Rachel Owen - BOMBSHELL
Rachel Owen has been described as a “cerebral hipster”, “the ultimate saloon singer” and the “Mae West of Rock N Roll”. She has been compared to Tom Petty, Elvis Costello, Jill Sobule, Lucinda Williams, Melissa Etheridge or whoever else makes that particular fan tingle. Her songs are creations that can only be described as her own.
Rachel’s family is a musical one. Her father Earl is a classically trained vocalist and was a professor of music and choral director. She grew up in her mother Charlotte’s home town of Walton, KY surrounded by family and friends that sang old time country & bluegrass songs. Older sister Stacy began a radio career at a young age and shared all sorts of different world folk and singer/ songwriter music with Rachel including Nanci Griffith who she considers an early writing influence (She penned her first tune at 13 when she got her first six string).
Rachel and Stacy performed when Rachel was a teen as The Owen Sisters featuring tight bluegrass and mountain a capella harmonies. She credits this as the beginning of her mastery and love of vocal arrangements.
Mix that with her high school saxophone career, teenage obsession with big bands and 1940s vocalists and all things Rock N Roll, and one can start to understand where Rachel’s unique musical style began to take shape.
Rachel began performing music professionally while studying Communications and Radio at the University of Evansville in Indiana, playing at college hangouts and at biker bars, where she “learned about life" and made a diverse group of friends. Her original radio show Folkways was an underground fave in Evansville at the time. After graduation she found more grist for her songwriting mill while bartending in London, England.
In the mid-90s, she moved to Nashville and quickly became an esteemed member of the tribe of talented singer-songwriters who throng there.
Her first foray into the studio was the 1998 release Steering With My Feet, a collection of quirky originals that earned her an underground following and invitations into living rooms, coffee houses and small venues all over America as a one-woman show.
Rachel has opened for such revered songwriters as Todd Snider, Loudon Wainwright III and Steve Forbert. She has also become a sought after studio vocalist and songwriter.
Her newest Triple A rock collection, BOMBSHELL, is the true essence of Rachel Owen--candid, edgy and brimming with humor while profound and beautifully presented. Co-produced with performing songwriter Gordon Vincent (gordonvincent.com), BOMBSHELL was released in September 2006 on Dr. Earl Music.
The BOMBSHELL Band - Rachel Introduces the Players
Gordon Vincent: co-producer, electric guitar and back-up vocals. Gordon is an incredible performing songwriter (http://gordonvincent.com) and a great friend. I knew that he insists on thinking outside the box and we would create something unique and exciting together. He wouldn’t give me his sperm, so…His guitar work on this album is raw and gorgeous.
Charlie Chadwick: bass and engineer. Charlie Chadwick is the best, most elegant bassist I have worked with. Charlie has played with Steve Earl, Jaime Hartford, Shelby Lynn, Pam Tillis, and Django guitarist John Jorgenson and, most recently, in David Lee Roth’s bluegrass band! A talented and patient engineer, he also made his studio Gordon’s and my playground...
Kathy Burkly: drums and percussion. I’ve known this tiny dynamo for years and have always been amazed at her intuitive and artistic style. I am a very rhythmic guitar player/writer and she enhances the hell out of my grooves. Her early career included Boston’s famed Girl’s Night Out which fueled the popularity of Patty Larkin. She continues to be a sought after studio and live musician based in Nashville.
Billy Huber: Trombone. Wow! This guy blew me away. He is responsible for more than one bright spot on Bombshell. Check out his crazy solos on Long Distance Love! That is all trombone…Gordon loved it so much, he asked him to play on Sugar and Peaches and he continued to bless us with his talent. Billy has recorded with or backed-up a variety of recording artists including Henry Mancini, Natalie Cole, James Brown, Boots Randolph, The Temptations, Mannheim Steamroller, and Lou Rawls.. We called him in on the project because we heard he had a great sense of humor and does “bits” with his trombone and a car horn. Who knew?
Chris Nole: piano and organ. Chris Nole of the infamous Nashville Swamp Honkies has also toured and recorded with Faith Hill, John Denver, Travis Tritt, and Shelby Lynne. Chris appeared on Down, Mine and Sugar. His signature piano part on Sugar helped make it a personal favorite on the CD. He took a seriously loose idea I had and turned it into a sassy masterpiece. Chris is a successful solo artist as well! (www.chrisnole.com)
Troy Miller: Banjo on The Divorce Song (pron. Dee-vorce). Troy is a fine musician and music historian from Southern Indiana and a great friend. I knew his sense of style and inspired, ham fisted, old time banjo pickin’ would add the proper spice to what we were cookin’.
Annie Mosher: One of my favorites on the Americana performing songwriter scene, (http://anniemosher.com) Annie was the first soul I thought of to lend a lilting sweetness to The Divorce Song’s chorus.
Steve McComb: Nashville studio and tour musician, Steve McComb joined us for one of the most memorable solos on the CD. He rocked the acoustic guitar solo on Perfect on Your Mind that dances with Gordon Vincent’s electric.
Rachel Owen: vocals and acoustic rhythm. That’s me. I grew up in Northern KY, I live in Nashville and am a child of the world. Thanks for listening. I hope you will enjoy, and that you will help us drop the Bombshell on your pals & community by spreading the word about it. Stay groovy.