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Christy McWilson

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Christy McWilson
Christy McWilson playing with Dynette Set at The Tractor in Ballard, Seattle, Washington, on December 23, 2015
Christy McWilson playing with Dynette Set at The Tractor in Ballard, Seattle, Washington, on December 23, 2015
Background information
Birth nameChristy Wilson
BornCalifornia US
GenresAlternative country
Rock music
Folk music
OccupationSinger-songwriter
Years active1980s–present
SpouseScott McCaughey (div)
Websitechristymcwilson.com

Christy McWilson is an American singer-songwriter based in the Pacific Northwest.[1] She has performed with the Dynette Set, the Picketts, as a solo artist, and with many other artists, including Dave Alvin and The Young Fresh Fellows.[2]

Early life

McWilson was born in Northern California, but spent her formative years near Downey, California. Both of her parents are musicians.[2]

McWilson says: "I was close enough to Bakersfield to drive up and hear Merle Haggard once or twice, and was definitely, utterly, completely influenced by the Los Angeles sound of the 70s: Stone Poneys, Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris, and Poco."[3]

McWilson attended college in San Francisco and Sonoma, California, earning a degree in anthropology.[2]

Career

Early career

McWilson first recorded in the early 1980s as a singer with the Dynette Set, releasing an album and a few singles and compilation tracks in the first half of that decade, including "Seed of Love," a standout on the 1984 Rhino female-focused new wave compilation The Girls Can't Help It. That song was co-written and produced by Scott McCaughey who was a member of the Young Fresh Fellows.[4]

After the demise of the Dynette Set, McWilson played around Seattle in some short-lived groups while adding backing to various albums by the Young Fresh Fellows. The Fellows' college radio hit "Amy Grant" particularly benefited from McWilson's sassy vocals.[4]

Picketts

In 1990, McWilson helped form the Picketts (originally known as the Power Mowers) who released three albums over the course of the 1990s. Led by McWilson on vocals, the band also included drummer Leroy "Blackie" Sleep and guitarists Scott McCaughey, John Olufs, and Jim Sangster.[5] Steve Marcus was the original bassist (later Walt Singleman played bass).[6]

The Picketts' first recording was a 7" single for the Seattle indie PopLlama Records that featured a country version of The Clash's "Should I Stay or Should I Go." Rather than play straight-ahead country, the Picketts mixed '50s rockabilly and pop with more traditional influences, such as Wanda Jackson or Merle Haggard.[5]

Paper Doll, their debut full-length, was released in 1992 through PopLlama. A showcase at the influential Austin music festival South by Southwest led to a deal with Rounder Records, who released The Wicked Picketts in 1995. Euphonium followed on Rounder in 1996.[5]

The Picketts eventually disbanded, but occasionally perform reunion shows.[7]

Solo work

As the Picketts were disbanding (more out of sloth than acrimony), longtime fan Dave Alvin approached McWilson with an offer to produce her first solo album, The Lucky One, which contains mostly original songs (many concerning her lifelong struggle with bipolar disorder)[1][4] plus a cover of Brian Wilson's "Til I Die." The Lucky One was recorded with a core band that included Alvin, Peter Buck, and Rick Shea (guitars), Bob Glaub, Walter Singleman (bass), and Don Heffington (drums). The album also featured guest appearances by Syd Straw, Rhett Miller (Old 97's), and Mike Mills (R.E.M.).[8]

Two years later, she called on many of these musicians to help put together her second solo album, Bed of Roses.[9][10]

In spring of 2015, McWilson decided to release her "old new" album Desperate Girl, which was recorded in 2004 as her marriage dissolved. As she put it: "The songs, written in the weeks leading up to and during the marriage's demise, were recorded in their full red-hot splendor. At the time it was so painful I shelved and tried to forget about it. I recently rediscovered it and realized I had an amazing portrait of that heightened time of my life."

Other projects

McWilson also routinely participates on the Roots On The Rails tour with Dave Alvin, Cindy Cashdollar, and other artists.[3]

McWilson's most recent recording is Six by Three, with the West Seattle 2 (drummer Blackie Sleep and bassist Walt Singleman).[3]

Personal life

McWilson and singer-songwriter Scott McCaughey (The Young Fresh Fellows, The Minus 5) met at San Francisco State University and moved to Seattle in 1980, eventually marrying and having a child together.[5] The couple are no longer married.[11]

McWilson said she prefixed her birth surname, Wilson, with "Mc" to create her stage name, McWilson.[2]

Discography

Dynette Set

Year Title Label Type Producer
1983 Rockers and Recliners Wolf Records WR-8310 Vinyl Jim Wolfe

Picketts

Full-Length Albums
Year Title Label Type Producer
1992 Paper Doll Popllama PLCC68 CD, vinyl Conrad Uno
Jimmy Sangster
John Olufs
1995 The Wicked Picketts Rounder CD 9046 CD, vinyl Conrad Uno
1996 Euphonium Rounder CD 9056 CD, vinyl Steve Berlin
Singles and EPs
Year Title Label Type Tracks
1990 The Picketts Popllama PL7-34 Single A1) Should I Stay or Should I Go?
B1) Walkin' Talkin' Jukebox
B2) Fallin' for You
1994 Pick It !! Cruddy CR-07 EP A1) Sukiyaki
A2) Stella Stomp
B1) Party Hat
B2) Remington Ride
1996 Baba O'Riley Rounder CD PR 1074 CD single A1) Baba o'Riley

Solo releases

Year Title Label Type Producer
2000 The Lucky One Hightone HCD 8119 CD, vinyl Dave Alvin
2002 Bed of Roses Hightone HCD8143 CD, vinyl Dave Alvin
2015 Desperate Girl Sally Ann Records CD Kurt Bloch

