This week sees the release of Erin Rae‘s new single Like The First Time. She’s a name that may be new to many, know for being the go to harmony singer in East Nashville where the likes of Margo Price, Anderson East, Andrew Combs or Richard Thompson are happy to sing her praises. Judging by her new single, she’ll soon have little use for those references as Like The First Time is more than convincing that she’s a name to watch for. She created quite a buzz in the UK on her tour last year but I’ve a strong notion that The Wild Blue Wind Tour which kicks off this month (dates below) will shake a lot of music radars.
Take a listen for yourself, there’s a soothing quality to her voice that also commands your attention and draws you back for repeated listens, the heavy fuzz intro is enough to build up expectations as she sings “Try to give you what you wanted and my heart breaks like the first time…”. 6o’s psych and indie-country are mentioned as points of reference in the press release, but there’s also something classic going on underneath, but in a very leftfield way. It takes a unique voice to hold something like that together and she manages to do it in a unique way.
Recorded in Wisconsin in a beautiful, historic Franciscan monastery-turned-creative space on Wisconsin’s Fox River – the perfect setting for tracking Erin’s genre-busting new single, which continues the vocal and song serving restraint of her indie-country tinged debut, ‘Soon Enough’,
The tracks empowering lyrics are very personal, with Erin sharing her desire to take a stand in her relationships, “Like The First Time is about making the mistake of thinking I can control how someone else perceives me or how they feel about me. It’s about the pit in your stomach feeling after you go against what you feel is right, to try to keep someone from being angry with you. How it’s super sad to disregard how you feel to try to appease another person. I think that’s why this one’s more angsty sounding. Lots of pent up emotion in that.”
She tours the UK in June performing at venues including London’s Green Note (see full tour dates below), with her band ‘The Meanwhiles’ – with multi-instrumentalists Jerry Bernhardt (Andrew Combs, Ron Gallo) and Dom Billett (Andrew Combs, The Stray Birds) also featuring on the hotly anticipated new record, details of which will be announced in the very near future.
About Erin Rae
Born into music, Erin initially grew up in Jackson, Tennessee – before moving to Nashville at 11 years old. Her introduction to folk music came early – with Mom and Dad both respected but off-radar part-time musicians – Erin often joined them on stage singing backing at age five, in churches, county fairs and in the coffee shops of West Tennessee. Her Mom, close with many of the songwriting community saw potential in her daughter and through a connection with family friend and country superstar ‘Kathy Mattea’, Erin was introduced to Nashville star vocal coach, the wonderful late Phoebe Binkley. Phoebe was a Nashville legend, coaching Reese Witherspoon (for her appearance in film, ‘Walk The Line’), Crystal Gayle and Erin personally for many years until her passing in 2016.
Inspired by her work with Phoebe, Erin began teaching others herself and became one of the most popular vocal coaches in Nashville, teaching on the side, whilst she built her own songwriting career – Erin stated, “I was so fortunate to work with Phoebe, because she helped me to develop my natural ability and encouraged me to stay true to my art. Because she was so connected to generations of musicians gone by, as well as present day talent, I felt very connected to a sense of musical tradition in Nashville, and more confident in my work. I felt like I came from a musical heritage outside of my bloodline, as well as the talent and influence passed down by my parents. I love to pass on that support to my students – just trying to see what they are envisioning for themselves and using what I know to support them in that. It’s a really cool way to get to know people, too. You’re working on the technical side of the voice, but, for me, it’s so intertwined with the personal side.”
Erin tours the UK in June 2017 dates including:
JUN 14 WED – Dorset Arms. East Grinstead
JUN 15 THU – The Trades Club. Hebden Bridge
JUN 16 FRI – Seven Artspace. Chapel Allerton,
JUN 17 SAT – Gordon Arms Ents Shed. Bedford
JUN 18 SUN – Joy Festival, Tunbridge Wells
JUN 20 TUE – Green Note. London
JUN 21 WED – The Canteen. Bristol
JUN 22 THU – Poppy And Pint. Nottingham
JUN 23 FRI – Thimblemill Library, Smethwick/Birmingham
JUN 24 SAT – The Forge at Anvil Arts. Basingstoke
JUN 25 SUN – St. Mary’s Hall, Whitstable
JUN 27 TUE – The Hug & Pint. Glasgow
JUN 28 WED – The Depot, Edinburgh
JUN 29 THU – The Ex-Servicemens Club. Corby
JUN 30 FRI – Maverick Festival, Marlingford
