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Gillian Welch

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Gillian Welch

Gillian Welch (born October 2, 1967 in New York City)[1] is a singer-songwriter whose musical style combines elements of bluegrass, neotraditional country, Americana, old-time string band music, and folk into a rustic style that she dubs "American Primitive".[2] All of her recordings feature the close harmonies and unconventional guitar work of her musical partner, David Rawlings. Her music is often described as haunting or soothing. Welch pronounces her first name with a hard G (IPA: [g] rather than IPA: [d͡ʒ]).

Biography and career

Welch was born in Manhattan and was adopted when she was three days old. She moved to Los Angeles at the age of four. On her eighth birthday she wished for and got a guitar and lessons, and learned soon to play the guitar. Studying at the University of California, Santa Cruz[citation needed] Welch discovered bluegrass music through the "mountain soul" stylings of The Stanley Brothers.[3] After a short stint in a local camp band called Söfa, Welch moved to Boston and studied at the Berklee College of Music.

In Boston, Welch met and began dating David Rawlings, who would become her long-time musical partner. In 1992, they moved to Nashville and began building a career. In Nashville, she met T-Bone Burnett,[4] producer to such artists as Los Lobos, Sam Phillips, Counting Crows, and Elvis Costello. In 1996, Welch released her first album, Revival, which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album in 1997.[2] Since then, she has recorded other albums and collaborated on the songs "Didn't Leave Nobody But the Baby" and "I'll Fly Away" on the Grammy-winning soundtrack of the Coen Brothers hit film O Brother, Where Art Thou?.[5] Welch also had a cameo in the film, as a woman in a record store trying to obtain a copy of the Soggy Bottom Boys' recording of "Man of Constant Sorrow".

Welch has also collaborated with good friend and singer/songwriter Ryan Adams on the albums Heartbreaker and Demolition. She and Rawlings toured with Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, and Buddy Miller in 2004 as The Sweet Harmony Traveling Revue. Welch and Rawlings have collaborated with Old Crow Medicine Show and appear in their video of their song "Wagon Wheel". Recently, Welch and Rawlings have been touring with Bright Eyes in 2007 on their American Cassadaga tour. Her song "My First Lover" is featured in the motion picture The Strangers.[6] Welch and Rawlings made surprise appearances in Baltimore, Maryland; Washington, D.C.; Richmond, Virginia; Norfolk, Virginia; and Asheville, North Carolina opening for Rilo Kiley in June 2008 to showcase new songs the two had been working on.

Discography

Solo

Year Album Chart Positions Label
US US Heat US Indie
1996 Revival Almo
1998 Hell Among the Yearlings 181 9 Acony
2001 Time (The Revelator) 157 5 7
2003 Soul Journey 107 1 3

Other appearances

Videography

References

  • Friskics-Warren, Bill (1998). "Gillian Welch". In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 575.

Notes

  1. ^ Wilkinson, Alec (2004-09-20). "The Ghostly Ones". The New Yorker. p. 78. Retrieved 2007-11-11.
  2. ^ a b Reed, James (2003-11-07). "Gillian Welch Thrives In An Old-time Niche". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2007-11-11.
  3. ^ Simmons, Sylvie (2005-09-25). "Hillbilly Millionaire". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-11-11.
  4. ^ Braver, Rita (2000-03-24). "There Are Still Struggling Artists". CBS News. Retrieved 2007-11-11.
  5. ^ Goodspeed, John (2001-11-07). "Bluegrass at forefront of CMA awards". San Antonio Express-News. pp. 1G. Retrieved 2007-11-11.
  6. ^ Rogue Pictures new motion picture, The Strangers http://www.thestrangers.net
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