Grace Askew: vocals, rhythm guitar
Ryan Peel: Drums
Influences
Cat Power, Joni Mitchell, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Al Green, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Ann Peebles, Jeff Buckley, Ryan Adams, PJ Harvey, Nina Simone, Sam and Dave, Aretha Franklin, The Staple Singers, Ray LaMontagne, Memphis TN
Sounds Like
"A Neo-Soul songstress with her heart tied to her Memphis roots"
The crew for "Wasted Lipstick" EP:
Grace Askew - vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar, background vocals Rick Steff - accordian (on "Good As Gold") Dave Smith - Bass Steve Potts - Drums Al Gamble - Hammond Pete Matthews - acoustic guitar, background vocals Steve Selvidge - lead guitar ("Wasted Lipstick" and "Ripen") Van Duren - lead guitar ("In 1,2,3") Charlie Shaw - lead guitar ("Good As Gold") Shawn Eckles - lead guitar ("Swoop Down")
Recorded at: Ardent Studios and Leeway Studios Producer: Pete Matthews Co-Producer: Grace Askew Engineer: Pete Matthews Co-Engineer: Jennifer Lee Assistant: Nick Redmond (Ardent), Nick Fleming (Leeway) Mastered by: Brad Blackwood Album artwork/design: Cody Maple
Grace is a 21 year old, 6th generation Memphian. After picking up the guitar at age 13, she immediately knew she had found the perfect vent to capture her equally strong passion for writing. Around the age of 17, she began to play publicly in churches, school events, cafes, coffee shops...skating rinks...whatever opportunity she had to share her music. Growing up to the songs of Joni Mitchell, The Allman Brothers Band, Cat Power, and Al Green, Grace's sound has developed into a unique blend of country, urban folk, and Memphis soul. Studying under a jazz/bossa nova guitar teacher throughout high school and living in New Orleans for over a year, jazz came to greatly influence Grace's sound as well. But the music soon called her back to the soulful/country roots of her childhood, and the music of Memphis quickly came into the foreground. With a little country in her pocket, jazz on her fingertips, and the soulful roots of her hometown close to her heart, Grace's sound has evolved into a unique blend of different cultures, eras, and roots....but Memphis will always be her home and her muse.
To read Grace's EP Release write-up by Mark Jordan
from the Commercial Appeal
**CLICK HERE**!!!
"...I was blown away with her husky voice, stage presence, and nice guitar work. She reminded me of a cross between Cat Power, Joni Mitchell, Jeff Buckley, Neko Case, and a lot of soulful Memphis roots thrown in with a little of her own flair as well."
- Ryan Jones, "My Midtown Memphis"
To read the full review, check out www.mymidtownmemphis.blogspot.com
"...I found her vocals cover a fairly wide dynamic range and in her crooning there is a soul familiar to women from the south, who can strip a tune bare and pour themselves into and straight through it. The songs follow a cycle of love, beginning with spring romance before advancing to further, darker corners...As with each of her songs, the musical feel complements the lyrics, rising dramatically as her voice exhibits an emboldened spirit eventually realized. Being a sucker for albums dealing with the multiplicitous nature of love, I enjoyed this one as an honest portrait of the ups and downs that are inevitable when you open your heart. And though still just 21, Grace Askew uses Wasted Lipstick to announce her musical arrival and will be one to keep a close eye on."
To read the full EP review by John Miller (Archer Records) **CLICK HERE**!!!
EP also available locally at:
Cat's Music on Union
Shangri-La Records on Madison Ave.
Hey! Just giving you a heads up about our cd release show at the New Daisy on Saturday, July 26th! It's gonna be an awesome night. Hit us up if you're coming!
Don't forget to spread the word! We want that place packed. And don't forget...the first 25 people to pay at the door get a free Prosevere cd. Hope to see you there!
I'm looking for import tuners for a test shoot this SATURDAY evening! Let me know if you or anyone you may know may be interested. I will disclose the location on the day of, via text message or myspace.
HIT ME UP, YOU WILL GET PHOTOS OUT OF THIS IF THEY TURN OUT LIKE I WANT THEM TOO! - Dom
I'm looking for import tuners for a test shoot this friday evening! Let me know if you or anyone you may know may be interested. I will disclose the location on the day of, via text message or myspace.
HIT ME UP, YOU WILL GET PHOTOS OUT OF THIS IF THEY TURN OUT LIKE I WANT THEM TOO! - Dom
Dear Grace: tonight I must see you. we can drink lots of beer, play a terrible game of pool, and watch me possibly make an ass out of myself by singing some terrible song for kareoke. sounds amazing. you down lovey?
and I'm so glad that mean ole Vespa didn't get the best of you... or wait, it was that mean ole barbed wire I suppose... but either way, I'm SO glad you're ok and that you're such a tough broad.. I'd probably STILL be cryin.. haha
So it's kinda blurry and hard to see... but... if you fast forward to about 4 minutes and 45 seconds.. you can see us dancing with Demonica at Backstreet.. hahaha
