Musicians On The Rise
By Ashley M. Halligan
It’s no secret that one of the (many) magical things about living in Austin, Texas is its ever-evolving music scene. With venues scattered along most of its downtown grid and in neighborhood hideaways throughout the city, Austin’s a city where music is sleepless, with Austinites thriving on the daily discovery of new artists and bands, innovative melodies, interesting collaborations and thoughtful creativity. With local radio support from stations like KGSR & 101X, up—and—coming bands have a fostering opportunity to make it on air in the early stages of their career, casting them into the sound waves of our daily lives, finding locals familiar with musical innovation long before other U.S. cities have had the opportunity to catch up.
Having been in Austin just over two years, I’ve noticed a distinct pattern of musical discovery within this big small town that is neither compartmentalized, nor genre specific and thus is very promising to aspiring musicians. Austin is almost like a School of Rock, setting a loose, real life curriculum for musicians with all the necessary tools for their success at the soulful pick of a guitar: intimate, yet widely favored venues, professional recording studios and credentialed band management and regularly visiting recruiters from some of the most well-known record labels. And perhaps most important are Austin’s receptive, schooled listeners who count themselves scholars of a broader and more significant genre of music—real and good.
Factor in two of the country’s most sought out music festivals, Austin City Limits Music Festival and South by Southwest and Austin affords every imaginable ingredient for ambitious on-the-rise musicians to thrive and scatter their talent from Austin to everywhere else, leaving their musical bread crumb trail behind them and a nostalgic afterthought in the Austinite’s mind of, “We were watching her/him/them when she/he/they were playing free shows at Shady Grove and Blues on the Green.”
It’s here that I have handpicked who, of Austin-based musicians in this moment, will be nationally known within the next year. These are my predictions derived from my appreciation of musical talent of all realms, exploration of the aforementioned abundance of venues and my realization of the local turned- national talent in mere moments. Within the artist interviews I’ve conducted, I’ve gathered their predictions as well-from a musical insider’s perspective-and, ironically many of their thoughts overlap my very own. So I’ll set the clock ticking, sit back, rock out and continue to let the melodic stories unfold. And a year from now, I’ll bet that our friends, families and foes will be hearing these artists’ albums from coast to coast. Here you go folks, allow me to introduce you to Suzanna Choffel, Wheeler Brothers and David Ramirez. It’s only rock ’n roll, but we like it.
WHEELER BROTHERS
It all began with a raffle when the Wheeler brothers were just adolescents; a white electric guitar just happened to be up for grabs. Tyler Wheeler, the middle brother, had a life-changing strategy when he decided to crinkle their entries “for a better grip.” Welcome to the Wheeler family, Stratocaster. The warfare soon began as the the three brothers, Nolan, Tyler and Patrick, feuded rampantly over whose turn it was to play next.
The oldest brother, Patrick, remembered, “We all liked playing the guitar so much that dad had to ration the time between us… we were constantly fighting over it. At one point, Nolan hit me with a softball because I was holding the guitar over his head. That was the first initial fight.” Laughing mischievously (as one would expect the big brother to do), he continued, “Then Nolan and Tyler got into it. Tyler wouldn’t let Nolan play. He was also bigger than Nolan, so I suggested [as the responsible babysitter] that they go out to the backyard and duke it out. So Old Noley stood up big time… laid one good solid punch on the big fellow and proceeded to get his ass royally kicked by Tyler. Dad came in right as Tyler was beating the living hell out of Nolan and broke the fight up.” As punishment, Mr. Wheeler lined the boys up and forced them to, one by one, smash the guitar off the ground, before finishing it off against a tree. That was the end of the Stratocaster and the beginning of a beautiful musical journey.
After weeks of moping around, Mr. Wheeler lined the boys up once again and assigned the boys roles in their new band, “Alright, dammit! Patrick, you’re on drums! Tyler, you’re on bass! Nolan, you’re on guitar.” He took them to an instrument shop to gear up for their new assignments and they haven’t quit since. Postcollege, Danny Matthews, who the brothers met at Louisiana State University and A.J. Molyneaux, a high school friend, joined the band. Now, several years after the guitar-smashing incident, Wheeler Brothers have just returned to Austin after their first national tour, spending a month on the road and filling venues everywhere from Evergreen, Colorado to New York City, to New Orleans.
Wheeler Brothers released their first full length album, Portraits, in May and had a huge turnout at their CD Release Party at the Scoot Inn, followed by nationwide reviews of their lyrical ingenious and anomalous spectrum of collective sounds, ranging from Texas folk and indie rock to Eastern European arrangements and seasoned with gospel hymns a cappella. On stage energy is a huge part of the Wheeler Brothers’ personality, engaging the audience with their collaborative and improvisational presence, singing original songs and doing eclectic versions of unexpected gems like, “I Want To Be Like You,” from The Jungle Book’s soundtrack.
Part of Wheeler Brothers’ growing fame and success stems from their immense appreciation of their fans. In Chicago, the band had dinner with ten fans they met in line; in Culpeper, Virginia, they hand-delivered a CD that had been ordered through their website once they realized they’d be passing through en route to their shows in Herndon and Charlottesville, Virginia. Wheeler Brothers thrive on their fan base and on the interactivity they have with their listeners.
When asked where they may be in a year Danny Matthews says, “We’ll ideally have our second LP out and kicking… hopefully playing the festival circuit and starting to build a little bit of traction on a broader scale… most importantly, remaining focused on writing music, nurturing our fan base and being hungry for the road. And hopefully staying level-headed and happy.” It’s these aligned priorities and a quenchless thirst for more, alongside countless studio hours that’s going to take Wheeler Brothers beyond every peak imaginable. And now that Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler are avid members of the audience, in awe of the bands’ undeniable talent, we can count on the longevity of the bands’ instruments and their musical careers.
