MELISSA CARPER’S NEW LP RAMBLIN’ SOUL OUT TODAY VIA MAE MUSIC/THIRTY TIGERS

“Carper’s heavily twangy vocal tone is different from Billie Holiday’s, but it’s similarly distinctive, and very much a signature of her sound." - Austin American-Statesman 

"Carper is hands-down one of the best in the trad music game." - The Boot 

"Carper has found her true voice and place in the music world, and with a sound many country and roots music fans are thirsty for." - Saving Country Music 

"Ramblin’ Soul replicates the effortless cool from Daddy’s Country Gold. Carper’s relentless creativity spins our grandparents’ music into something immediate and familiar." - No Depression 

"…her music wrangles sounds of a different era – country jazz, honky-tonk, and a bluesy soul unfurling with the thick twang of her vocals... Most spectacular though is the emotional twinge that wrings from the soulful shuffle of songs like 'Ain't a Day Goes By'" - The Austin Chronicle  

"Ah, yes, that old feel. It's what makes Carper's music such a joy." - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette 

“Hot damn, Melissa Carper has done it again” - The Arkansas Times

“Carper’s voice acts as an enveloping history lesson in American music, pulling from all the greats of bygone eras to create a vibe that’s as comforting as it is fresh.” - Glide Magazine 

“...an Ozark Billie Holiday” - WMOT 

“It ain’t old, it ain’t retro, it’s just real.” - Country Music People 

"...there isn't an undeveloped or thoughtless tune on the entire body of work...a technically sound, creatively distinctive album that authentically encompasses Carper's eclectic foundation and Americana as a whole." - The Amp 

“It’s retro and relevant all at the same time, giving Carper solid standing as an essential artist." - Holler. 

"Melissa Carper is the real deal" - Basic Folk 

"As she says in closing tune, ‘Hanging on to You’ “They don’t make them like they used to” Thankfully Melissa Carper does." - Americana-UK 

"Sepia-toned and smoky, Carper is front and center, as emotional as Hank Williams and as enthralling as Billie Holiday. Few artists transition as well from the side of the stage to the center, but Melissa Carper performs at another level entirely." - Sound and Soul 

"Melissa Carper seeks to reclaim what made Country music great before it went all pop. And she just might do it." - Tuned Up 

“...gentle western swing and soulful tones of hope” - Country Queer

"...an artist who can croon, swoon, sashay and strut with the best" - The Rocking Magpie

LISTEN: RAMBLIN’ SOUL  

Today, critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter and upright bassist Melissa Carper has released her new LP, Ramblin’ Soul, via Mae Music/Thirty Tigers. In 2020, grappling with the loss of regular gigs, Carper and her partner, award-winning fiddler Rebecca Patek, moved to a friend’s farm near Austin, working in exchange for housing, organic vegetables, and fresh, country air. The simpler life afforded Carper the space and rejuvenation needed to channel her muse and begin writing for her next album.

"Ramblin' Soul was inspired by the new appreciation I had for the freedom to travel around the country and perform," explains the Austin-based lifelong wanderer. Carper was relieved and energized to be back on the road, on a familiar pilgrimage from Texas to Arkansas and back to meet and collaborate with musician friends. "I had taken for granted the ability to interact with audiences and friends and how much it feeds my soul and my creative process," she adds.  Feeling inspired by time on the road and time with other creative minds, she penned the title track on the way back home, and the Ramblin' Soul seeds were planted. 

From its conception and throughout the recording process, the album seemed to take on a life of its own. “Thematically, I had a handful of songs about rambling around and living a free life that I wanted to weave through the album,” she recalls. “I also knew I wanted Ramblin' Soul to have a different feel than my previous release, Daddy's Country Gold, with more upbeat and diverse styles and grooves.” Ramblin’ Soul features 10 Carper originals--venturing into her blues, early rock 'n roll, and soul influences, blended with her signature flavors of country, western swing, and jazz. The album also boasts a co-write with friend and collaborator Gina Gallina (who also animated Carper’s video for album track “1980 Dodge Van”), a song penned by friend and frequent collaborator Brennen Leigh, and a reimagined classic from folk n’ soul pioneer Odetta. There is something for everyone on Ramblin' Soul.   

WATCH: “1980 DODGE VAN”

WATCH: “HIT OR MISS (ft. Shinyribs)”

WATCH: “RAMBLIN’ SOUL”

WATCH: “AIN’T A DAY GOES BY”

 "The album freely explores many different styles of Americana music," she explains. "It was really incredible and so much fun to hear the songs develop in the studio with a stellar group of musicians and producers all sharing their ideas and bringing each song to life."  Carper knew she wanted to work again with Andrija Tokic (The Bomb Shelter) and Dennis Crouch (Time Jumpers) to co-produce and the same incredible crew of musicians that contributed their immense talents to Daddy's Country Gold, along with some new additions to the roster. Some of Nashville's finest session and touring artists appear on the lineup, including Crouch (bass), Chris Scruggs (guitars and steel), John Pahmer (organ and piano), Matty Meyer (drums), Billy Contreras (fiddle), Rory Hoffman (clarinet, piano, nylon-string guitar), Wes Langlois (guitar), Sierra Ferrell and Larry Marrs (George Jones) on harmony vocals, and a backing vocal trio of Kyshona Armstrong, Maureen Murphy, and Nickie Conley.  "They seriously knocked it out of the park," Carper says.  "It was truly a group effort.  I was blown away by everyone involved and the resulting soulful and joyful energy of the album.  I am excited to get Ramblin' Soul out into the world and hope people enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it."

