Valerie June
Valerie June | |
|---|---|
| Born | c.1982 Jackson, Tennessee, United Stated |
| Origin | Memphis, Tennessee, United States |
| Genres | Folk, Blues, Soul, Gospel, Bluegrass |
| Occupation(s) | singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist |
| Instrument(s) | guitar, banjo, ukulele |
| Years active | Early 2000s–present |
| Labels | Sunday Best (UK/Europe); Concord Music Group (North America) |
| Website | www |
Valerie June Hockett (born c.1982),[1] known as Valerie June, is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from Memphis, Tennessee, United States. [2][3] Her sound encompasses a mixture of folk, blues, gospel, soul, Appalachian and bluegrass. [4]
Early life
Born in Jackson, Tennessee, June was the oldest girl of five children. As a child growing up in Humboldt, June was exposed to Gospel music at her local church and R&B and soul music via her father.[2][5][6] As a teenager, her first job was with her father – a promoter for gospel singers and Prince, K-Ci & JoJo, and Bobby Womack – helping him hang posters in town.[6][7]
Musical career
June relocated to Memphis in 2000 and began recording and performing at the age of 19, initially with her then husband in the duo Bella Sun.[2] After her marriage ended she began working as a solo artist, combining blues, gospel and Appalachian folk, in a style that she describes as "organic moonshine roots music", and learning guitar, banjo, and lap-steel guitar.[2][3] She became associated with the Memphis-based Broken String Collective.[6][8]
In 2009 she was a featured artist on MTV's online series $5 Cover (following the lives of Memphis musicians attempting to make ends meet),[2][3][9][10][11] and in 2010 she recorded the EP Valerie June and the Tennessee Express, a collaboration with The Old Crow Medicine Show.
In 2011 she was honored by the Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission at the Emissaries of Memphis Music event.[12] She raised funds to record an album with producer Craig Street via Kickstarter.com, raising $15,000 in 60 days.[13][14] Later that year she relocated from Memphis to Williamsburg, Brooklyn.[2] Shortly after, record producer Kevin Augunas introduced June to Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, which led to the recording of June's album Pushin' Against a Stone in July 2011, which was co-written and produced by Dan Auerbach and Kevin Augunas.[2]
In 2012, June performed with producer John Forte on a collaboration called Water Suites (on the hip-hop-blues song "Give Me Water"), and with Meshell Ndegeocello on the song "Be My Husband".[15] She contributed the The Wandering's 2012 album Go on Now, You Can't Stay Here: Mississippi Folk Music Volume III.[16] In 2012 she performed in the United Kingdom for the first time, playing at Bestival and appearing on Later... with Jools Holland.[2][17]
She has received substantial radio play in Europe on BBC Radio 6, including a feature on Cerys on 6 with Cerys Matthews. Mary Anne Hobbs of XFM has said of June "This woman has already touched my heart, she really, really has."[18]
In February 2013, June was invited to support Jake Bugg on the UK leg of his tour.[19] In March 2013, June performed two nights at South By Southwest. The first performance was on March 14 as part of the Heartbreaker Banquet.[20] On March 16, June performed again, this time as part of The Revival Tour.[21][22]
After self-releasing three albums, her debut album as a signed artist, Pushin' Against a Stone, is due for release in the UK and Europe through Sunday Best Recordings on May 6, 2013, and through Concord Music Group in August, 2013. [2][23][24] The album includes several songs co-written with Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, who co-produced it with Kevin Augunas.[2] The album was so titled to commemorate the story of her life. June said "I feel I've spent my life pushing against a stone. And the jobs I've had have been fitting for getting a true feel for how the traditional artists I loved came home after a hard day to sit on the porch and play tunes until bedtime."[25] The record includes performances by Booker T. Jones, who co-wrote one of the songs contained on the album. The track "Workin' Woman Blues" was produced and engineered by Peter Sabak in Budapest.
