Front Country

Last updated

Front Country
Front Country 2020.jpg
Front Country in 2020
Background information
Origin San Francisco, California
Genres Folk pop, Americana
Years active2011–present
Labels
  • Organic Records
  • Antifragile
MembersAdam Roszkiewicz
Jacob Groopman
Melody Walker
Past membersLeif Karlstrom
Jordan Klein
Zach Sharpe
Website frontcountryband.com

Front Country is an American folk pop band founded in 2011 in San Francisco, California and now based in Nashville, Tennessee. The band consists of lead vocalist and songwriter Melody Walker, mandolinist Adam Roszkiewicz, and lead guitarist Jacob Groopman. In a special feature on April 5, 2017, NPR's All Things Considered categorized their music as "String-Band Pop". [1] Wonderland praised their 2020 release Impossible World for "continuing to push the envelope on their sound while staying true to their roots." [2]

Contents

Career

The band was initially formed as an acoustic string ensemble [3] in 2011 at a monthly jam at the Atlas Cafe in San Francisco’s Mission District with original members Adam Roszkiewicz (mandolin), Leif Karlstrom (violin), Jacob Groopman (guitar), Melody Walker (vocals), Jordan Klein (banjo) and Zach Sharpe (bass). In 2013 they moved on to play a monthly residency at Mission District bar Amnesia. [4]

In 2012, the band won first place in the RockyGrass Festival Band Competition, [5] and in 2013 they were the winners of the Telluride Bluegrass Festival Band Competition, [6] [7] becoming the third band in history to win both contests. [8]

In 2013, songwriter and lead-vocalist Melody Walker won first place in the Chris Austin Song Contest at MerleFest . [9] She was also named one of "7 Women Smashing the Bluegrass Glass Ceiling" by Paste magazine. [10]

Mandolinist Adam Roszkiewicz was nominated for a Grammy in 2013 for his work with the Modern Mandolin Quartet on their album Americana. He is also a member of the Ger Mandolin Orchestra. [11]

Following the release of their first full-length album Sake of the Sound in the fall of 2014, the band became a full-time national touring act, hiring bassist Jeremy Darrow in 2015. [12]

In 2014, the band appeared on season 3 of nationally syndicated musical television program Music City Roots [13] with their appearance airing throughout 2015 and 2016 on PBS affiliates in the United States. [14]

In 2016, NPR Music named them one of "Nine Artists to Watch For at AmericanaFest". [15]

On April 7, 2017, Front Country released their second full-length album Other Love Songs on Organic Records. [16] The album debuted at #2 on the Billboard Bluegrass Albums Chart. [17]

In an expansion of their previously more acoustic sound, Front Country released their third full-length album Impossible World on October 30, 2020, on indie label Antifragile. [18] The album was named Best of 2020: Indie Roots by Magnet . [19] while Glide Magazine compared the new sound to Cowboy Junkies and Mazzy Star. [20] The album was noted by WMOT and others for being a collection of original "protest songs", [21] and Wonderland lauded Walker's "thought provoking lyricism and messages". [22]

Discography

References

  1. ↑ "Get To Know The String-Band Pop Of Nashville’s Front Country", ‘’National Public Radio’’, 5 April 2017. Retrieved on 5 April 2017.
  2. ↑ "Premiere: Front Country - Broken Record". Wonderland . October 1, 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  3. ↑ "The Ticket". The Boston Globe . November 24, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Music: Front Country plays bluegrass at the Green Frog". The Bellingham Herald . September 14, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  5. ↑ "2013 Music Competitions" [ permanent dead link ], ‘’Planet Bluegrass’’, Retrieved on 22 April 2017.
  6. ↑ "Competitions at Telluride 2013". Bluegrass Today . June 27, 2013. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Front Country Sake of the Sound and Kissin Comes Easy". Relix . December 11, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  8. ↑ "True to Your Roots: Front Country Comes to the Great Plains Theatre Friday". Salina Post . April 19, 2017. Archived from the original on July 20, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Martizian wins prestigious songwriting competition". Martinez News-Gazette . May 5, 2013. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  10. ↑ "7 Women Smashing The Bluegrass Glass Ceiling". Paste . February 9, 2017. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  11. ↑ "New York Premiere Performance of The Ger Mandolin Orchestra". Mandolin Cafe . May 26, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Jeremy Darrow to Front Country". Bluegrass Today . August 31, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  13. ↑ "Music City Roots Hosts Front Country, Joe Mullins Wednesday". CyberGrass . October 7, 2014. Archived from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Music City Roots Live from the Factory", ‘’Kentucky Educational Television’’, 30 January 2016. Retrieved on 22 April 2017.
  15. ↑ "Nine Artists To Watch For At AmericanaFest 2016". NPR Music . September 20, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Front Country to Organic Records". Bluegrass Today . January 12, 2017. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Front Country Chart History". Billboard . Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  18. ↑ "Front Country Preview New Album With Blistering 'Amerikan Dream'". Rolling Stone . July 30, 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Best of 2020: Indie Roots". Magnet . December 16, 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  20. ↑ "Listen: Front Country treats ears to Cowboy Junkies' soaked soaring melodies via 'How Can You Sing'". Glide Magazine . October 19, 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  21. ↑ "On The Eve Of A High Stakes Election, Americana Surges With Protest Songs". WMOT . October 20, 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  22. ↑ "Premiere: Front Country - 'Broken Record'". Wonderland . October 1, 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
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