The album is available for purchase and streaming on all platforms HERE. Melissa Carper is currently celebrating the album release with shows in Austin, Nashville, Little Rock, New Orleans, and more, and will embark on a West Coast tour in early 2023. Be sure to follow her at the links below for all the latest news and updates.

TOUR DATES 

11/18 - Little Rock, AR @  White Water Tavern

11/20 -  Eureka Springs, AR @ Chelsea’s

12/1 - San Antonio, TX @ The Lonesome Rose

12/2 - Austin, TX @ State Theatre

12/3 - Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall

12/4 - New Orleans, LA @ Cafe Istanbul

12/5 - Birmingham,  AL @ Dave's Pub

12/7 - Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle

12/8 - Decatur, GA @ Eddie’s Attic

12/9 - Nashville, TN @ Station Inn

12/10 - Knoxville, TN @ Boyd’s Jig & Reel

12/11 - Berea, KY @ Rebel Rebel Studio & Lounge

1/18 - Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar^

1/20 - Hollywood, CA @ The Hotel Cafe^

1/21 - San Francisco, CA @ Amado’s^

1/22 - Mariposa, CA @ The Grove House^

1/24 - Reno, NV @ Abby’s Highway 40^

1/26- Bend, OR @ Silver Moon Brewing^

1/27 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios^

1/28 - Seattle, WA @ Conor Byrne Pub

1/31 - Boise, ID @ The Olympic Venue^

2/1 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court^

2/3 - Fort Collins, CO @ The Coast^

2/4 - Denver, CO @ Globe Hall^

2/5 - Trinidad, CO @ Trinidad Lounge^ 

^w/ Kassi Valazza 

CONNECT WITH MELISSA CARPER:  

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM || BANDCAMP || YOUTUBE || SPOTIFY  

MELISSA CARPER RELEASES REIMAGINED ODETTA CLASSIC “HIT OR MISS” + SINGLE & VIDEO FEATURING SHINYRIBS PREMIERES VIA HOLLER.

RAMBLIN’ SOUL LP OUT NOVEMBER 18

VIA THIRTY TIGERS

"…her music wrangles sounds of a different era – country jazz, honky-tonk, and a bluesy soul unfurling with the thick twang of her vocals... Most spectacular though is the emotional twinge that wrings from the soulful shuffle of songs like 'Ain't a Day Goes By'" - The Austin Chronicle

"Carper is hands-down one of the best in the trad music game." - The Boot

"Carper has found her true voice and place in the music world, and with a sound many country and roots music fans are thirsty for." - Saving Country Music

“...an Ozark Billie Holiday” - WMOT

“Hot damn, Melissa Carper has done it again” - The Arkansas Times

“...one of the best releases of 2022. Her sound immediately transports you to a prohibition speakeasy. We can’t get enough.” - WNEX

“...timeless delivery” - Sound and Soul

“...gentle western swing and soulful tones of hope” - Country Queer

"Mark our words, she will be a star" - The Wild Is Calling

"If you love old school country, you won't want to miss this one." - If It's Too Loud

"Melissa is THE ramblin' soul" - Beehive Candy

Photo: Lyza Renee

LISTEN // WATCH: “HIT OR MISS”  

Singer/songwriter and upright bassist Melissa Carper has released a reimagined version of Odetta’s 1970 classic “Hit Or Miss” the latest from her forthcoming LP due out on November 18th via Mae Music/Thirty Tigers. The video for “Hit Or Miss” features Carper performing the song with legendary swamp funkster Shinyribs.

“Like the other songs on the album, it’s a song about living a free life, rambling around, looking for a place to fit in or just being happy sticking out, reimagined by Carper as a joyously old-timey blues shuffle,” commented Holler. in the premiere. “Her voice is like a gloriously aged whiskey, with a deep smoky flavour that cuts through everything around it. It’s no surprise the singer has been fondly dubbed ‘HillBillie Holiday’ by friend and collaborator Chris Scruggs.”

“I hadn't realized until more recently how much of a figure Odetta was in the American folk music revival and also what a pioneer she was for female artists,” Carper told Holler. “I would never have thought of trying to sing this song because I am frankly intimidated by the power and attitude Odetta sings it with. Someone suggested I record ‘Hit or Miss,’ so I decided to give it a try. I recorded a demo of it and, listening back, quickly realized that I would have to sing this song like I meant it or I was never going to pull it off. I gave it my best shot and tried to embody her attitude,” she continues. “The morning before we recorded it, I listened to Odetta sing it 50 times over to get pumped up!”

“I've always admired Shinyribs' musicianship and his highly entertaining stage presence. I knew he would be really fun to work with and super groovy on a song like ‘Hit or Miss,’ so I was excited when he said yes to doing this video,” she explains of performing with Shinyribs, the solo project of artist Kevin Russell. “I have a tendency to be too serious when I'm performing and every time I looked over at Kevin, he just made me laugh. It was a blast making the video and he even showed me a couple dance moves. Plus he gave me socks with flames on them! They are my favorite socks now.”

“Hit Or Miss” follows the release of the album’s title track, written while Carper was driving down the road on a familiar trip from Arkansas back down to Texas. “I had just spent time with some musician friends and was feeling re-energized,” she told The Bluegrass Situation. “On this trip, I realized just how much that free, ramblin’ life I’ve lived over the years has stimulated my creative process…if something isn't working for me and making me happy or it seems I've gotten in a rut somewhere, then I move on to whatever the next thing is that feels right, or I get out of town for a bit to find some new inspiration and fresh perspective. That is really the gist of it, trying to go with the flow of life wherever it seems the Universe is guiding me."

