state on my part) have let me fully appreciate what’s going on here. The writing is solid; the production is intriguing; and the voice is stunning… always.