Follow their blog at: wbwesthouse.tumblr.com
Suzanna Choffel
A magical afternoon spent with Suzanna Choffel reiterated precisely why it’s easy to predict her growing fame. She had suggested Bouldin Creek Coffeehouse for a mid-day breakfast and conversation. Paired with her funky orange top, huge feathery earrings and chandelier necklace, she really couldn’t be more Austin, except that she planned on spending the remainder of her day teaching guitar and voice lessons, grabbing an ice cream snack from Amy’s Ice Cream and going night swimming at Barton Springs. All this is added to the fact that her boyfriend, Paul Oveisi, just happens to own Momo’s Club, one of Austin’s well-known venues that plays host to some of the city’s best acts and nationally touring artists. Suzanna Choffel is Austin.
Having deemed herself as a “smoky-voiced female lead, singing pop songs with a little bit of an urban feel,” Choffel recently released her latest project, Steady Eye Shaky Bow, the first album since her 2006 debut, Shudders & Rings. Since May, Steady Eye Shaky Bow has sold more than 1,500 copies and the single, “Raincloud,” is getting daily airplay in Austin. Although she began performing professionally in 2004, Choffel has been a musician since childhood. In fact, her first gig was at Saxon Pub at twelve years old, as a member of her then-band, Red Headed Stepchild. She now tours as Suzanna Choffel and is also a member of Austin’s collaborative band, The Coveters, alongside some other well-known local artists including Ed Jurdi of the Band of Heathens.
With a dusty, beautiful folk princess voice, Choffel’s inspirations have been as diverse as her painter, writer and musician persona. “Ani DiFranco was the first musician I saw doing it her own way- raw, pure, genuine… all about audience. And she toured relentlessly,” she explains. She goes on, “Erykah Badu is another and Feist is a favorite. I feel a kinship to her music and am also in awe and envy of her constant touring. You could say I have tour envy.” Blended with her passion for touring, Choffel will, without a doubt, be hitting the road sooner than later to continue spreading her gypsy notes around the world, which has her looking toward other places to settle. “I’ve actually been considering moving lately. I love Austin and it will always be home, but I’m getting the itch to try a different place out for a while. I lived in Santa Fe for three years when I was in college and loved it. But I think I’m ready to try out a big city like New York or L.A. If not, I definitely hope to be touring and my big hope for next year is Europe… I’ve never been and people keep telling me they think my music would be well-perceived there,” she explains. I couldn’t agree more. Europe would be a catapulting stage for Choffel and am quite eager to see this potential tour unravel.
We allowed our conversation to drift over omelets and iced lavender matés, talking philosophy, life, passions and art. Afternoon breakfast with Choffel was more like catching up with a sister or childhood friend. At one point I apologized for finishing her sentence. She replied, “No, it’s like magic… we’re on the same wavelength.” In another moment while describing her adoration for local Meggan Carney’s “folky, jazzy 20s and 30s throwback songs,” she began snapping her fingers and singing, “You’re my honeypie…” In her undeniably beautiful voice, one cannot help but think that the decade she’s spent writing heartfelt, honest lyrics and her sincere connectivity to both people and the world, that wherever she hangs her hat, she will certainly find a cozy, blue-eyed home in music
libraries across the globe.
David Ramirez
“Folk-brewed Pop” is the modern-Americana genre label singer-songwriter David Ramirez has received from his fans, having been writing and playing his own music for more than ten years. A self-proclaimed wanderer, Ramirez quotes Tim Riggins from Friday Night Lights, “Texas forever!” when asked where he sees himself in a year. That said, he admits Austin is his second home and the open road his first. Austin will remain his stationary escape from the highway where he’s constantly seeking exploration, new towns, new people and inspiration. “Lord willing, I’ll never leave this town. I do plan on touring a great deal within the next 12 months and I have plans right now to get back in the studio come early 2012.”
Beginning his musical career at the ripe age of 17, he knew he had quite a bit of catching up to do. “I was pretty late in the game so I really had to put in those extra hours skipping class and not doing homework to get to a point where I felt comfortable,” Ramirez explained. “I did go to college for a couple years and studied music business… went through a few theory classes, understood a little more, then one day started a band in Dallas. This was where I gained a true taste for collaboration and performance. I fell in love and although the band didn’t last long, it propelled me over the years to move to Nashville, travel and to move down here to Austin. It’s been a good road and I look forwardto many more years on it.” It’s this commitment and dedication paired with his clear, concise, yet youthful wisdom that I believe will launch him farther down the highway than maybe even he could imagine.
Having produced several EPs and one full length album, American Soil, Ramirez has had quite a successful run thus far. In 2010 alone, Ramirez played 150 shows, all stemming from independently booked tours. September’s shows include performances in Lubbock, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Glendale, Arizona, emphasizing his everlasting role as a traveling musician, a traveling man.
In recent shows along Ramirez’s tours, he’s finally started to realize that people elsewhere are discovering his music, “One significant thing has been hitting these cities that I’ve never played and finding people who were familiar with my work. I’ve never expected that of anyone; I’ve always just wanted to play for whoever was there, but seeing it happen has been quite an honor. I’m no longer only playing for strangers and I think that will always be a surprising moment for me.”
Ramirez agrees that Austin is the perfect base for the creative-minded and the artist’s soul, “I think [one] of Austin’s attributes that helps is her care for herself.
Local business and local art have a home here and as long as that stays a priority, creativity will exist.” And I think he’s right.
It seems the road has taught Ramirez quite a bit along the way and that wisdom will certainly help accelerate him into well-deserved fame. He finished the interview with, “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.” And that, my friends, is a simple and powerful lesson, reflective of the Austin dogma, that we should all run with.