Carper penned the album’s soulful lead single, “Ain’t A Day Goes By,” in 2014 after the death of her beloved dog, Betty. “This song is very emotional for me,” she reveals. “It was difficult to go through my Dad's death, then my Mom's death only a year later, and really, in a sense, losing my younger brother to severe mental health issues that have changed his personality completely,” she says. “Betty's death crushed me because she had been through it all with me. The grief just started pouring out at that point.”

LISTEN // WATCH: “RAMBLIN’ SOUL”

LISTEN // WATCH: “AIN’T A DAY GOES BY” 

After the success of her critically-acclaimed 2021 release Daddy’s Country Gold, Carper was eager to get back in the studio. With co-producers Andrija Tokic (St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Hurray For The Riff Raff) and Dennis Crouch (The Time Jumpers) behind the boards again at Tokic’s analog paradise The Bomb Shelter in Nashville, Carper assembled that same crew of magical music makers - plus a few more - to join her on the adventure.

In 2020, grappling with the loss of regular gigs, Carper and her partner, award-winning fiddler Rebecca Patek, moved to a friend’s farm near Austin, working in exchange for housing, organic vegetables, and fresh, country air. The simpler life afforded Carper the space and rejuvenation needed to channel her muse, and begin writing for her next album.

Ramblin’ Soul features upbeat and diverse styles and grooves, venturing into blues, early rock n’ roll, and old-school soul, blended with Carper’s signature styles of country, western swing, and jazz. The album is available for pre-order HERE. Be sure to follow Melissa Carper at the links below for all the latest news and updates.

TOUR DATES 

11/9 - Baton Rouge, LA @ Red Dragon*

11/10 - Baton Rouge, LA @ Red Dragon*

11/11 - Taylor, TX @ Black Sparrow Music Parlor*

11/12 - Fischer, TX @ Devil’s Backbone Tavern*

11/13 - Galveston, TX @ Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe*

11/17 - Dallas, TX @ Poor David's Pub

11/18 - Little Rock, AR @  White Water Tavern

12/1 - San Antonio, TX @ The Lonesome Rose

12/2 - Austin, TX @ State Theatre

12/3 - Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall

12/4 - New Orleans, LA @ Cafe Istanbul

12/7 - Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle

12/8 - Decatur, GA @ Eddie’s Attic

12/9 - Nashville, TN @ Station Inn

12/10 - Knoxville, TN @ Boyd’s Jig & Reel

12/11 - Berea, KY @ Rebel Rebel Studio & Lounge 

* w/ Kelly Willis & Brennen Leigh

CONNECT WITH MELISSA CARPER:  

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM || BANDCAMP || YOUTUBE || SPOTIFY  

MELISSA CARPER PREMIERES NEW SINGLE & VIDEO “RAMBLIN’ SOUL” VIA THE BLUEGRASS SITUATION

RAMBLIN’ SOUL LP OUT NOVEMBER 18

VIA THIRTY TIGERS 

NEW TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED

"…her music wrangles sounds of a different era – country jazz, honky-tonk, and a bluesy soul unfurling with the thick twang of her vocals... Most spectacular though is the emotional twinge that wrings from the soulful shuffle of songs like 'Ain't a Day Goes By'" - The Austin Chronicle  

"Carper is hands-down one of the best in the trad music game." - The Boot 

“...an Ozark Billie Holiday” - WMOT 

“...gentle western swing and soulful tones of hope” -Country Queer

Photo: Lyza Renee

LISTEN // WATCH: “RAMBLIN’ SOUL” 

Today, singer/songwriter and upright bassist Melissa Carper has unveiled “Ramblin’ Soul,” the title track from her forthcoming LP due out on November 18th via Mae Music/Thirty Tigers. The song and its accompanying video embody the spirit of Carper’s album.

"I wrote 'Ramblin' Soul' driving down the road on a familiar trip from Arkansas back down to Texas,” she told The Bluegrass Situation. “I had just spent time with some musician friends and was feeling re-energized. On this trip, I realized just how much that free, ramblin’ life I’ve lived over the years has stimulated my creative process.  Arkansas, Texas, and Tennessee have been states I just keep making the rounds to, as well as New Mexico and Minnesota, so these places made their way into the song,” Carper added. “I say 'you can't keep me in a hole, 'cause Lord I'm a ramblin' soul.' By that I mean, if something isn't working for me and making me happy or it seems I've gotten in a rut somewhere, then I move on to whatever the next thing is that feels right, or I get out of town for a bit to find some new inspiration and fresh perspective.  That is really the gist of it, trying to go with the flow of life wherever it seems the Universe is guiding me."

“Ramblin’ Soul” follows the release of lead single, “Ain’t A Day Goes By.” Carper penned the soulful track in 2014 after the death of her beloved dog, Betty. “This song is very emotional for me,” she reveals. “It was difficult to go through my Dad's death, then my Mom's death only a year later, and really, in a sense, losing my younger brother to severe mental health issues that have changed his personality completely,” she says. “Betty's death crushed me because she had been through it all with me. The grief just started pouring out at that point.”

LISTEN // WATCH: “AIN’T A DAY GOES BY” 

After the success of her critically-acclaimed 2021 release Daddy’s Country Gold, Carper was eager to get back in the studio. With co-producers Andrija Tokic (St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Hurray For The Riff Raff) and Dennis Crouch (The Time Jumpers) behind the boards again at Tokic’s analog paradise The Bomb Shelter in Nashville, Carper assembled that same crew of magical music makers - plus a few more - to join her on the adventure.

In 2020, grappling with the loss of regular gigs, Carper and her partner, award-winning fiddler Rebecca Patek, moved to a friend’s farm near Austin, working in exchange for housing, organic vegetables, and fresh, country air. The simpler life afforded Carper the space and rejuvenation needed to channel her muse, and begin writing for her next album.

