Credit: Trawick Images Etta James, Her Best (1997) Another compilation CD, but by the time I got a hold of these artists, they’d already moved mountains. Like Patsy, Etta has this grit and soulful sound I admire and am drawn to. Her effortless and witty phrasing opened my ears to phrasing and texture. I covered […]
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Slumber party
When it comes to membership, country music group Asleep at the Wheel is like a revolving door. “I’ve had a hundred people through this band,” said leader and founding member Ray Benson. “It’s been 42 years.” Playing Sunday at the Blackout Block Party fundraiser at Grady’s 66 Pub in Yukon, the Texas outfit has been […]
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Aw, Swell
Jonathan Weiner When Nick Diener and his brother formed punk act The Swellers as teenagers, they didn’t know what they were doing. “When we were kids, we had these guitars and we wondered what it would be like to be rock stars. So we formed a band,” guitarist and singer Diener said. “I didn’t know […]
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Vesper recipe
With two albums surveying themes of hope, redemption in Jesus, and supernatural healing to their name, it’s no surprise that The Vespers are a band of Christians. But are they a Christian band? A closer look at the college-aged siblings’ output and business acumen suggests they’re aiming for the former. “When we got together, we […]
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Ellis county
As a tried and true blues guitarist, Tinsley Ellis holds no delusions of taking the world by storm. Besides, the workman musician — who just turned 55 — already gets to enjoy something just as good. A father figure of sorts in the genre, he helped spawn the career of a young Derek Trucks, who […]
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Hey, Mon!
While his fellow students spent a week recovering from their rowdy spring breaks, Oklahoma City emcee Damon Johnson spent that time recording his debut mixtape, titling it 7 Days, of course. “I got back from spring break and told everyone I was going to put out a mixtape in a week,” Johnson said. “Starting that […]
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Symphomaniacs
Callen Clarke and Kyle Dillingham Beauty can be born from the darkest places. Such is that case for the Life Symphony, premiering Sunday in Oklahoma City as as the grand finale of the OK Mozart Festival’s second annual OKC series. In 2007, Edmond composer Callen Clarke was just a day away from premiering his first […]
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Evolution theory
Denton, Texas-based singersongwriter Sarah Jaffe broke through in 2010 with her first full-length album, Suburban Nature, boasting a beautiful sound, charming voice and lyrical wit, all evidenced by the single, “Clementine.” It won her spots playing shows with Norah Jones and The Old 97’s, so she could have just leaned on that sound for a […]
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The Moody muse
It only makes sense that Australian-born, Canadian-raised singer-songwriter Ruth Moody has enjoyed her illustrious career, filled with Juno Awards (Canada’s answer to the Grammys), Billboard-charting albums and more than a dozen appearances on A Prairie Home Companion. After all, she’s been groomed for it since birth. “When I was growing up, there was music everywhere. […]
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A crappy show
Austin, Texas-based garage musician Orville Bateman Neely stays busy. He produces records for the likes of The Strange Boys, drums for A Giant Dog, co-fronts Bad Sports and runs sound at Austin venue Beerland. Oh, and currently on its first national tour, his own band, OBN IIIs, plays 10 p.m. Saturday at The Blue Note […]