Katie Grace
(Credit: Doug Coombe)
You might recognize Katie Grace as the bass-thumping vixen in Doop & the Inside Outlaws, but she’s ready to take center stage Saturday to unleash her debut solo effort, “Best Bad Girl,” at PJ’s Lager House in Detroit.
“Bass playing came first,” says Grace, who has spent the past 10 years or so in a variety of alt-country and roots-rock bands, including Shotgun Wedding, the Salt Miners and the all-female group Syreens. “The songwriting is something I always kept in my back pocket.”
For her solo debut, Grace plays acoustic guitar and uses her rich and soulful voice to carefully craft her life experiences into heartfelt songs. “Everyone has their own unique experiences and stories,” she says. “These are my stories.”
The album’s title track, she explains, “is very biographical. It’s about being authentic and being yourself.”
Grace is part of the Inside Outlaws songwriting collective that also features Matt Dmits, Don (Doop) Duprie, Alison Lewis and others. “We all have a similar style,” she says. “We all do the same alt-country vein of music — that singer-songwriter style of telling stories.”
The album was recorded with Jim Diamond at the famed Ghetto Recorders in Detroit with the help of some of Grace’s songwriting pals. “I started recording the album before I had a band, so I used Alex Trajano on drums, Matt Dmits on guitar and Jim Diamond on bass,” she says.
For live shows, Grace will use Greg Beyer on bass, Garret Bielaniec on lead guitar and Ryan Looney on drums. “This is really the first time that I’ve gone out solo and had a backing band.”
Local groups Bixy Lutz and John Holk & the Kinfolk will open the show. Ages 18 and over are welcome. Doors are at 9 p.m. and admission is $7. Free CDs are being offered to the first 30 people through the door. Discs will be available for $10 at the show.
To hear a sampling of music from the new disc, tune in to Ann Delisi’s show on WDET-FM (101.9 ) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Grace will be a guest and perform live.
For more: www.facebook.com/officialkatiegrace.
Get down with the Sista
She’s a Detroiter who has made a name for herself as a traveling musician, refining her sound as she has moved around.
Now, Sista Otis is back in Detroit — but not for long. While she was traveling in California, she signed a management deal with a team led by Norwood Fisher, founding member of Fishbone. She’ll play two local shows this weekend before heading back to California to promote a new record.
“This is something that I’ve been praying for for a long time,” says Otis. “Every deal I’ve been offered in the past, I’ve turned down because it didn’t feel like family to me. The team I’m surrounded by now are people that really love my music.”
The new album, “Charmed,” was recorded at Zumba Studios in Malibu, Calif., and is being issued via New Orleans’ 9th Ward Records. (A Dixieland element in Otis’ sound is something she picked up while living in New Orleans.)
”Charmed” features guest appearances by Fisher, John McKnight (Ben Harper), Joey Williams (Blind Boys of Alabama), Angelo Moore (Fishbone), Phillip (Fish) Fisher (Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera) and others. It was produced by Fisher and Jimmy Sloan.
“We slapped all that Cajun spice all over the songs,” says Otis. “I call it the gospel of rock ’n’ roll show.”
Otis’ local shows will double as a CD-release party for “Rare & Unreleased,” a collection of previously recorded but unreleased songs that she’ll issue via her own imprint, Wholly Roller Records.
Friday’s show is at the New Way Bar in Ferndale with opener Carmel Liburdi. (“She’s my little 18-year-old prodigy,” says Otis.) Also on tap: music from 4 Hrs., a group made up of Wayne State music students and poet-writer L. Bush.
9 p.m., 23130 Woodward, Ferndale. 248-541-9870. $15 suggested donation to help pay for the trip to California.
Saturday’s show will be at the Fireside Lounge (formerly the Double OO) in Redford and will showcase music from singer-songwriter Nathan Schock and David Winans.
9 p.m. 25044 Grand River, Redford. 734-968-3158. No cover.
For more: www.sistaotis.com
More new music
Over at the Magic Bag in Ferndale, local soul-rock group the Infatuations will host a party to celebrate the release of its new live EP, Saturday.
"Recorded Live in Front of a Studio Audience," – as you might’ve guessed - is the result of the groups live recording session at Groovebox Studios in Detroit and features a bonus studio track, from its forthcoming album.
This 8-piece band is heavy on the dance grooves and party anthems, while staying true to its Motown-influenced soul sound.
Class Three Overbite, Jiva and Joe Jaber & the Last Divide open the show.
Doors at 8 p.m. The Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward, Ferndale. 248-544-3030. $8.
