americana

The Secret Sisters’ incredible story is as simple and true as the effortless harmonies that got them here. Begin anywhere – the thick and fertile brambles of their own family history (their grandfather and his brothers actually forged a group called ‘The Happy Valley Boys’) or light upon the branches of the wondrous, fractal menagerie that makes up their debut album (a guileless, rapturous mixture of roots-ified pop that includes classics like “Why Don’t Ya Love Me?” and “Why Baby Why”).

Lauded by his musical peers but largely ignored by the mainstream, Billy Franks can count Oasis and Peter Gabriel among his admirers, as well being cited as a songwriting influence by Bono. With his then band, the Faith Brothers, he opened for U2 in front of 50,000 people at Milton Keynes Bowl in 1986, and his last Scottish performance saw the Faith Brothers supporting REM at Barrowlands. Since the Faith Brothers broke up in 1988, Billy Franks has recorded four solo albums: “Mass”, “Genius & Grace”, “Sex, Laughter & Meditation” and, most recently, “The Turtledove Boutique”.

http://www.myspace.com/audramae Audra Mae was born and raised in Oklahoma. The oldest of 6 children, and brought up in music theatre, she left home at 18 to pursue a career in recording music. Audra tried College outside of Nashville, TN for a year. However, after realizing she spent little time in class and, instead, wrote songs all day, Audra Mae decided to move to Los Angeles. Two years after arriving in LA, and playing live shows, Audra Mae earned a deal with Warner Chappell Publishing.

Amy LaVere routinely gets antsy after she’s been off the road awhile. Born in Shreveport, Louisiana and a native of Bethany, Texas, she’s really more a child of America — a self-described “General Motors brat” whose father’s jobs kept her small family frequently on the move. Her life as a touring musician seems tailor-made for a woman who is seemingly one part upright bassist and another part gypsy.