Take a listen. Got the chills? Yeah, Chelsea McBee kinda does that to a music lover.
As a little girl, born and raised in Shepherdstown, WV, McBee would feign sleep and listen in on her stepfather’s country rock band. Singing harmonies with her mom and siblings in the car, chorus in school, and performance in musicals soon followed, but it wasn’t until 2005 that she picked up the banjo and started learning clawhammer style. She was living, at the time, with her pal and musician, Ben Townsend, of The Fox Hunt, “On my drive home from work one evening, I was listening to Gillian Welch’s ‘Time The Revelator’ when ‘My First Lover’ came on. The banjo in that song spoke to me, and when I got home I told Ben that he should probably teach me how to play that thing.” She’s been writing original songs ever since, with a variety of sounds that stir emotion, much like her other inspirations, Feist and Anais Mitchell.
Chelsea is performing with Bob Keel this Saturday, August 27th, at 8pm at the Fairfax Street Coffee House in Berkeley Springs. We have some fun YEP interview questions for her below, so read up, and then go see her perform this weekend.
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HC: Ok, Chelsea, what are your top three desert island must-have albums?
CM: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s “Will the Circle Be Unbroken”—no explanation needed. Anything that Gillian Welch has recorded. She has the kind of musicality that I wouldn’t ever get sick of. Guns and Roses “Appetite for Destruction”—I’m not at all embarrassed to admit that I would need to have some dance party/air guitar on a desert island!
HC: What is your fave music for a roadtrip?
CM: When I’m traveling, I have to have plenty of tunes to sing along with to keep myself awake! This weekend’s roadtrip mix included some Lucinda Williams, Leonard Cohen, The Darkness, Beck, and Emmylou Harris.
HC: Tell us about some of the new songs you are working on.
CM: I am currently finishing up my next solo album. This 7″ includes some traditional songs that I really connect with. There isn’t a full band, but there are some good vocals with simple instrumentation. On the other hand, I’m also working on some new blues/rock tunes for my band The Lady Dies.
HC: What was it like working with Fox Hunt for your debut album?
CM: It was wonderful! Those are some talented (and hilarious) boys. The best part about working with such great musicians is that all I had to do was bring them these songs, play it once or twice, and then they would just pick it up. I could hear these songs unfolding and it was very exciting to put together the final product. I worked with Ben on this new album, as well. He did a little fiddle for me, as well as the mixing of the tracks at The Dudio, in Martinsburg. I look forward to working with them again!
HC: Tell us what makes your music so unique?
CM: Gosh… At least once per show, I have someone say something like, “I never expected to hear that song done with a banjo.” So I guess that is part of what is unique about my music. I am in the process of learning some other instruments, but I rely on my banjo to accompany myself. When I perform, I do original tunes, but also some covers that end up getting banjo-ized. I don’t play traditional folk or traditional old time or bluegrass. It’s a combination of everything I have heard.
HC: What inspires you?
CM: Most things inspire me, but nothing beats a good night at my local bar with my good friend Old No. 7… most of my songs have come from the characters that I hang out with there.
HC: Tell us what you love about where you live, and what people should know about it that they may not know.
CM: Hmmm, my best advice to someone that has never been to Shepherdstown before would be to come to town on a Saturday, walk around and enjoy the shops and delicious restaurants, then come hang out at the Mecklenburg Inn and the Blue Moon Cafe to hear live music and drink with some of the best townies around. Stay out all night to really get the idea. Then, walk around early Sunday morning, get fresh breakfast and flowers from the Farm Market in the center of town, and visit with the folks of my community. There is plenty of touristy stuff to do, but the best part is what I’ve described. There is a “I Heart Shepherdstown” page on Facebook that would be good to check out as well.
HC: What musicians are inspiring you the most lately?
CM: I go through some pretty diverse phases of inspiration. Currently, I am listening to a lot of Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Grace Potter, and The Mamas and The Papas. I’ve found myself singing along to Katy Perry recently as well—weird…
HC: What kind of projects do you see in your future, short-term and long-term?
CM: I would love to really get The Lady Dies project running at full speed. We are an alt-country/rock/blues/gypsy-type band with banjo, electric guitar (Jesse Boyd), electric bass (Shelly Thawley), and drums (Danny Tait). We are currently on maternity leave, but plan on getting going again in October, once Shelly has her baby. I’m sure I’ll tour again to support my upcoming vinyl release, and would love to work with The Fox Hunt again. Long-term? I don’t know…fame and fortune, I’m sure (said with a large dose of humor and sarcasm).
Follow Chelsea on her Twitter page, join her fans and friends on Facebook, watch her perform on her YouTube channel, book her for a show, and definitely be sure to pre-order a copy of her upcoming 7″ album: “Put This in Your Jar and Drink It” right here. All the good stuff is on her site ChelseaMcBee.com.
[...] 10:30 pm Where: Timber Frame Folly outside of Shepherdstown Read the YEP interview with Chelsea here. More [...]