Ramblin’ Soul, which features upbeat and diverse styles and grooves, boasts ten Carper originals, along with a co-write with life-long ramblin’ buddy and bandmate Gina Gallina, a song written by friend and frequent collaborator Brennen Leigh, and a reimagined classic from folk pioneer Odetta. The album ventures into blues, early rock n’ roll, and old-school soul, blended with Carper’s signature styles of country, western swing, and jazz.

The album is available for pre-order HERE. Be sure to follow Melissa Carper at the links below for all the latest news and updates.

TOUR DATES 

11/9 - Baton Rouge, LA @ Red Dragon*

11/10 - Baton Rouge, LA @ Red Dragon*

11/11 - Taylor, TX @ Black Sparrow Music Parlor*

11/12 - Fischer, TX @ Devil’s Backbone Tavern*

11/13 - Galveston, TX @ Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe*

11/18 - Little Rock, AR @  White Water Tavern

12/1 - San Antonio, TX @ The Lonesome Rose

12/2 - Austin, TX @ State Theatre

12/3 - Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall

12/4 - New Orleans, LA @ Cafe Istanbul

12/7 - Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle

12/8 - Decatur, GA @ Eddie’s Attic

12/9 - Nashville, TN @ Station Inn

12/10 - Knoxville, TN @ Boyd’s Jig & Reel 

* w/ Kelly Willis & Brennen Leigh 

CONNECT WITH MELISSA CARPER:  

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM || BANDCAMP || YOUTUBE || SPOTIFY  

MELISSA CARPER ANNOUNCES NEW LP RAMBLIN’ SOUL OUT NOVEMBER 18 VIA THIRTY TIGERS

SINGLE & VIDEO “AIN’T A DAY GOES BY” OUT TODAY

PREMIERES VIA COUNTRY QUEER  

"…her music wrangles sounds of a different era – country jazz, honky-tonk, and a bluesy soul unfurling with the thick twang of her vocals... Most spectacular though is the emotional twinge that wrings from the soulful shuffle of songs like 'Ain't a Day Goes By'" - The Austin Chronicle

Photo: Lyza Renee

LISTEN // WATCH: “AIN’T A DAY GOES BY” 

Today, singer/songwriter and upright bassist Melissa Carper has released “Ain’t A Day Goes By,” the lead single from her forthcoming album Ramblin’ Soul, due out on November 18th via Mae Music/Thirty Tigers. “It’s a heartbreaking song about grief and loss, but a gentle western swing and soulful tones of hope keep it above water,” said Country Queer. “By not treating it as a ballad, Carper instead serves up something bittersweet and endearing with just the slightest element of whimsy. It’s a fitting tribute, as she explained in a statement about the tune.”

Carper penned the track in 2014 after the death of her beloved dog, Betty. “This song is very emotional for me,” she reveals. “It was difficult to go through my Dad's death, then my Mom's death only a year later, and really, in a sense, losing my younger brother to severe mental health issues that have changed his personality completely. Betty's death crushed me because she had been through it all with me. The grief just started pouring out at that point,” she continues. “I wrote ‘Ain't A Day Goes By’ within a year of her death, but could not sing it without crying until recently, so I haven’t performed it much in my shows. Now, it gets its rightful debut on Ramblin' Soul because it is a true soul song.”

“[H]er music wrangles sounds of a different era – country jazz, honky-tonk, and a bluesy soul unfurling with the thick twang of her vocals – yet can also swing provocatively playful and progressive,” commented The Austin Chronicle. “The result is less a throwback, though, than a fusion of styles into a new, adventurous, old-time-steeped Americana…Ramblin' Soul readies Carper's adventurous anachronisms precisely when her version of authentic revivalism seems primed for broader attention.”

After the success of her critically-acclaimed 2021 release Daddy’s Country Gold, Carper, dubbed “HillBillie Holiday” by friend and collaborator Chris Scruggs, was eager to get back in the studio. With co-producers Andrija Tokic (St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Hurray For The Riff Raff) and Dennis Crouch (The Time Jumpers) behind the boards again at Tokic’s analog paradise The Bomb Shelter in Nashville, Carper assembled that same crew of magical music makers - plus a few more - to join her on the adventure.

In 2020, grappling with the loss of regular gigs, Carper and her partner, award-winning fiddler Rebecca Patek, moved to a friend’s farm near Austin, working in exchange for housing, organic vegetables, and fresh, country air. The simpler life afforded Carper the space and rejuvenation needed to channel her muse, and begin writing for her next album.

Ramblin’ Soul, which features upbeat and diverse styles and grooves, boasts ten Carper originals, along with a co-write with life-long ramblin’ buddy and bandmate Gina Gallina, a song written by friend and frequent collaborator Brennen Leigh, and a reimagined classic from folk pioneer Odetta. The album ventures into blues, early rock n’ roll, and old-school soul, blended with Carper’s signature styles of country, western swing, and jazz.

Album track “Ain’t a Day Goes By” breaks your heart, then mends it again in the universal longing for a loved one now gone on. Backed up by Hammond B3 organ (John Pahmer), the emotion is punctuated by the gospel-style harmony stylings of Kyshona Armstrong, Nickie Conley, and Maureen Murphy.  “1980 Dodge Van” heralds pulsing electric guitar and a grooving upright bass (Dennis Crouch) in an ode to the loyal family vehicle, while “I Don’t Need to Cry” is a Patsy Cline-esque lament showcasing Carper’s classic country range and songwriting finesse. The upbeat, tongue-in-cheek “Holding All The Cards” transports us to a smoky New Orleans speakeasy, with wordplay, honky tonk piano, and playful clarinet, while Carper pays an upbeat western swing tribute to her current home state in “Texas, Texas. Texas.” Carper’s lifelong, steadfast listening has come to fruition in the songs on Ramblin’ Soul; her childhood love of the family record collection planted the seeds of what is her own bountiful orchard today.

