Singer Jessica Lea Mayfield to Perform at Juanita's, 7/27

Most aspiring musicians choose an image and stick with it, at least at the starting points of their careers. Not Jessica Lea Mayfield, a singer and songwriter from Kent, Ohio, who'll perform Wednesday, July 27th at Juanita's. She was a brunette on her debut album, With Blasphemy So Heartfelt, in 2008. For her latest CD, Tell Me, released some months ago, she's a blonde.

Though Mayfield's roots are in the "high lonesome" sound of bluegrass, she finds her inspiration all over the musical map.  Her voice has earned her comparisons with singers like P.J. Harvey, Julie Holland, Hope Sandoval, Syd Straw and Edie Brickell. Vogue magazine earlier this year named her Artist of the Week, praising her "perfectly forlorn country melodies."

She has performed at this year's and last year's edition of the Bonnaroo Festival in Manchester, Tenn., perhaps the nation's most famous annual outdoor multiday music festival.

Besides opening shows for The Avett Brothers, Mayfield has also toured as an opening act for Ray LaMontagne, Jay Farrar, Cake and The Black Keys. It was through the Keys' connection that she first got her big break via Dan Auerbach, the Keys' singer and guitarist who's from nearby Akron, Ohio.

She recorded an EP when she was 15, and a copy reached Auerbach, who met the young singer and recruited her to sing on "Things Ain't Like They Used to Be," a track on his own band's album, Attack & Release. Auerbach produced and recorded her music over the next two years as she made With Blasphemy So Heartfelt, which was released on Auerbach's label, Polymer Records. Auerbach played guitar, organ, piano, drums and other instruments on the album.

Her 2008 CD was named Best Album of 2008 by the music magazine Blurt, finishing ahead of the Black Keys' album on which she sang. The magazine also named her Best New Artist of 2008, ranking her ahead of The Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver and She & Him. Two of the album's songs were used on a couple of popular TV shows - CSI: New York ("Bible Days") and Gossip Girl ("Kiss Me Again").

Jessica Lea Mayfield will perform at  8 p.m. Wednesday, Juanita's, 614 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock

Admission: $10

Opener: Ferraby Lionheart

For further information, please call (501) 372-1228 or visit: www. juanitas.com

 

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