CD RELEASE PARTY
Special Guests include; Sarah & Christian Dugas of the Duhks, Mary Ellen Bush, The Business and Zach Blew
PISGAH BREWING COMPANY
(828) 669-0190
150 Eastside Drive
Black Mountain, NC 28711
http://pisgahbrewing.com
Doors and music starts at 7pm
Music goes until Midnight followed by a dance music DJ Afterparty!
Tickets $10 ADV/ $12 at door
CLICK TO PURCHASE ONLINE
*Anyone who brings a functioning musical instrument to donate to Operation Happy Note and Operation Music Aid, will receive half off their admission price to the show. The requirements for instruments are “new or gently used guitars,violins, mandolins, banjos, keyboards, horns of any kind harmonicas and we even get requests for bagpipes.”
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Kellin Watson is a internationally-touring singer-songwriter, whose award-winning sound blends elements of blues, pop, folk, and soul. Hailing from Asheville, NC, Kellin draws on her Appalachian roots to bring both power and rawness to her music. “There are a lot of common talents in the world, but there are very few rare talents. I feel that Kellin is a rare, uncommon talent. Her songs have the ability to take someone gently by the wrist and tell them a story…” states Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins. Courtney Devores with The Charlotte Observer describes her, “Jazzy soul and swinging pop comparable to Fiona Apple or a less folksy Ani DiFranco, Watson has an endearing stage demeanor and a killer voice, not to mention soulful songs that don’t fit in any particular box.””Halo Of Blue” was created with musician/producer Michael Bellar [Art Garfunkle, and Amos Lee] out of Manhattan, NY and was recorded in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Asheville. Kellin and Michael worked non-stop this past year to put out a simple, honest and stripped down recording with echoes of some of her strongest influences: Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, and Nina Simone. The album has 14 tracks and features cameo’s from some of the greatest musicians and vocalist in North America, including Sarah and Christian Dugas (The Duhks), and Oliver Wood (The Wood Brothers).
Sarah & Christian Dugas will be opening the evening with an acoustic set as well as joining Kellin on backup vocals for the occasion. They also make an appearance on “Halo of Blue.” Though these two Dugas siblings have made quite the sound waves each in their own right, you always know that when they are apart, it’s only temporary. Sure enough, in 2007, their respective joining of the Canadian Juno-winning and Grammy-nominated, The Duhks, was staggered over a mere couple of seasons.
Hailing from the French quarters of Winnipeg, Canada, they grew up on a varied regimen of vinyl records, courtesy of their musician parents. While never denying their wide-ranging musical tastes, they vicariously immersed themselves in Southern music and this unmistakable connection expanded into a full-blown musical path. They have since shared the stage with the likes of John Paul Jones, Los Lobos, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, The Wood Brothers, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Arrested Development and the Zac Brown Band to name a few.
As international touring and session musicians, Christian and Sarah have held on to the dream of launching their own project… Still deeply rooted in Southern music and culture, their sound draws from Roots, Rock and old school Soul. They bring a hard-hitting, dynamic and heart-felt energy to their diverse original compositions, improvisations and a few chosen covers – all of it, delivered with the awe-inspiring vocal and musical chemistry only seen amongst siblings.
Mary Ellen Bush will be singing back-up vocals with Kellin for the CD release. Mary Ellen Bush has been a part of the Asheville music scene since 2002, when she and her group Ménage first took the town by storm. She has a powerful, soulful voice that is often compared to Steve Nicks. She is also a talented and prolific songwriter who may be seen strumming the guitar, but really wows people when she plays her upright bass and harmonica at the same time. When on stage, she is captivating as she throws her whole body into whatever song she’s belting. Over the years, Bush has appeared with many different groups in a wide range of genres, from 1930s jazz to rock to old-time. Many of her projects include vocal harmony, mostly three part.
Bush is appreciated for her vocal strength, unique sense of style, exceptional ear and her sassy, raspy voice and has thus been called upon to record backing vocals with many bands over the years, such as G Love and Special Sauce, The Avett Brothers, Ben Lovett, Stephanie’s id, Strut, Woody Wood, Yo Mamma’s Big Fat Booty Band, The Firecracker Jazz Band, Brian McGee, and Marty Lewis (of The Sons of Ralph).
Bush’s latest project is by far the most intoxicating to date, as she introduces her first solo album, done under the alias, Mimi Bell. The album, “You’re Not Loving Me,” incorporates subtle yet clever lyrics, and contagious melodies that have always been a part of her work. Dan Reeves calls the sound “Motown and Nashville in unison.” Producer Seth Kauffman weaves her songs into a unique and timeless soundscape that is big, dreamy, soulful and lo-fi, different than anything we have seen from her to date.
Zach Blew, a longtime Black Mountain favorite, and folk soul powerhouse, since relocated to Chicago, will be performing as well.Find Kellin on the web:
Homepage: www.kellinwatson.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/kellinwatson
Reverbnation: www.reverbnation.com/kellinwatson
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/jrPd7A
Myspace: www.myspace.com/kellinwatson
Youtube: http://bit.ly/igkEnC
Evolution Licensing Company Catalog: http://bit.ly/iCFtX9
Itunes: http://bit.ly/m7JQCt
CDbaby: http://cdbaby.com/all/kellin
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