The album is available for pre-order HERE. Be sure to follow Melissa Carper at the links below for all the latest news and updates.

RAMBLIN’ SOUL TRACK LIST

Ramblin’ Soul

Zen Buddha

Ain’t A Day Goes By

1980 Dodge Van

Texas, Texas, Texas

That’s My Only Regret

Boxers on Backwards

I Do What I WANNA

Hit Or Miss

I Don’t Need To Cry

Holding All The Cards

From What I Recall

Hanging On To You

OUT TODAY: MELISSA CARPER’S NEW LP DADDY’S COUNTRY GOLD

OUT TODAY:   

MELISSA CARPER’S NEW LP 

 DADDY’S COUNTRY GOLD 

Not unlike Loretta Lynn, Melissa Carper is giving us scenes and stories and vignettes that kind of play out between home and the honky-tonk  - NPR  

Daddy’s Country Gold showcases Carper’s ability to stretch out a note or a phrase to pull at our hearts, and her artful way of delivering a lyric with the just-right emotional power imbues these songs with a power that stays with us long after the final notes fade. - Folk Alley 

Singer-bassist Melissa Carper sounds like a voice from a bygone era...Evoking the cool, smoky croon of a lounge singer, Carper gives some winking commentary about having a good time. - Rolling Stone Country  

It’s a tricky thing that Carper has done. She clearly revels in recreating the music of her heroes, carefully preserving the sense of romance and immediacy of the old classics. Yet by bringing her own experiences into the canon, she is unearthing a history that includes so many more of us, finally allowed to speak out through memories forgotten due to silence and taboo. - No Depression  

Yearning, stone cold country - Wide Open Country 

Through two previous solo albums and three side bands, Melissa Carper's worked a number of styles to find the fit for her voice, and it finally comes together spectacularly with Daddy's Country Gold. - The Austin Chronicle 

The album is real deal country music, the kind that dabbles freely in blues and jazz and swing, and it funnels every ounce of charm and honeysuckle that Carper lends to her ensemble work and amplifies it exponentially - The Arkansas Times 

Daddy’s County Gold stays light on its feet, and Carper sings with ease...Carper is a first-rate songwriter, as her new music demonstrates. - Nashville Scene 

There's so much to recommend about Daddy's Country Gold, the dazzling new album by out singer/songwriter Melissa Carper, it's hard to know where to begin. - The Bay Area Reporter 

A new batch of songs from Melissa Carper is something to smile and rub your hands together about like waiting for permission to cut into an apple pie. - Saving Country Music 

Right away, you can tell that you’re in for an album that is much different than what you might ordinarily hear. - Glide Magazine 

Melissa Carper has made a perfect album…A daring array of players and special guests accompany Carper across a dozen tracks dressed to the nines in clean, cool jazz-infused hillbilly serenades that linger in the air like fresh-cut hay. - Sound and Soul 

As a dish cooked up with the spice of many talented hands, there rightfully should be a line out the door to sample this new album by Melissa Carper…it’ll meet all your expectations for classic country music with a dose of carefree humor.  -  Americana Highways 

Melissa Carper is a talented singer-songwriter and upright bass player who is worth our intention - Americana-UK 

We’re not only making new memories when listening to Melissa Carper’s latest…but we’re revisiting old ones thanks to the sweet, sentimental sound of…Daddy’s Country Gold - TrunkSpace 

There’s something so absolutely refreshing about straightforward, old-fashioned playing. An homage at points, but very much of Carper’s sound…the right amount of rascally sweetness of a country night out. - Country Queer 

LISTEN: DADDY’S COUNTRY GOLD   

Today, singer/songwriter and upright bassist Melissa Carper has released her critically-acclaimed new LP Daddy’s Country Gold; the album debuted in the Top 50 on the Americana Radio Charts, and that position continues to climb. “She obviously… has such a perfectly executed vintage sound on this album, but she’s very subtly subverting the form,” said Robin Hilton of NPR. “Daddy’s Country Gold—the image that it might bring to mind is that of reaching back to songs and stories and styles handed down, and that is one layer of it for her…but it also is a reference to her own wonderfully butch nickname,” added NPR’s Jewly Hight. “There are elements of stoicism and sentimentality and pining, just like you hear from Loretta Lynn on her album, but I enjoy the fact that you can…hear Melissa Carper do a song like ‘Old Fashioned Gal’ using the language of kind of classic country and pop and jazz and making explicit in whimsical, playful ways that at the person she’s envisioning is a woman.”  

As Folk Alley noted in the album’s premiere, "We don’t have to dig very deep into Melissa Carper’s rich vein of songwriting and sing before we hit gold, for from the opening note on her new album her shimmering and pure vocals and the lush instrumental carpet on which her voice floats glimmer with a vibrant sheen that tells us we’ve struck it rich here.” “On Daddy’s Country Gold, Melissa Carper demonstrates why the Great American Songbook has been so enduring. While Carper’s effortless bass lines and her band’s elegant piano accents recall an era we now call ‘classy,’ it’s Carper’s ingenious songwriting that takes the spotlight,” No Depression said. "Daddy’s Country Gold isn’t simply an easygoing album with a vintage sound; for Carper, it’s an effort to retrieve stories deliberately buried in the past…By using sounds straight from the past, she is queering history.” 

