Kathy Boyd
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Kathy Boyd &
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Mercantile
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Clatskanie, Deschutes, Tualatin, Tygh Valley. Unless you’re familiar with the Pacific Northwest you might not recognize these names, but they are part of the bluegrass geography of Kathy Boyd & Phoenix Rising, a Portland, Oregon, based band whose album of original and traditional songs you now have the privilege of listening to.
The band’s name comes from the legendary bird that rises from the ashes. This new formation is a testament to the rejuvenating quality of music to bring people together in new ways and with a renewed vitality. All the musicians here have played in many bands and traveled many roads, and they seem to have found a new spark in this latest formation.
To paraphrase the great Speaker of the House, Tip O’Neill—all bluegrass is local. That is, it takes its strength from the songs of real people who live in real places. These musicians and songwriters understand the source of that strength and have combined nine original songs with four others to create an album that I guarantee will make you a lifelong fan of their music.
In any successful band there is someone with vision and drive, and here that’s Kathy Boyd. She is sometimes described as a ten-gallon soul in a two-pint body. Her energy comes through in her stage presence (she’s also a popular emcee and DJ with Uptown Bluegrass), her singing, and her bass playing. She gives this recording the necessary oomph that only a solid bass player can give. Kathy is also involved in working with the elderly and she’s selected a great song to sing by Mark Brinkman about Alzheimer’s.
Contributing four of the songs and playing banjo and Dobro is Tom Tower, who knows how to write a new bluegrass song based on the traditional songbook, and who also has a great feel for fills and rolls. Fine mandolinist Tim Crosby also wrote four of the songs, including “Stolen Kisses” that I wish the Louvin Brothers could have recorded back in the 50s. And if Dennis Nelson wasn’t so young, I’d suspect him of being an offspring of Hank Williams. Listen to his lonesome lead vocal on the self-penned “Mourning Dove.” Dennis has an old-time country tone that I could listen to all night in some honky-tonk on the Columbia River. I’m told Dennis is an airplane pilot and mechanic. All I know is he sings higher than a cat’s back.
After listening to the album, I felt like I was friends with these people, and I look forward to getting to know them even more. I’m sure you’ll feel the same. There’s something so immediate and heartfelt about these songs. There’s no pretense here. Just four good musicians who enjoy what they’re doing. And they know what they’re doing too.
So, I’ll quit my yappin’ so you can enjoy the music. As Tom Tower so perfectly says—“Life is just too short to have it any other way.”
Chris Stuart
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Want an autographed copy? You can also order "Burning Down the House" by sending a check or money order for $15 + $3 shipping and handling ($18) to: Kathy Boyd & Phoenix Rising PO Box 3747 Tualatin, OR 97062
Please note that you would like it autographed!
Disc Jockeys please contact Kathy at kathyboyd@phoenixrisingband.org to inquire about receiving a copy of this product for airplay. |
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