beatlanta.com
INTERVIEW + LIVE VIDEOS + SHOW ALERT :: Atlanta band Roxie Watson release their 4th album – CD release show Sat 8/19/17 at The Buckhead Theater
Original article on 7/31/17 – This article was updated on 8/14/17 to include the following interview in which we discuss the new album, baseball and more.
B: What do you think separates the new album from your past works?
Becky: I think we are a little more settled in who we are as a band, and that comes through in the music. Also, we are one member less than we were for our last three records, which makes our sound a little more focused and consistent. This record, song to song, is more consistently classic country music.
Lenny: I think we have a “leaner” sound and yes, more classic country. This 4th cd shows our maturity as song writers and arrangers and a comfort/confidence level that only comes from doing a lot of rehearsals, arranging and performances together.
Linda: This is our first record without Sonia, and so it added more of a classic country flavor rather than a bluegrass flavor. The banjo tends to lend itself to that genre. We also had to rethink our approach as a band in general now with 4 members instead of 5, not just musically but with every business decision moving forward. I’m really proud of how we were able to regroup, refocus, and come out with a really nice succinct sounding record we’re all happy with and proud of.
B: What is your favorite track on the new album? Why?
Becky: That is so hard for me to say, because I have several favorites! If I have to pick one, my current favorite is “You’re Not Foolin’ Me.” It’s a song that our friend, DeDe Vogt wrote, and brought to us several years ago. It made me so happy to Roxie it up with lap steel and harmonies. It made me even more happy when we heard from DeDe that she loved it! We had a really fun time working it up, and I especially love the “ooooh-wahhhhs” from all the gals in the background during the bridge – classic country!
Lenny: “Long Time Traveler.” The first time I heard the song RW had just started. I knew It was a perfect harmonic vehicle for Linda, Becky and me to do A Capella a la Roxie Watson!
Linda: “You’re not Foolin’ Me”, because our good friend from Atlanta Dede Vogt wrote it. She’s been a mentor to all of us musically in some way or another, she wrote it when she was a teenager, and the song along with Becky’s lap steel/voice was so perfect for what we wanted to do with this record. We really captured that Nashville RCA Owen Bradley/Patsy Cline feel to it.
B: Tell us about your writing process…does the band have a ‘main’ songwriter or is it a more collaborative experience?
Becky: There’s no main songwriter – everyone contributes songs that they write, usually with the band in mind. I would say most of the time one of us writes a song, brings the completed song to the band, and we collaborate on the arrangement. But we also have songs that 2 or 3 of us will write together – on this record, “Half Drunk & Wondering” is one example. We all work together to “Roxify” a song – for me, I listen for what the best instrument might be for the feel of the song. A lot of times, though, the person who brings the song in already has ideas about what they hear in the arrangement or instrumental choices, so we start there.
Lenny: We write individually and arrange as a group. It can be magic sometimes at the very first arranging sessions, our first intuitions about how a song should sound/which instrumentation. It is very organic how we work together.
Linda: For the most part we write separately, and arrange/produce together. We have a few exceptions such as “Find Our Way to Love,” “Half Drunk and Wonderin’,” “Sunday Beer,” “Milestones”…those were written between various band members and arranged/produced together as a full band. Either process seems to work well, depending on the song.
B: You have your CD release show on 8/19 – tell us about your shows. What do you hope a potential fan is feeling at a Roxie Watson show? What do you hope they leave with?
Becky: People have said that going to a Roxie Watson show is like going to church – I think what they mean is that at our shows, they get an experience that really reaches them emotionally, and even spiritually sometimes. I can only say that when we play a show, it’s like we are welcoming people into our living room or something. I hope they feel welcomed in. We are all friends, and we don’t plan or script out what we’re going to talk about during a show. Our interactions on stage are genuine – a lot of what happens is pretty close to what you might hear during one of our rehearsals. Lenny especially is such a great story teller and communicator – a lot of times she will tell a story on stage that we have never heard before, and she will really get us laughing, or feeling emotional. I think people need to be part of something real like that, and I hope they leave feeling more connected as human beings.
Lenny: Our CD will be released Tuesday 8/15 and the CD release show/party is Saturday 8/19. I want our fans to feel “at home” and comfortable in our shows; Like we are all friends sitting in your living room or on your front porch telling stories and that we have a connection with each other. There is an exchange of energy between us and the audience at a RW show. It’s real. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you will leave knowing you have heard stories that touched you and you will have heard YOUR story!
Linda: I always hope that our fans feel they are a part of the experience of the live show. I had made the suggestion early on that we sit down (except for Bee who really can’t, otherwise no one would see her :), so that we could give our shows a feeling of just playing on the porch and folks coming around to listen and be a part of it. I always hope they leave with a sense of experiencing the natural ups/downs of life which is what we all write about: loss, heartbreak, joy, love, doubting yourself, finding yourself, etc. We’ll take you on the roller coaster of life for an hour and a half.
B: Any tour plans to support the album?
Lenny: We will be doing regional support. Asheville, Chattanooga, Birmingham, North Georgia and our 4th Bluebird Cafe performance in Nashville.
Linda: Touring is very difficult for a band these days for a number of reasons. There is so much competition it’s hard to get booked, the expense in and of itself of traveling doesn’t really make sense for the returns. In the age of music streaming and music being so immediately accessible, times have changed and the approach needs to change with it in order for bands to distribute their music while not living in a box on the street. We choose to remain regional as far as live shows, keep the costs down, and use social media as much as possible to get our music out there.