Carper’s refreshingly unique style calls to mind greats like Kitty Wells, Billie Holiday, Loretta Lynn, and Janis Joplin, beautifully conveyed in the grooves of the album’s 12 sparkling gems. She enlisted fellow bassist Dennis Crouch (The Time Jumpers) and producer/engineer Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes, Margo Price) to co-produce the album and bring her dream to life. Recorded live to tape at Tokic’s analog studio wonderland The Bomb Shelter in Nashville, the album features Crouch (bass), Chris Scruggs (guitar, steel guitar), Jeff Taylor (piano, organ, accordion), Matty Meyer (drums, percussion), Billy Contreras (fiddle), with guest appearances from Brennen Leigh, Sierra Ferrell, and legendary pedal steel maestro Lloyd Green.  

WATCH: “I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT YOU” 

 WATCH: “MAKIN’ MEMORIES” 

Daddy’s Country Gold is just that—twelve glittering Carper originals of the country, western swing, and jazz variety. From the first notes of album opener “Makin’ Memories,” to the whimsical “Would You Like To Get Some Goats,” and the heart-wrenching tenderness of album closer “The Stars Are Aligned,” Carper’s lifetime of work, experience, and wanderlust culminates in a beautiful portrait of heartfelt music, written by a road-lovin’ gal who has lived these songs and spent her life playing music for folks that still love the real thing. 

As a child, Carper, who acquired the nickname “Daddy” years ago from her bandmates for always knowing how to “take care of ‘bidness’,” would lay her head underneath the family record player as she listened to Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, and other greats from her parents’ collection. After a childhood spent in her family’s country band and a stint in the University of Nebraska’s music department, the wayfaring Carper found herself in the historic town of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, learning to busk with the old country songs she loved as a child. She soon relocated to music hubs like New Orleans, New York City, Austin, and eventually Nashville, founding award-winning bands like power trio The Carper Family, playing festivals and gigs across the globe. Carper also holds a spot in award-winning Arkansas foursome Sad Daddy, and founded roots duo Buffalo Gals with Sad Daddy bandmate and girlfriend Rebecca Patek. 

Daddy’s Country Gold is available digitally, on CD, and vinyl. Click HERE to purchase. Be sure to catch Melissa Carper perform live on Facebook on Monday, March 22nd at 6:00 pm CDT as part of The Boot’s Live & Socially Distant series streamed HERE and HERE. You can also see Melissa Carper perform with Rebecca Patek in their duo The Buffalo Gals on Wednesdays at 6:30pm CDT, streamed live HERE.  

UPCOMING TOUR DATES 

March 19 -  Austin, TX @ Sagebrush - 7pm CDT (outdoors)  

May 21 - Little Rock, AR @ Fassler Hall - 5pm CDT (outdoors)  

May 22 - Eureka Springs, AR @ Gotahold Brewing - 4pm CDT (outdoors) 

June 17 - Nashville, TN @ Station Inn - 8pm CDT (indoors & live stream)  

CONNECT WITH MELISSA CARPER:   

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM || BANDCAMP || YOUTUBE || SPOTIFY   

MELISSA CARPER PREMIERES NEW SINGLE “BACK WHEN (ft. SIERRA FERRELL)” VIA WIDE OPEN COUNTRY NEW LP DADDY’S COUNTRY GOLD OUT ON MARCH 19

  MELISSA CARPER PREMIERES NEW SINGLE  

“BACK WHEN (ft. SIERRA FERRELL)” VIA WIDE OPEN COUNTRY   

NEW LP DADDY’S COUNTRY GOLD OUT ON MARCH 19 

Yearning, stone cold country - Wide Open Country 

Singer-bassist Melissa Carper sounds like a voice from a bygone era...Evoking the cool, smoky croon of a lounge singer, Carper gives some winking commentary about having a good time. - Rolling Stone Country 

Daddy’s County Gold stays light on its feet, and Carper sings with ease...Carper is a first-rate songwriter, as her new music demonstrates.”- Nashville Scene 

A new batch of songs from Melissa Carper is something to smile and rub your hands together about like waiting for permission to cut into an apple pie. - Saving Country Music  

Captivating and authentic vintage country - Glide Magazine  

As a dish cooked up with the spice of many talented hands, there rightfully should be a line out the door to sample this new album by Melissa Carper…it’ll meet all your expectations for a classic country music with a dose of carefree humor.  -  Americana Highways  

Melissa Carper is a talented singer-songwriter and upright bass player who is worth our intention - Americana-UK  

There’s something so absolutely refreshing about straightforward, old-fashioned playing. An homage at points, but very much of Carper’s sound…the right amount of rascally sweetness of a country night out. - Country Queer  

Photo: Aisha Golliher

LISTEN: “BACK WHEN”   

Singer/songwriter and upright bassist Melissa Carper has unveiled her newest single “Back When (ft. Sierra Ferrell),” a track from her forthcoming album Daddy’s Country Gold, set for release on March 19th. "A lot of my songs are based on my real life experiences and with 'Back When' every single word of that was lived and true," Carper told Wide Open Country in the song’s premiere. "I started writing it a bit after a breakup while longing for the relationship I once had with someone--that is, the beginning of the relationship when we were in love and everything was wonderful.  It was written with a hopeful desire that things could be as they once were, and though that never happened, I feel like this song does have that hopeful air that maybe 'back when' could happen again, for any relationship that has lost that spark.” “Back When” follows singles “I Almost Forgot About You” and “Makin’ Memories.”  

WATCH // LISTEN: “I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT YOU”  

 WATCH // LISTEN: “MAKIN’ MEMORIES” 

Carper’s refreshingly unique style calls to mind greats like Kitty Wells, Billie Holiday, and Loretta Lynn, beautifully conveyed in the grooves of the album’s 12 sparkling gems. Carper enlisted fellow bassist Dennis Crouch (The Time Jumpers) and producer/engineer Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes, Margo Price) to co-produce the album and bring her dream to life. Recorded live to tape at Tokic’s analog studio wonderland The Bomb Shelter in Nashville, the album features Crouch (bass), Chris Scruggs (guitar, steel guitar), Jeff Taylor (piano, organ, accordion), Matty Meyer (drums, percussion), Billy Contreras (fiddle), with guest appearances from Brennen Leigh, Sierra Ferrell, and legendary pedal steel maestro Lloyd Green. 

