Christy McWilson explained

Christy McWilson
Birth Name:Christy Wilson
Birth Place:California US
Genre:Alternative country
Rock music
Folk music
Occupation:Singer-songwriter
Years Active:1980s–present
Spouse:Scott McCaughey (div)
Associated Acts:Dynette Set
Picketts
Dave Alvin
The Young Fresh Fellows

Christy McWilson is an American singer-songwriter based in the Pacific Northwest.[1] She has performed with the Dynette Set, the Picketts, as a solo artist, and with many other artists, including Dave Alvin and The Young Fresh Fellows.[2]

Early life

McWilson was born in Northern California, but spent her formative years near Downey, California. Both of her parents are musicians.

McWilson says: "I was close enough to Bakersfield to drive up and hear Merle Haggard once or twice, and was definitely, utterly, completely influenced by the Los Angeles sound of the 70s: Stone Poneys, Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris, and Poco."[3]

McWilson attended college in San Francisco and Sonoma, California, earning a degree in anthropology.

Career

Early career

McWilson first recorded in the early 1980s as a singer with the Dynette Set, releasing an album and a few singles and compilation tracks in the first half of that decade, including "Seed of Love," a standout on the 1984 Rhino female-focused new wave compilation The Girls Can't Help It. That song was co-written and produced by Scott McCaughey who was a member of the Young Fresh Fellows.[4]

After the demise of the Dynette Set, McWilson played around Seattle in some short-lived groups while adding backing to various albums by the Young Fresh Fellows. The Fellows' college radio hit "Amy Grant" particularly benefited from McWilson's sassy vocals.

Picketts

In 1990, McWilson helped form the Picketts (originally known as the Power Mowers) who released three albums over the course of the 1990s. Led by McWilson on vocals, the band also included drummer Leroy "Blackie" Sleep and guitarists Scott McCaughey, John Olufs, and Jim Sangster.[5] Steve Marcus was the original bassist (later Walt Singleman played bass).[6]

The Picketts' first recording was a 7" single for the Seattle indie PopLlama Records that featured a country version of The Clash's "Should I Stay or Should I Go." Rather than play straight-ahead country, the Picketts mixed '50s rockabilly and pop with more traditional influences, such as Wanda Jackson or Merle Haggard.

Paper Doll, their debut full-length, was released in 1992 through PopLlama. A showcase at the influential Austin music festival South by Southwest led to a deal with Rounder Records, who released The Wicked Picketts in 1995. Euphonium followed on Rounder in 1996.

The Picketts eventually disbanded, but occasionally perform reunion shows.[7]

Solo work

As the Picketts were disbanding (more out of sloth than acrimony), longtime fan Dave Alvin approached McWilson with an offer to produce her first solo album, The Lucky One, which contains mostly original songs (many concerning her lifelong struggle with bipolar disorder) plus a cover of Brian Wilson's "Til I Die." The Lucky One was recorded with a core band that included Alvin, Peter Buck, and Rick Shea (guitars), Bob Glaub, Walter Singleman (bass), and Don Heffington (drums). The album also featured guest appearances by Syd Straw, Rhett Miller (Old 97's), and Mike Mills (R.E.M.).[8]

Two years later, she called on many of these musicians to help put together her second solo album, Bed of Roses.[9] [10]

In spring of 2015, McWilson decided to release her "old new" album Desperate Girl, which was recorded in 2004 as her marriage dissolved. As she put it: "The songs, written in the weeks leading up to and during the marriage's demise, were recorded in their full red-hot splendor. At the time it was so painful I shelved and tried to forget about it. I recently rediscovered it and realized I had an amazing portrait of that heightened time of my life."

Other projects

McWilson also routinely participates on the Roots On The Rails tour with Dave Alvin, Cindy Cashdollar, and other artists.

McWilson's most recent recording is Six by Three, with the West Seattle 2 (drummer Blackie Sleep and bassist Walt Singleman).

Personal life

McWilson and singer-songwriter Scott McCaughey (The Young Fresh Fellows, The Minus 5) met at San Francisco State University and moved to Seattle in 1980, eventually marrying and having a child together. The couple are no longer married.[11]

McWilson said she prefixed her birth surname, Wilson, with "Mc" to create her stage name, McWilson.

Discography

Picketts

Full-Length Albums! scope="col"
Year !Title Label Type Producer
1992 Paper Doll Popllama PLCC68 CD, vinyl Conrad Uno
Jimmy Sangster
John Olufs
1995 The Wicked Picketts Rounder CD 9046 CD, vinyl Conrad Uno
1996Euphonium Rounder CD 9056 CD, vinyl Steve Berlin
Singles and EPs! scope="col"
Year !Title Label Type Tracks
1990 The Picketts Popllama PL7-34 Single A1) Should I Stay or Should I Go?
B1) Walkin' Talkin' Jukebox
B2) Fallin' for You
1994 Pick It !Cruddy CR-07 EP A1) Sukiyaki
A2) Stella Stomp
B1) Party Hat
B2) Remington Ride
1996Baba O'Riley Rounder CD PR 1074 CD single A1) Baba o'Riley

