 |
Cashavelly Morrison | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Melissa Diane Meredith Bickey |
| Born | March 26, 1981 Beckley, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Genres | Americana, folk |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar, autoharp |
| Years active | 2015–present |
| Website | cashavellymorrison |
Melissa MacLeod, better known by the stage name Cashavelly Morrison, is an American singer and songwriter.
Cashavelly Morrison was born Melissa Diane Meredith Bickey in the coal mining town of Beckley, West Virginia. She began dancing from the age of 3, leaving home when she turned 15 to study ballet at the UNC School of the Arts. She turned dancing into a professional career, which she had to quit after a severe spinal injury at the age of 20. [1] She went on to get her undergraduate and master's degrees in English and Creative Writing at Salem College and later at Hollins University and turned her creative energy towards writing prose and later her own songs. [2]
While in college, she met and married Ryan Michael White MacLeod, who was completing his degree in classical guitar. They played together guitar and autoharp, perfecting their musical style.
They recorded sparse versions of their songs at Echo Mountain studio in Asheville, NC, moving on to develop the songs with further instrumentation at the suggestion of their sound engineer. [1] [2] Melissa began to perform with Ryan under the stage name chosen by herself, "Cashavelly" being her paternal grandmother's maiden name and "Morrison" her mother's maiden name.
Cashavelly Morrison conceived her songs as an exploration of shared grief, to emphasize universal compassion for those who go unheard and unseen. She quoted Jean Ritchie as her most important influence. [3] Her songs blend together the traditions of American roots, the ballads of Appalachia, and represent a confessional gateway into loss and her deeply held values, notably the racial prejudices in the U.S. and the dire need for equal rights and empowerment for women.
Cashavelly Morrison released Long-Haired Mare EP in mid-2015. [4] Their single and its accompanying video "Pink Dress" premiered in September 2015 [5] and it earned very favorable reviews for its expressive vocals over country instrumentation [6] and also for touching the issue of female empowerment by challenging societal standards amidst a hauntingly surreal feel. [7] The next video, "Made of Sand", followed in October 2015 and also got praised for its artful lyricism and the authentic approach to expressing her truth. [8]
Her debut album, The Kingdom Belongs to a Child, released on October 30, 2015. Inspired by the tradition of Appalachian ballads, mostly steeped in Americana with hints of folk and world music, [9] it earned praise for its raw emotion, the powerful imagery it revealed and evocative melodies, [1] [10] [11] Cashavelly being favorably compared to Harriet Wheeler, Tori Amos and Natalie Merchant. [7]
Melissa Lou Etheridge is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and guitarist. Her eponymous debut album was released in 1988 and became an underground success. It peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard 200 and its lead single, "Bring Me Some Water", garnered Etheridge her first Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female in 1989. Her second album, Brave and Crazy, appeared that same year and earned Etheridge two more Grammy nominations. In 1992, Etheridge released her third album, Never Enough, and its lead single, "Ain't It Heavy", won Etheridge her first Grammy Award.
Lucinda Gayl Williams is an American singer-songwriter and a solo guitarist. She recorded her first two albums, Ramblin' on My Mind (1979) and Happy Woman Blues (1980), in a traditional country and blues style that received critical praise but little public or radio attention. In 1988, she released her third album, Lucinda Williams, to widespread critical acclaim. Regarded as "an Americana classic", the album also features "Passionate Kisses", a song later recorded by Mary Chapin Carpenter for her 1992 album Come On Come On, which garnered Williams her first Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 1994. Known for working slowly, Williams released her fourth album, Sweet Old World, four years later in 1992. Sweet Old World was met with further critical acclaim and was voted the 11th best album of 1992 in The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop, an annual poll of prominent music critics. Robert Christgau, the poll's creator, ranked it 6th on his own year-end list, later writing that the album as well as Lucinda Williams were "gorgeous, flawless, brilliant".