As a child, Carper, who acquired the nickname “Daddy” years ago from her bandmates for always knowing how to “take care of ‘bidness’,” would lay her head underneath the family record player as she listened to Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, and other greats from her parents’ collection. After a childhood spent in her family’s country band, Carper attended the University of Nebraska on a music scholarship, spending much of her time in the library devouring every Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole album she could find. Around this time, Carper’s father gifted her a full collection of Jimmie Rodgers’ recordings, which was a pivotal moment in finding her unique style of songcraft.  

The wayfaring Carper soon found herself in the historic town of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, where she saw street performers for the first time. Busking seemed a very free and appealing endeavor, so Carper diligently learned all the old country songs she loved as a child. She soon relocated to music hubs like New Orleans, New York City, Austin, and eventually Nashville, oftentimes busking to make ends meet until gigs would come along. On the way, she founded award-winning bands like power trio The Carper Family, playing festivals and gigs across the globe, and on shows like “A Prairie Home Companion.” Carper also holds a spot in award-winning Arkansas foursome Sad Daddy, and founded roots duo Buffalo Gals with Sad Daddy bandmate and girlfriend Rebecca Patek.   

Her forthcoming solo record Daddy’s Country Gold is just that - 12 glittering Carper originals of the country, western swing, and jazz variety. From the first notes of album opener “Makin’ Memories,” to the whimsical “Would You Like To Get Some Goats,” and the heart-wrenching tenderness of album closer “The Stars Are Aligned,” this lifetime of work, experience, and wanderlust culminates in a beautiful portrait of heartfelt music, written by a road-lovin’ gal who has lived these songs and spent her life playing music for folks that still love the real thing. 

Be sure to catch Melissa Carper perform live on Facebook every Monday night at 6:00 pm CST, which is streamed HERE. 

CONNECT WITH MELISSA CARPER:   

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM || BANDCAMP || YOUTUBE || SPOTIFY   

MELISSA CARPER RELEASES NEW SINGLE “I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT YOU” & VIDEO PREMIERES VIA WESTERN AF

MELISSA CARPER RELEASES NEW SINGLE 

“I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT YOU”

VIDEO PREMIERES VIA WESTERN AF

 NEW LP DADDY’S COUNTRY GOLD OUT ON MARCH 19

Singer-bassist Melissa Carper sounds like a voice from a bygone era...Evoking the cool, smoky croon of a lounge singer, Carper gives some winking commentary about having a good time. - Rolling Stone Country

Daddy’s County Gold stays light on its feet, and Carper sings with ease...Carper is a first-rate songwriter, as her new music demonstrates. - Nashville Scene

Captivating and authentic vintage country - Glide Magazine

As a dish cooked up with the spice of many talented hands, there rightfully should be a line out the door to sample this new album by Melissa Carper…it’ll meet all your expectations for a classic country music with a dose of carefree humor.  -  Americana Highways

Melissa Carper is a talented singer-songwriter and upright bass player who is worth our intention - Americana-UK

There’s something so absolutely refreshing about straightforward, old-fashioned playing. An homage at points, but very much of Carper’s sound…the right amount of rascally sweetness of a country night out. - Country Queer

Photo: Aisha Golliher

 WATCH // LISTEN: “I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT YOU”

Singer/songwriter and upright bassist Melissa Carper has released her latest single “I Almost Forgot About You,” a track from her forthcoming album Daddy’s Country Gold, set for release on March 19th. 

“The idea for 'I Almost Forgot About You' came from a weekend in which I had a very good time and had managed to forget about a love interest that I had been obsessing about,” Carper explains of the song. "When I got back home that phrase came to me, 'I Almost Forgot About You' and I realized I had a song there.  I just kind of tied in the various lost loves of my life to come up with the rest.  It came to me that way and in fact this entire song had a nice easy flow with the way it all came.  I like it when that happens, feels like you are getting help from the universe.”  “I Almost Forgot About You” follows lead single “Makin’ Memories.”

 WATCH // LISTEN: “MAKIN’ MEMORIES”

Carper’s refreshingly unique style calls to mind greats like Kitty Wells, Billie Holiday, and Loretta Lynn, beautifully conveyed in the grooves of the album’s 12 sparkling gems. Carper enlisted fellow bassist Dennis Crouch (The Time Jumpers) and producer/engineer Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes, Margo Price) to co-produce the album and bring her dream to life. Recorded live to tape at Tokic’s analog studio wonderland The Bomb Shelter in Nashville, the album features Crouch (bass), Chris Scruggs (guitar, steel guitar), Jeff Taylor (piano, organ, accordion), Matty Meyer (drums, percussion), Billy Contreras (fiddle), with guest appearances from Brennen Leigh, Sierra Ferrell, and legendary pedal steel maestro Lloyd Green.

 As a child, Carper, who acquired the nickname “Daddy” years ago from her bandmates for always knowing how to “take care of ‘bidness’,” would lay her head underneath the family record player as she listened to Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, and other greats from her parents’ collection. After a childhood spent in her family’s country band, Carper attended the University of Nebraska on a music scholarship, spending much of her time in the library devouring every Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole album she could find. Around this time, Carper’s father gifted her a full collection of Jimmie Rodgers’ recordings, which was a pivotal moment in finding her unique style of songcraft. 