Solo releases

Year Title Label Type Producer
2000 The Lucky One Hightone HCD 8119 CD, vinyl Dave Alvin
2002Bed of Roses Hightone HCD8143 CD, vinyl Dave Alvin
2015Desperate Girl Sally Ann Records CD Kurt Bloch

Other contributions

Year Artist Title Label Christy's Contributions
2013Jasper T The Sweet Dark, Pt. 1 N/A Track 4, "Long for You"
2011Maggie Björklund Coming Home Bloodshot BS 174 Composer, lyricist
2011Yep Rock YEP 2246 Piano & vocals on
track 9, "Manzanita"
2010Various Artists Through a Faraway Window:
A Tribute to Jimmy Silva
SteadyBoy SB-0030 Track 9, "Man of the Cloth"
2010Various Artists Mississippi Sheiks Tribute
Concert: Live Vancouver
Black Hen BHCD 0066 Duet with Dave Alvin on
track 13, "Who's Been Here"
2009Michael Shuler Edge of the World Brave Feet BF 12 Vocals
2009Various Artists It Crawled from the Basement:
Green Monkey Records Anthology
Green Monkey
PWGM 10012CD
Background Vocals
2007Barsuk BARK-62 Background Vocals
2006Sub Pop SP 700 Vocals
2006Yep Roc YEP 2118 Vocals
2005Bound for Trouble Tres Pescadores 6 Vocals, duet
2005Various Artists Brewery 0942 Duet with Rick Shea on
track 11, "Never Been in Love"
2004Various Artists BlueDisguise 6 Duet with John Ramberg on
track 10, "Celebration"
2003Yep Roc 2052 Guest artist
2003Return To Sender 43 Musician
2003Model Rockets Pilot County Suite Book Records 6 Assistant
2002Various Artists Rykodisc VACK 1232 With The Minus 5 on
track 12, "Get Back in Line"
1998Scrapin' for Hits Popllama 81296 Vocals
1997Hollywood HT-62115-2 Performer
1996Various Artists Bite Back: Live at the
Crocodile Cafe
Popllama 2200 Vocals, composer
1994Harsh Toke of Reality Popllama 91293 Background vocals
1994Various Artists Love Is My Only Crime: Part 2 Veracity IRS CD 973.402 With the Picketts on
track 2, "Ring or a Prayer"
1994Larry Barrett Beyond The Mississippi GlitterhouseGRCD 342 Vocals on track 2 "Like A Ring"
and track 4, "Take My Troubles Back"
1991Fastbacks Never Fails, Never Works Blaster! BLATLP3 Background vocals
1990What Gives? Popllama 2523 Background vocals
1985East Side Digital Vocals
1989East Side Digital 80382 Vocals, harmonies
1989Frontier FRO 31034CD Background vocals
1987Frontier 4611-2-L13 Vocals
1985East Side Digital Vocals
1984East Side Digital Vocals
1984Various Artists The Girls Can't Help It –
A Modern Girl Group Compilation
Rhino RNLP 024 With the Dynette Set on
Track 6, "Seed of Love"
1983Various Artists Seattle Syndrome Two EngramENG 012 With the Dynette Set on
track 4, "Tell Me What You Want"

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: MacDonald. Patrick. Seattle alt.country singer enters new phase. September 9, 2016. The Seattle Times. March 24, 2002.
  2. News: Alden. Grant. Christy McWilson – The other side of midnight. September 9, 2016. No Depression. 38. February 28, 2002.
  3. Berry. Steve. McWilson. Christy. Interview with Christy McWilson, September 4, 2016. September 4, 2016.
  4. Web site: Mason. Stuart. Christy McWilson – Biography & History. AllMusic. September 9, 2016.
  5. Web site: Loftus. Johnny. The Picketts Bio -The Picketts Career. https://web.archive.org/web/20160916144231/http://www.cmt.com/artists/the-picketts/biography/. dead. September 16, 2016. Rovi via CMT. September 9, 2016.
  6. News: The Picketts – Grungetown grass grows grangy on the Picketts side of the fence. September 9, 2016. No Depression. August 31, 1995. https://web.archive.org/web/20160916154704/http://nodepression.com/article/picketts-grungetown-grass-grows-grangy-picketts-side-fence. September 16, 2016. dead.
  7. News: Richman. Shira. Christy McWilson: What Dudes Won't Tell. September 9, 2016. PopMatters. September 23, 2009.
  8. News: Toombs. Mikel. Lucky Christy McWilson Kicks Off Seattle Extravaganza. https://web.archive.org/web/20160914073710/http://www.mtv.com/news/1071405/lucky-christy-mcwilson-kicks-off-seattle-extravaganza/. dead. September 14, 2016. September 9, 2016. MTV. June 23, 2000.
  9. News: Stout. Gene. Recording's a 'Bed of Roses' with Alvin at McWilson's side. September 9, 2016. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. March 28, 2002.
  10. News: McClain. Buzz. McWilson's 'Bed of Roses': An Artist in Full Bloom. September 9, 2016. The Washington Post. March 20, 2002.
  11. News: Alden. Grant. A quick appreciation of Christy McWilson. September 9, 2016. No Depression. June 3, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20160916144431/http://nodepression.com/article/quick-appreciation-christy-mcwilson. September 16, 2016. dead.