B: How do you feel about the Atlanta alt-country/folk scene?
Becky: There are so many amazing, talented musicians in Atlanta! I feel like musicians in general are pretty supportive of each other’s work here. In our neck of the woods, Eddie’s Attic continues to put new, young talent on their stage, as well as nationally known names and seasoned local artists – they really open the door for musicians to feel welcome to express their own unique voice, and that is so great to see happening in 2017!
Lenny: Atlanta is full of talented musicians/songwriters/producers/engineers! Something for everyone! Creatively I feel very supported by the ATL alt-country/folk scene. Having a true listening room like Eddie’s Attic is such a blessing. You can tell your stories and people listen! I love to see shows there as well!
Linda: Atlanta is still thriving with really talented musicians/bands. I think Eddie’s Attic has contributed to that ongoing trend since the 90’s, and we are very lucky to still have that venue as a resource. Atlanta may not be “on the map” as much as it was in the 90’s, but it still very much alive. We love Jackson County Line, The Good Graces, Hannah Thomas, Michelle Malone among others. Good bands to check out.
B: Type the question you’d wish I’d asked and then answer it 🙂
Lenny: How do you feel about Glen Campbell’s passing right before you release a CD titled with and covering one of his iconic songs?
As I listened to “Adios” I wept to hear Glen’s beautiful voice sound so strong and pure! What a courageous way to go out! I am so honored to be singing one of his iconic songs on the new CD! Beth (Bwee) made the suggestion to cover this song reminding us that Glen’s version was a hit in 1969 and the idea/mindset of Try A Little Kindness is as important now more than ever!
It never hurts to JUST BE KIND!!
B: Are you a baseball fan? How do you feel about the Atlanta braves moving their stadium to Cobb County?
Becky: I have to admit I only jump on the fan train when it gets toward the end of the season, so I don’t know if my opinion counts for much! But I was sad that they moved to Cobb County. I think of cultural hubs like the opera house and stadium as showing the heart of the city – growing up, part of the cool feeling of going to a big sports or music event was heading INTO town for it.
Lenny: I am a baseball fan and I’m sorry the Atlanta Braves moved to Cobb County.
B: Any closing thoughts you’d like fans to know about the band and the upcoming album?
Becky: I am really excited about our new record, and about where we are headed as a band. I hope that people who’ve never been to a show before will come out and hear us play these songs live, and be part of the experience with us along with our long-time fans.
Lenny: I am very excited to share this new music. I love that we always have 1st timers at our shows and that means that our fans are telling their friends/co-workers/family about Roxie Watson. I love the connection we have with our audience at our live shows and I think that our live shows are the BEST way to experience Roxie Watson! Come see for yourself on August 19th @ The Buckhead Theater! You won’t be disappointed!
press release: “Atlanta based Americana/Alt-country band Roxie Watson will be releasing their 4th CD on August 15th and are having a CD Release Show and Party at The Buckhead Theater on Saturday August 19th. It is a reserved seating, all ages show and tickets are on sale now!” – http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0E005274B66FA82D
I was sent an advanced copy of the upcoming album, “Try a Little Kindness,” and it sounds very sharp. Its full of great songwriting, fun and storied lyrics and solid instrumental arrangements. I especially enjoyed the song “Dark Night” – a beautifully dark and poetic, somewhat bluesy western throwback of a track. That is followed by the awesomely fun “Half Drunk and Wonderin” – a track about, you guessed it, getting drunk and realizing your lady friend has left you sometime ago now, and you’re not sure where she went or if she’s coming back. Be sure to check those out when the album drops on August 15th, 2017.
Roxie Watson Bio from their webpage: “Roxie Watson is a four-piece string band from Atlanta, Georgia that blends gorgeous vocal harmonies and stellar songs into live performances that will just as soon make you laugh as shed a tear. Their music combines elements of old country, rock-a-billy, bluegrass, gospel, and even a little touch of classic rock ‘n roll. Lisa Love of Georgia Music Magazine and the Georgia Music Foundation describes the band by saying, “When you have a group of women who are natural story-tellers, who sooth their aggressive musical chops with beautiful harmonies, temper their rock-n-roll sensibilities with an understanding of Appalachian tradition, and come off as a little bit Keith Richards, a little bit Bill Monroe, you get Roxie Watson.”
The group formed in 2007 as a just-for-kicks opportunity for long time friends to get together and play songs they love. But what started out as just porch settin’ and cover song playing evolved organically over the years, through the word-of-mouth support of an ever-growing group of loyal fans, into one of the finest original bands in the Southeast, regularly selling out storied songwriting venues from Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, GA to the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, TN. Each band member takes turns with the lead vocal and contributes to both song and arrangement ideas. From the firecracker guitar playing of Linda Bolley to the delicate mandolin of Beth Wheeler, the propulsive bass of Lenny Lasater, to the lap steel and button box swells of the harp and guitar rhythms of Becky Shaw, Roxie Watson weaves a rich sound.
Georgianne Nienaber of the Huffington Post summed up the essence of Roxie Watson when she wrote, “These women are more than proficient as musicians, have a warm way with a story, and a natural stage banter that comes from a long history of friendship and community. The stage morphs into a back porch, with the audience becoming honored guests in an intimate setting that is a heck of a lot of fun, heartwarming, and heart-rending when it needs to be.”
Band members:
Linda Bolley – acoustic/electric guitar, banjo
Lenny Lasater – bass
Becky Shaw – lap steel, harmonica, button box, acoustic guitar
Beth Wheeler – mandolin, ukulele