 The wayfaring Carper soon found herself in the historic town of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, where she saw street performers for the first time. Busking seemed a very free and appealing endeavor, so Carper diligently learned all the old country songs she loved as a child. She soon relocated to music hubs like New Orleans, New York City, Austin, and eventually Nashville, oftentimes busking to make ends meet until gigs would come along. On the way, she founded award-winning bands like power trio The Carper Family, playing festivals and gigs across the globe, and on shows like “A Prairie Home Companion.” Carper also holds a spot in award-winning Arkansas foursome Sad Daddy, and founded roots duo Buffalo Gals with Sad Daddy bandmate and girlfriend Rebecca Patek.

 Her forthcoming solo record Daddy’s Country Gold is just that - 12 glittering Carper originals of the country, western swing, and jazz variety. From the first notes of album opener “Makin’ Memories,” to the whimsical “Would You Like To Get Some Goats,” and the heart-wrenching tenderness of album closer “The Stars Are Aligned,” this lifetime of work, experience, and wanderlust culminates in a beautiful portrait of heartfelt music, written by a road-lovin’ gal who has lived these songs and spent her life playing music for folks that still love the real thing.

 Be sure to catch Melissa Carper perform live on Facebook every Monday night at 6:00 pm CST, which is streamed HERE.

CONNECT WITH MELISSA CARPER:  

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM || BANDCAMP || YOUTUBE || SPOTIFY  

MELISSA CARPER RELEASES SINGLE “MAKIN’ MEMORIES” VIA AMERICANA HIGHWAYS

MELISSA CARPER RELEASES SINGLE “MAKIN’ MEMORIES”  

VIA AMERICANA HIGHWAYS   

NEW LP DADDY’S COUNTRY GOLD OUT ON MARCH 19 

 "With her bass making a dependable, rhythmic anchor, Melissa Carper sings like a bird soaring “where the wind blows high above the trees,” as Bob Dylan said.” - Vintage Guitar Magazine 

Photo: Aisha Golliher

LISTEN // WATCH: “MAKIN’ MEMORIES”

Singer/songwriter and upright bassist Melissa Carper has unveiled her brand new single “Makin’ Memories,” the first from her forthcoming album Daddy’s Country Gold, set for release on March 19th. Carper’s refreshingly unique style calls to mind greats like Kitty Wells, Billie Holiday, and Loretta Lynn, beautifully conveyed in the grooves of the album’s 12 sparkling gems. Carper enlisted fellow bassist Dennis Crouch (The Time Jumpers) and producer/engineer Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes, Margo Price) to co-produce the album and bring her dream to life. Recorded live to tape at Tokic’s analog studio wonderland The Bomb Shelter in Nashville, the album features Crouch (bass), Chris Scruggs (guitar, steel guitar), Jeff Taylor (piano, organ, accordion), Matty Meyer (drums, percussion), Billy Contreras (fiddle), with guest appearances from Brennen Leigh, Sierra Ferrell, and legendary pedal steel maestro Lloyd Green. “As a dish cooked up with the spice of many talented hands, there rightfully should be a line out the door to sample this new album by Melissa Carper,” says Americana Highways in its premiere of “Makin’ Memories.” “And it’ll meet all your expectations for a classic country music with a dose of carefree humor.”   

  As a child, Carper, who acquired the nickname “Daddy” years ago from her bandmates for always knowing how to “take care of ‘bidness’,” would lay her head underneath the family record player as she listened to Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, and other greats from her parents’ collection. After a childhood spent in her family’s country band, Carper attended the University of Nebraska on a music scholarship, spending much of her time in the library devouring every Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole album she could find. Around this time, Carper’s father gifted her a full collection of Jimmie Rodgers’ recordings, which was a pivotal moment in finding her unique style of songcraft.  

The wayfaring Carper soon found herself in the historic town of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, where she saw street performers for the first time. Busking seemed a very free and appealing endeavor, so Carper diligently learned all the old country songs she loved as a child. She soon relocated to music hubs like New Orleans, New York City, Austin, and eventually Nashville, oftentimes busking to make ends meet until gigs would come along. On the way, she founded award-winning bands like power trio The Carper Family, playing festivals and gigs across the globe, and on shows like “A Prairie Home Companion.” Carper also holds a spot in award-winning Arkansas foursome Sad Daddy, and founded roots duo Buffalo Gals with Sad Daddy bandmate and girlfriend Rebecca Patek. 

Her forthcoming solo record Daddy’s Country Gold is just that - 12 glittering Carper originals of the country, western swing, and jazz variety. From the first notes of album opener “Makin’ Memories,” to the whimsical “Would You Like To Get Some Goats,” and the heart-wrenching tenderness of album closer “The Stars Are Aligned,” this lifetime of work, experience, and wanderlust culminates in a beautiful portrait of heartfelt music, written by a road-lovin’ gal who has lived these songs and spent her life playing music for folks that still love the real thing. 

  Every digital album pre-order comes with a download of “Makin’ Memories” and an exclusive download of yet-to-be-released album track “I’m Musing You.” Click HERE to order. You can catch Melissa Carper perform live on Facebook live every Monday night at 6 pm CT, which is streamed HERE.   

DADDY’S COUNTRY GOLD TRACKLIST 

MAKIN’ MEMORIES 

I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT YOU 

BACK WHEN 

OLD FASHIONED GAL 

YOU’RE STILL MY LOVE 

WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET SOME GOATS 

MY OLD CHEVY VAN 

ARKANSAS HILLS 

IT’S BETTER IF YOU NEVER KNOW 

I’M MUSING YOU 

MANY MOONS AGO 

THE STARS ARE ALIGNED   

CONNECT WITH MELISSA CARPER:   

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM || BANDCAMP || YOUTUBE || SPOTIFY