The two singles released in the UK and Europe were "Workin' Woman Blues" and "You Can't Be Told".[26]
Discography
Albums
- The Way Of The Weeping Willow (2006)
- Mountain Of Rose Quartz (2008)
- Valerie June And The Tennessee Express (2010)
- Pushin' Against a Stone (2013), Sunday Best
Singles
- "Workin' Woman Blues" (2012), Sunday Best
- "You Can't Be Told" (2013), Sunday Best
with Bella Sun
- No Crystal Stair (2004), Bella Sun Music
References
- ^ Hubbell, John (2009) "$5 Cover in profile: Valerie June -- Down to Earth", The Commercial Appeal, May 28, 2009, retrieved November 1, 2012 – via HighBeam (subscription required) (aged 27 in May 2009)
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Barnett, Laura (2012) "One to watch: Valerie June", The Observer, 30 September 2012, retrieved 31 October 2012
- ^ a b c Leggett, Steve "Valerie June Biography", Allmusic, retrieved October 31, 2012
- ^ Allmusic.com Valerie June Biography", Allmusic, retrieved October 31, 2012
- ^ Boone, Joe (2010) "The Musician's Progress", The Daily News, September 2, 2010, retrieved October 31, 2012
- ^ a b c Lachno, James (2013) "Valerie June - New Faces", Daily Telegraph, February 23, 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2013
- ^ Smith, William Michael (2012) "Tennessee Time", Houston Press, March 14, 2012. Retrieved March 30, 2013
- ^ Jordan, Mark (2007) "Broken String 's new releases seem a bit frayed", 'The Commercial Appeal, June 15, 2007, retrieved November 1, 2012 – via HighBeam (subscription required)
- ^ "" Profiles - Valerie June", 5dollarcoveramplified.com. Retrieved March 30, 2013
- ^ "Valerie June, Fille Catatonique", The Commercial Appeal, retrieved October 31, 2012
- ^ Beifuss, John (2010) "Memphis films earn regional Emmys -- 'I Am a Man,' '$5 Cover Amplified'", The Commercial Appeal, February 2, 2010, retrieved November 1, 2012 – via HighBeam (subscription required)
- ^ Jordan, Mark (2011) "Music Commission to honor 8 women -- Event serves to inspire girls to pursue industry", The Commercial Appeal, March 21, 2011, retrieved November 1, 2012 – via HighBeam (subscription required)
- ^ Melvin, Lindsay (2011) "Capital idea -- Fundraising sites help creative types tap online donors to sponsor projects", The Commercial Appeal, March 20, 2011, retrieved November 1, 2012
- ^ "Valerie June captures “Little Ole Sound” on a sparkling, NEW record: Manifest", kickstarter.com. Retrieved March 30, 2013
- ^ Thompson, Stephen (2012) "Song Premiere: Meshell Ndegeocello With Valerie June, 'Be My Husband'", NPR, July 18, 2012. Retrieved March 30, 2013
- ^ Lewis, Catherine P. (2012), "The Wandering/Luther Dickinson album review", The Washington Post, May 11, 2012, retrieved November 1, 2012 – via HighBeam (subscription required)
- ^ "Later... with Jools Holland", BBC, retrieved October 31, 2012
- ^ "'Workin' Woman Blues - Valerie June", recordoftheday.com, November 2, 2012. Retrieved March 30, 2013
- ^ "Valerie June: 'I Think Country Blues Has Influenced Everything'", gigwise.com, February 18, 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2013
- ^ http://www.heartbreakerbanquet.com/
- ^ http://www.valeriejune.com/2013/02/28/sxsw-2013/
- ^ http://www.therevivaltour.com/?p=481
- ^ Smyth, David (2013) "Valerie June Interview: No Strictly Roots", Evening Standard, March 8, 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2013
- ^ "Pushin' Against A Stone", amazon.com
- ^ "Valerie June - Workin' Woman Blues", femalefirst.co.uk, October 6, 2012. Retrieved March 30, 2013
- ^ "Valerie June Announces New Single 'You Can't Be Told' Plus More UK 2013 Live Dates", contactmusic.com. Retrieved March 30, 2013