By Ken Paulson
One of our biggest surprises in 2017 came near the end of the year with a performance by a young artist named Liz Brasher.
She was on the bill with Americana household names like Raul Malo, Will Hoge and Sierra Hull at the WMOT Roots Radio Holiday Party at the City Winery in Nashville. She was to be the third act onstage and I’m sure everyone anticipated making that phone call or heading to the restroom as this unknown artist made her way to the microphone. Except they didn’t.
From an opening song that could only be described as funky Ventures to sultry soul and a compelling cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” Liz Brasher captivated the room, leaving with a standing ovation. Her debut album is due this spring on Fat Possum Records.
We were intrigued enough to ask for a brief interview, but we were only packing an iPhone, so her audio is much better than ours (which is as it should be.)
We began by asking her where her sound comes from: