This evening offered a flavour of some of the components that make up the eclectic mix that we call Americana music featuring three individual artists. It was also a flavour of the quality of music coming out of Nashville.
Sean McConnell represents the classic singer songwriter, forging a living by performing and writing, both individually and in group sessions, on Music Row. Kelsey Waldon characterises the more edgy side of country music that is so prominent these times around East Nashville. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Garrison Starr displays with flying colours, an industry survivor, whether by performing, releasing her own material, providing music for shows or recording in Nashville with like-minded artists.
It’s Sean McConnell’s first headlining show in Dublin, his previous visits were as a support act to other artists. He is currently on tour with Garrison Starr, an artist and friend of many years and one that he has recently collaborated with. Kelsey Waldon, very much a rising country artist in America, is on her first venture outside her home country. She has been performing with her fellow Virginia native, Ian Noe, in Europe and took the opportunity with open arms to hook up with McConnell and Starr on their dates in Ireland and Scotland. She is then on tour with John Prine in Europe, followed by opening for Drive By Truckers on their headline dates back home.
Originally from Hernando Mississippi, Grammy nominated Garrison Starr has been performing for over twenty-five years and has sixteen albums in her back catalogue. To describe her as a powerful live performer only scratches the surface. She owns the room throughout her twenty-five minute set this evening, with a strong presence that oozes confidence and a booming vocal that could fill the room without amplification. Her set includes The Devil In me, Run and Dam That’s Breaking. She also performs Bones, a request from an American friend in the audience currently living in Ireland. A gay woman, who proudly wears her sexuality on her sleeve, she speaks of her anger and demoralisation as a younger woman, fuelled by being banned from her Church. Fortunately, that anger is in the past and is replaced by acceptance and charisma. Her final song, The Train Is Gone For Good, was written for her grandfather. It’s a Mississippi Gospel song and Starr has the audience singing the chorus along with her in what’s been the perfect warm up for all that follows.
Kelsey Waldon’s career path has been on a steady rise in recent years. Having paid her dues working double shifts in Nashville while attempting to advance her musical career, her time has come. The hard graft and talent have earned her a number of performances at the Grand Ole Opry and a record deal last year with John Prine’s OH Boy Record Label. These days she is more accustomed playing to large crowds with her band but she’s still firmly grounded. “One night I’m playing to sell out crowds at The Grand Ole Opry, the next night to a sell out at 3rd & Lindsley, two nights later I’m playing to five people in Houston’ she jokes in her heavily accented Virginia drawl, before adding ‘ I’m back where I started here, playing a solo set.”
Her eight-song set includes Kentucky 1988, Lived and Let Go and Anyhow, all from her recent WHITE NOISE/WHITE LINES album. She also includes Very Old Barton from that album, explaining that the song refers to a Kentucky Bourbon that John Prine deemed to be his favourite, at a recent whisky tasting session that he and Waldon enjoyed. High In Heels, a harrowing narcotic related song from her 2014 album GOLDMINE also features, as does her anthem All By Myself.
If Waldon’s sound represents the thornier country music emanating from Nashville, Sean McConnell’s background falls into the more traditional classic singer songwriter category side of Music City. A polished performer, excellent guitarist and vocalist, his songs have been recorded by household names such as Tim Mc Graw, Martina Mc Bride, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts and more. Brett Young hit the No.1 Spot in The Country Charts in 2018 with the McConnell written Mercy (“very helpful to me and my family” he jokes). Adding that he does not often perform the song live, he includes it in his set this evening. It’s obviously quite mainstream and unreflective of the more rootsy material that he also delivers.
Of particular note are the selections from his most recent recording SECONDHAND SMOKE. The title track, Rest My Head, Shaky Bridges especially impress. Announcing that what was to be a one off co-write in Nashville with Garrison Starr, developed into a full album recording under the band name of My Sister/My Brother, he invites Starr on stage to perform two songs from the album, Nothing Without You and I Don’t Know How To Love You, due for official release in March. McConnell’s songs cover blues infused country and gospel and he ends his performance with a song dedicated to his grandfather Leo McConnell, who passed on a pocket watch to him when he was a child. Fittingly, the watch had been purchased by him in Dublin. A number of his songs are written from a personal perspective and he looks back at his youth in songs like Secondhand Smoke that details his relationship with his Father, Old Brown Shoes, that song for his grandfather and Queen Of Saint Mary’s Choir, a song that captures growing up in a musical household where his Father was a musician and his Mother a singer.
This evening was a snapshot of the calibre of music coming out of Nashville. Interestingly, although living in the same city for years, McConnell had not met Waldon previously, a pointer possibly to the contrasting musical landscapes that prevail in Music City. Whether it’s mainstream or left of centre Country, Gospel or Roots, there was something to cater for all tastes on stage this evening, by three very individualistic and equally talented artists.
Review and photos by Declan Culliton (with thanks to Paul McGee for additional information)