Dave Alvin and Guilty Women

Year Title Label Type Producer
2005 Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women Yep Roc YEP 2155 CD, vinyl Dave Alvin

The Granvilles

Year Title Label Type Producer
2009 Martini's Mansion No label CDR Jim Sangster, John Sangster

The West Seattle 2

Year Title Label Type Producer
2016 Six by Three Sally Ann Records CD John Sangster

Other contributions

Year Artist Title Label Christy's Contributions
2013 Jasper T The Sweet Dark, Pt. 1 N/A Track 4, "Long for You"
2011 Maggie Björklund Coming Home Bloodshot BS 174 Composer, lyricist
2011 Dave Alvin Eleven Eleven Yep Rock YEP 2246 Piano & vocals on
track 9, "Manzanita"
2010 Various Artists Through a Faraway Window:
A Tribute to Jimmy Silva		 SteadyBoy SB-0030 Track 9, "Man of the Cloth"
2010 Various Artists Mississippi Sheiks Tribute
Concert: Live Vancouver		 Black Hen BHCD 0066 Duet with Dave Alvin on
track 13, "Who's Been Here"
2009 Michael Shuler Edge of the World Brave Feet BF 12 Vocals
2009 Various Artists It Crawled from the Basement:
Green Monkey Records Anthology		 Green Monkey
PWGM 10012CD		 Background Vocals
2007 Jesse Sykes Like, Love, Lust and the
Open Halls of the Soul		 Barsuk BARK-62 Background Vocals
2006 Mudhoney Under a Billion Suns Sub Pop SP 700 Vocals
2006 Dave Alvin West of the West Yep Roc YEP 2118 Vocals
2005 Rick Shea Bound for Trouble Tres Pescadores 6 Vocals, duet
2005 Various Artists Lowe Profile: A Tribute
to Nick Lowe		 Brewery 0942 Duet with Rick Shea on
track 11, "Never Been in Love"
2004 Various Artists This One's for the Fellows BlueDisguise 6 Duet with John Ramberg on
track 10, "Celebration"
2003 Minus 5 Down with Wilco Yep Roc 2052 Guest artist
2003 The Minus 5 I Don't Know Who I Am (Let the War
Against Music Begin, Vol. 2)		 Return To Sender 43 Musician
2003 Model Rockets Pilot County Suite Book Records 6 Assistant
2002 Various Artists This Is Where I Belong: The Songs
Of Ray Davies & The Kinks		 Rykodisc VACK 1232 With The Minus 5 on
track 12, "Get Back in Line"
1998 The Squirrels Scrapin' for Hits Popllama 81296 Vocals
1997 The Minus 5 The Lonesome Death of Buck McCoy Hollywood HT-62115-2 Performer
1996 Various Artists Bite Back: Live at the
Crocodile Cafe		 Popllama 2200 Vocals, composer
1994 The Squirrels Harsh Toke of Reality Popllama 91293 Background vocals
1994 Various Artists Love Is My Only Crime: Part 2 Veracity IRS CD 973.402 With the Picketts on
track 2, "Ring or a Prayer"
1994 Larry Barrett Beyond The Mississippi GlitterhouseGRCD 342 Vocals on track 2 "Like A Ring"
and track 4, "Take My Troubles Back"
1991 Fastbacks Never Fails, Never Works Blaster! BLATLP3 Background vocals
1990 The Squirrels What Gives? Popllama 2523 Background vocals
1985 The Young Fresh Fellows Fabulous Sounds of the
Pacific Northwest		 East Side Digital Vocals
1989 Scott McCaughey My Chartreuse Opinion East Side Digital 80382 Vocals, harmonies
1989 The Young Fresh Fellows This One's for the Ladies Frontier FRO 31034CD Background vocals
1987 The Young Fresh Fellows The Men Who Loved Music Frontier 4611-2-L13 Vocals
1985 The Young Fresh Fellows Fabulous Sounds of the
Pacific Northwest		 East Side Digital Vocals
1984 The Young Fresh Fellows Topsy Turvy East Side Digital Vocals
1984 Various Artists The Girls Can't Help It –
A Modern Girl Group Compilation		 Rhino RNLP 024 With the Dynette Set on
Track 6, "Seed of Love"
1983 Various Artists Seattle Syndrome Two EngramENG 012 With the Dynette Set on
track 4, "Tell Me What You Want"

References

  1. ^ a b MacDonald, Patrick (March 24, 2002). "Seattle alt.country singer enters new phase". The Seattle Times. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d Alden, Grant (February 28, 2002). "Christy McWilson – The other side of midnight". No Depression. No. 38. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  3. ^ a b c Berry, Steve; McWilson, Christy (September 4, 2016). "Interview with Christy McWilson, September 4, 2016" (Interview).
  4. ^ a b c Mason, Stuart. "Christy McWilson – Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d Loftus, Johnny. "The Picketts Bio -The Picketts Career". Rovi via CMT. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  6. ^ "The Picketts – Grungetown grass grows grangy on the Picketts side of the fence". No Depression. August 31, 1995. Archived from the original on September 16, 2016. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  7. ^ Richman, Shira (September 23, 2009). "Christy McWilson: What Dudes Won't Tell". PopMatters. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  8. ^ Toombs, Mikel (June 23, 2000). "Lucky Christy McWilson Kicks Off Seattle Extravaganza". MTV. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  9. ^ Stout, Gene (March 28, 2002). "Recording's a 'Bed of Roses' with Alvin at McWilson's side". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  10. ^ McClain, Buzz (March 20, 2002). "McWilson's 'Bed of Roses': An Artist in Full Bloom". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
  11. ^ Alden, Grant (June 3, 2009). "A quick appreciation of Christy McWilson". No Depression. Archived from the original on September 16, 2016. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
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