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Melissa Carper

A distinctive upright bassist, singer, and songwriter from Arkansas, Melissa Carper's homespun yet profound tales of life, love, and loss combine elements of old-timey blues, country, western swing, jazz, honky-tonk, and early rock & roll. Nicknamed "HillBillie Holiday" by friend and frequent collaborator Chris Scruggs, her well-received 2015 debut paved the way for the critically acclaimed Daddy's Country Gold (2021) and Ramblin' Soul (2022), the latter of which marked her debut for Thirty Tigers. Raised in rural Nebraska, Carper spent her formative years playing upright bass with her traveling family band. Parsing her parents' record collection, she gravitated toward artists like Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Ray Charles, Elvis Presley, and Jimmie Rodgers. While attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on a music scholarship, Carper discovered Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole, which helped shape her vocal style. She left college after a two-year stint and relocated to Eureka Springs, Arkansas, where her innate wanderlust and nomadic upbringing helped her win friends and fans amidst the city's busking community. Using Eureka Springs as a home base, Carper took her show on the road, plying her wares and honing her trade from New Orleans to Austin to New York City, where in the late '90s she co-founded the bluegrass and folk group the Maybelles. In 2010 she founded the Carper Family. Based out of Austin, the trio (Carper on bass, Beth Chrisman on fiddle, and Jenn Miori on guitar) quickly became staples of the city's music scene, impressing audiences with their immaculate three-part harmonies and deep knowledge of roots music. Later projects included Arkansas quartet Sad Daddy and roots duo Buffalo Gals with Sad Daddy bandmate and partner, fiddler Rebecca Patek. Carper issued her solo debut, a collection of country blues and old-time songs called Arkansas Bound, in 2015. She hit her stride in 2021 with the release of Daddy's Country Gold, which elicited praise for its rich storytelling and golden-era country patina. She inked a deal with Thirty Tigers ahead of the release of 2022's Ramblin' Soul. Like its tube-driven predecessor, the 13-song set was co-produced by Andrija Tokic (St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Hurray for the Riff Raff) and Dennis Crouch (the Time Jumpers) in vintage analog style.
© James Christopher Monger /TiVo
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Discography

11 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller

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