For more: www.theinfatuations.com
Rachel May, Metromix editor, is also a member of local bands the Difficulties and Broadzilla. Send local music news to her at rmay@metromix.com
“Bass playing came first,” says Grace, who has spent the past 10 years or so in a variety of alt-country and roots-rock bands, including Shotgun Wedding, the Salt Miners and the all-female group Syreens. “The songwriting is something I always kept in my back pocket.”
For her solo debut, Grace plays acoustic guitar and uses her rich and soulful voice to carefully craft her life experiences into heartfelt songs. “Everyone has their own unique experiences and stories,” she says. “These are my stories.”
The album’s title track, she explains, “is very biographical. It’s about being authentic and being yourself.”
Grace is part of the Inside Outlaws songwriting collective that also features Matt Dmits, Don (Doop) Duprie, Alison Lewis and others. “We all have a similar style,” she says. “We all do the same alt-country vein of music — that singer-songwriter style of telling stories.”
The album was recorded with Jim Diamond at the famed Ghetto Recorders in Detroit with the help of some of Grace’s songwriting pals. “I started recording the album before I had a band, so I used Alex Trajano on drums, Matt Dmits on guitar and Jim Diamond on bass,” she says.
For live shows, Grace will use Greg Beyer on bass, Garret Bielaniec on lead guitar and Ryan Looney on drums. “This is really the first time that I’ve gone out solo and had a backing band.”
Local groups Bixy Lutz and John Holk & the Kinfolk will open the show. Ages 18 and over are welcome. Doors are at 9 p.m. and admission is $7. Free CDs are being offered to the first 30 people through the door. Discs will be available for $10 at the show.
To hear a sampling of music from the new disc, tune in to Ann Delisi’s show on WDET-FM (101.9 ) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Grace will be a guest and perform live.
For more: www.facebook.com/officialkatiegrace.
Get down with the Sista
She’s a Detroiter who has made a name for herself as a traveling musician, refining her sound as she has moved around.
Now, Sista Otis is back in Detroit — but not for long. While she was traveling in California, she signed a management deal with a team led by Norwood Fisher, founding member of Fishbone. She’ll play two local shows this weekend before heading back to California to promote a new record.
“This is something that I’ve been praying for for a long time,” says Otis. “Every deal I’ve been offered in the past, I’ve turned down because it didn’t feel like family to me. The team I’m surrounded by now are people that really love my music.”
The new album, “Charmed,” was recorded at Zumba Studios in Malibu, Calif., and is being issued via New Orleans’ 9th Ward Records. (A Dixieland element in Otis’ sound is something she picked up while living in New Orleans.)
”Charmed” features guest appearances by Fisher, John McKnight (Ben Harper), Joey Williams (Blind Boys of Alabama), Angelo Moore (Fishbone), Phillip (Fish) Fisher (Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera) and others. It was produced by Fisher and Jimmy Sloan.
“We slapped all that Cajun spice all over the songs,” says Otis. “I call it the gospel of rock ’n’ roll show.”
Otis’ local shows will double as a CD-release party for “Rare & Unreleased,” a collection of previously recorded but unreleased songs that she’ll issue via her own imprint, Wholly Roller Records.
Friday’s show is at the New Way Bar in Ferndale with opener Carmel Liburdi. (“She’s my little 18-year-old prodigy,” says Otis.) Also on tap: music from 4 Hrs., a group made up of Wayne State music students and poet-writer L. Bush.
9 p.m., 23130 Woodward, Ferndale. 248-541-9870. $15 suggested donation to help pay for the trip to California.
Saturday’s show will be at the Fireside Lounge (formerly the Double OO) in Redford and will showcase music from singer-songwriter Nathan Schock and David Winans.
9 p.m. 25044 Grand River, Redford. 734-968-3158. No cover.
For more: www.sistaotis.com
More new music
Over at the Magic Bag in Ferndale, local soul-rock group the Infatuations will host a party to celebrate the release of its new live EP, Saturday.
"Recorded Live in Front of a Studio Audience," – as you might’ve guessed - is the result of the groups live recording session at Groovebox Studios in Detroit and features a bonus studio track, from its forthcoming album.
This 8-piece band is heavy on the dance grooves and party anthems, while staying true to its Motown-influenced soul sound.
Class Three Overbite, Jiva and Joe Jaber & the Last Divide open the show.
Doors at 8 p.m. The Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward, Ferndale. 248-544-3030. $8.
For more: www.theinfatuations.com
Rachel May, Metromix editor, is also a member of local bands the Difficulties and Broadzilla. Send local music news to her at rmay@metromix.com
