ROXIE WATSON is a
five-piece string band from Decatur and Atlanta, GA, who play what they like to
call "alterna-grass" music that mixes three- and four-part harmonies
with elements of old country, Appalachian music, hymns, and bluegrass, without
adhering to the traditions of any one genre. Lisa Love of Georgia Music Magazine
and the Georgia Music Foundation described the band by saying, “When you have a
group of women who are natural story-tellers, who sooth their aggressive
musical chops with beautiful harmonies, temper their rock-n-roll sensibilities
with an understanding of Appalachian tradition, and come off as a little bit
Keith Richards, a little bit Bill Monroe, you get Roxie Watson.”
Roxie Watson is comprised of Beth Wheeler on mandolin, Lenny Lasater on bass
guitar, Linda Bolley on acoustic and electric guitar, Sonia Tetlow on banjo,
and Becky Shaw on lap steel, button accordion, harmonica and guitar. Each
individual band member brings years of experience performing, writing,
recording, and touring to the group (Sonia played bass for Cowboy Mouth, Linda
played drums for Michelle Malone, Beth played bass for Wendy Bucklew, and Becky
sang and played flute with Reversing Hour, to name just a few examples.) They
grew up all over the country, from Tennessee and Seattle to Detroit and New
Orleans, absorbing the music of their native landscapes. Once all in Atlanta,
though, they took a winding road, intertwining their personal stories (and band
lineups) before finally forming Roxie Watson in 2007, a band that takes them
all back to their roots and brings their roots all together in its sound.
Roxie Watson celebrated the release of its sophomore CD, Of Milestones and Moon
Pie, on March 3, 2012, with two sold-out shows at Eddie's Attic in Decatur, GA.
The new CD shows the marked evolution of the group's music since the release of
their first CD, True Stories, in January 2010 and has been garnering some
attention from early reviewers. Richard Winham in the Chattanooga Pulse wrote
that, "Their songs have strong melodies and buoyant harmonies that leaven
even their darkest songs. Their music isn’t lightweight, but it is joyously
lighthearted." Rachel Cholst on NoDepression.com described the album as
emphasizing, "hope and strength in the face of all odds," and
encouraged readers to, "Buy this album. Lie on the bed. Hit play. Close
your eyes. Think of the good times you've had and the better times you're about
to have."
The CD was funded entirely by Roxie Watson's fans, who enthusiastically
exceeded the initial goal set by the band for its kickstarter.com campaign. The
band entered the studio in the fall of 2011 to begin recording and then shortly
thereafter hit the road to open for the Indigo Girls on the first leg of their
tour. In addition to touring regionally with the Indigo Girls, Roxie Watson has
also performed with Amy Ray solo, Lindsay Fuller & Jeff Fielder and
Michelle Malone among others. The band has consistently sold out shows at
Eddie's Attic in Decatur, GA and the Blue Ridge Community Theater in Blue
Ridge, GA while also building an audience in venues as diverse as the Mablehouse
Barnes Amphitheater in Atlanta, GA, the Melting Point in Athens, GA, the
Barking Legs Theater in Chattanooga, TN and Work Play in Birmingham, AL. Roxie
Watson has performed at festivals such as the 30A Festival in Fort Walton, FL,
the Inman Park Festival and Decatur Concerts on the Square, among others.
Perhaps the most all-encompassing description of Roxie Watson came from
Georgianne Nienaber in the Huffington Post who wrote, “These women are more
than proficient as musicians, have a warm way with a story, and a natural stage
banter that comes from a long history of friendship and community. The stage
morphs into a back porch, with the audience becoming honored guests in an
intimate setting that is a heck of a lot of fun, heartwarming, and
heart-rending when it needs to be.” Roxie Watson continues to focus on its
music and fans and continually growing, one step at a time, one song at a time.