By. K.D. Norris
Rarely has there been a more perfect title than Margo Price’s 2016 debut solo recording — “Midwest Farmer’s Daughter” — she hails from the town of Buffalo Prairie, Ill., after all.
And rarely has a country/Americana singer emerged with a more perfect pedigree: she left college to move to Nashville, cites Emmylou Harris as a major influence and has a voice compared to Loretta Lynn, and has recently shared the stage with the likes of Sturgill Simpson and Jack White.
She also was named “Emerging Artist of the Year” by the Americana Music Association and performed “Hands of Time” from her latest release for the Grammy Award audience early this year.
Oh, and did I mention there’s a story is that she sold her car to help pay for the recording of “Midwest Farmer’s Daughter” at the legendary Sun Studios in Memphis, Tenn.?
Price will be bringing here stories and songs from “Midwest Farmer’s Daughter” to the St. Cecilia Music Center Acoustic Café series Thursday, April 6, for a 7:30 p.m. concert. Tickets are available.
“We are so lucky to have Margo Price performing here in Grand Rapids at this stage in her career,” said Cathy Holbrook, St. Cecilia’s executive director. “She’s a rising star who is moving very fast in the music spotlight. This concert will be one that the audience will say, ‘I saw Margo Price when she was new and rising on the scene’.”
Price’s music has been variously labeled as not only country and Americana but also honky tonk and outlaw. Her earlier bands include The Pricetags and Buffalo Clover. But with her newest recording, she brings her musical world back to its rural roots.
The 10-track record, according to supplied information, influenced by Price’s years of trying to “make it” in Nashville, the childhood memories of her family losing their farm in Illinois and the pain of trying to cope with the death of her first child. After recording the album, Price shopped the project around in Nashville but found no takers until connecting with White’s Third Man Records — where she’s the label’s lone country artist.
In the last year, Price appeared on Saturday Night Live, both Charlie Rose’s and Seth Meyers’ television shows, took home the Emerging Artist of the Year award at AmericanaFest, and performed with White on an episode of “A Prairie Home Companion”.
For a video of her work, visit here.
There will be a post-concert “Meet-the-artist” reception open to all ticket-holders with the opportunity to meet Price and obtain signed CDs of her releases.
St. Cecilia’s Acoustic Café series will conclude its 2016-17 season on Thursday, April 13, with Grammy Award winning Marc Cohn — he of 1991’s Grammy winning ballad “Walking in Memphis” and so much more. With his newest 2016 release “Careful What you Dream: Lost Songs and Rarities”, his concert will feature a 25-year retrospective of his most well known music mixed with new releases. Tickets for this concert are $35 and $40.
For more information visit scmc-online.org.