Jean Ruth Ritchie was an American folk singer, songwriter, and Appalachian dulcimer player, called by some the "Mother of Folk". In her youth she learned hundreds of folk songs in the traditional way, many of which were Appalachian variants of centuries old British and Irish songs, including dozens of Child Ballads. In adulthood, she shared these songs with wide audiences, as well as writing some of her own songs using traditional foundations.
"Someday (I Will Understand)" is a song by American singer Britney Spears. It was written by Spears and produced by Guy Sigsworth. The song was released on August 18, 2005, by Jive Records as the sole single from Spears' first extended play, Britney & Kevin: Chaotic (2005), outside the United States. In July 2004, Spears announced her engagement to American dancer Kevin Federline, later revealing she would be taking another career break to start a family. Spears wrote the song two weeks before knowing she was pregnant with her first child, Sean Preston Federline. A pop ballad, its lyrics refer to a feeling of empowerment as a pregnant woman. A remixed version of the song was included on the 2005 remix compilation, B in the Mix: The Remixes.
Anaïs Mitchell is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and playwright. Mitchell has released eight studio albums, including Hadestown (2010), Young Man in America (2012), Child Ballads (2013), and Anaïs Mitchell (2022).
"Nobody Knows" is a song by American singer-songwriter Pink, released as the fourth single from her fourth album, I'm Not Dead (2006). It was released on November 20, 2006, in Britain and during January 2007 in Australia and Germany.
"Sing" is a song recorded by Scottish singer Annie Lennox for her fourth solo studio album, Songs of Mass Destruction (2007). It was released as the second single from the album on 1 December 2007 by RCA Records. Lennox was inspired to write the track after seeing South African activist Zackie Achmat at Nelson Mandela's 46664 HIV/AIDS concert. She wanted the track to be a source of empowerment for people without a voice of their own. It also gave rise to her SING Campaign which aimed to raise funds and awareness for issues surrounding HIV/AIDS. "Sing" was produced by Glen Ballard and interpolates the South African tune "Jikelele"; the music was given to Lennox by an activist group called The Generics.
Rita Corinne Hosking is an American composer and musician based in Davis, California. She plays Americana and bluegrass styles of music with both standards and original songs. Since the release of Are You Ready?, she has been performing around the country at concerts, festivals, and other venues.
"I Stay in Love" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, taken from her eleventh studio album, E=MC² (2008). It was written by Carey, Bryan-Michael Cox, Adonis Shropshire and Kendrick Dean, and produced by the former two. "I Stay in Love" was released through Island Records on October 28, 2008, as the fourth and final single from the album. Drawing influence from the R&B and soul music genre, the song features a piano and keyboard-driven melody, and a strong accompanying drum-beat. Lyrically, the song finds Carey getting "her cry on with the connect-the-dots break-up track." She describes the old time she shared with her love interest. She narrates that even though they said let go, and that she is aware that there is nothing left in their relationship, she still "stays in love with him".
"Ave Maria" is a song by American singer Beyoncé from her third studio album I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008). Amanda Ghost, Ian Dench and Makeba Riddick wrote the song in collaboration with Beyoncé and production duo Stargate. As stated by Ghost, "Ave Maria" was inspired by Beyoncé's and her own respective marriages. The song is a re-write of Franz Schubert's "Ave Maria". It is instrumentally complete with a piano and strings. Throughout the pop-R&B ballad, Beyoncé sings in a lower register with an operatic soprano. Lyrically, it speaks about being surrounded by friends but still feeling alone.
"Safe & Sound" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift featuring the American musical duo the Civil Wars, taken from the soundtrack of The Hunger Games (2012). Swift and the Civil Wars wrote the track with its producer T Bone Burnett. The track is an indie folk ballad with a spare arrangement evoking Americana, alternative country, and Appalachian music. The lyrics are about the Hunger Games protagonist Katniss Everdeen's empathy and compassion for other characters, even as she fights to survive in the eponymous Games. Swift sings lead vocals with a high-pitched vibrato, and the Civil Wars provide vocal harmonies.
"Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" is a song by American singer-songwriter Pink from her sixth studio album, The Truth About Love (2012). Pink wrote the song with its producer Greg Kurstin. The song was released as the lead single from the album on July 2, 2012, by RCA Records, shortly after a demo version leaked on to the internet. It is an uptempo electropop song with synthesizers, keyboards, and bass drums as part of the instrumentation. Lyrically, it finds Pink reflecting on past relationships and life situations.
"Flower" is a song by Australian singer and songwriter Kylie Minogue. The song was originally written by Minogue and Steve Anderson of Brothers in Rhythm for Minogue's tenth studio album X (2007), but it did not make the final cut. However, it was performed in the set list for the KylieX2008 tour.
"Freedom" is a song by rapper Nicki Minaj. It was released on November 2, 2012 by Young Money, Cash Money and Universal Republic as the second single from the reissue of Minaj's second studio album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded – The Re-Up (2012). It was written by Minaj, Matthew Burnett, and Matthew Samuels. Production was helmed by Samuels under his stage name Boi-1da. The song was released for digital download by Cash Money Records in the US and Canada on November 2, 2012 and in other countries on November 6, 2012. It was serviced to US urban radio on November 27 and to mainstream radio in the United Kingdom the following day. "Freedom" is a downtempo hip hop and R&B song that features a "sonically breezy" soundscape, complied with ambient riffs, pop-inspired synths, and soft pop choruses.
The Pinkprint is the third studio album by rapper Nicki Minaj. It was released on December 12, 2014, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Republic Records. Minaj co-executive-produced the album alongside Birdman, Lil Wayne and Ronald Williams, with a variety of producers who produced the album's sound. Looking to depart from the dance-pop elements of her second studio album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (2012), The Pinkprint is a follow-up record influenced by her traditional hip hop beginnings.
"I Loved You" is a single by English deep house duo Blonde featuring vocals from English singer Melissa Steel. The track uses interpolations of "More", a song from the album of the same name by Canadian singer Tamia. It was released through Parlophone on 30 November 2014 in the United Kingdom. The song peaked at number 7 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Waitin for You" is a song recorded by American singer Demi Lovato featuring rapper Sirah. The duo along with Julia Michaels, Jason Evigan and Steve Mac composed the song for Lovato's fifth studio album Confident (2015). Evigan and Mac also handled the song's production, with Mitch Allan serving as a vocal producer.
"Love Ballad" is a song by Swedish singer Tove Lo. It was co-written by Lo, Ludvig Söderberg and Jakob Jerlström, and was produced by her co-writers under their production name The Struts. In 2012, after signing a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music and co-writing songs for artists including Girls Aloud and Icona Pop, Lo decided to become an independent singer to keep her most personal songs for herself.
"Red Carpet" is a song recorded by Japanese singer Namie Amuro. It was released on December 2, 2015 via Avex Trax and her label Dimension Point as the singer's third consecutive non-album single, being supported by B-side track "Black Make-Up". "Red Carpet" was distributed in two physical formats—a standard CD, and a CD and DVD bundle—and was made available for digital consumption. The recording was written and composed by Matthew Tishler, Paula Winger, Stephanie Lewis and Tiger, whilst production was handled by Tishler. Musically, the track features guitars, synthesizers, keyboards and drums as instrumentation. Lyrically, the songwriting focuses on themes of self-confidence, empowerment and narcissism, and uses the title as a metaphor for life experiences.
"Carolina" is a song written and recorded by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for the soundtrack of the 2022 murder mystery film Where the Crawdads Sing. Released via Republic Records on June 24, 2022, the song is titled after the Carolinas region in the United States, and sung from the perspective of the film's protagonist, Kya. "Carolina" was met with strong acclaim from music critics, most of whom felt the song's ambience matched the film's atmosphere, and is reminiscent of Swift's 2020 indie folk albums, Folklore and Evermore. Reviews commended the song for Swift's vocals, songwriting style, and the overall "haunting" mood.