Biography
Stevi Marie & Jackson Road is an amalgam of classic and contemporary country with rock influences, and strong musicianship, focused on making an electric performance each and every time. The band features skilled songwriting and strong vocals from lead singer Stevi Marie. Each member of the band is classically trained and schooled, but also road tested over thousands of miles. Collectively, they draw influences ranging from Buck Owens to Elvis Costello to Emmylou Harris and many more. Ste...
Stevi Marie & Jackson Road is an amalgam of classic and contemporary country with rock influences, and strong musicianship, focused on making an electric performance each and every time. The band features skilled songwriting and strong vocals from lead singer Stevi Marie. Each member of the band is classically trained and schooled, but also road tested over thousands of miles. Collectively, they draw influences ranging from Buck Owens to Elvis Costello to Emmylou Harris and many more. Stevi herself plays three instruments (trumpet, guitar, & bass) as well as singing and writing songs. From her humble beginnings in a small logging community, she has risen to become one of the Northwest's most active performers. At age 21, she went to Nashville and worked with other songwriters and pitched one of her songs to the head publisher at CURB Records (Tim McGraw, JoDee Messina) and showcased at the internationally renowned "Bluebird Cafe". Ever since that experience, she has worked hard to pursue a full-time career in music. Shortly after her trip to Nashville, she was offered an independent record deal in Portland, Oregon to record her debut album, "I Thought I Told You." The first cut on the album, "I'm on a Roll," won her a finalist spot in the Oregon Symphony Songwriting Contest. The song "Long Day," was also selected as song of the year by the Portland Songwriter's Association. The album has received international airplay from the UK to Florida to Texas, and the accompanying rave reviews. Supporting the cd, the band has showcased up and down the Oregon Coast to Seattle to Las Vegas. Stevi Marie & her band Jackson Road, recently released their first group effort titled, "Second Sight", on January 1, 2008. The cd was co-produced and arranged by Miss Marie and bandmate and bass player Greg Jackson. Additional arrangements were contributed by pianist of the group, Matt Burnett. The cd is a testament to the depth of songwriting and musicianship that the band is comprised of. "Second Sight" takes the listener on a journey through the hearts of small town America. There is a heart broken quality to Stevi's voice that is true and passionate. The album is a beautiful picture of the Americana movement and the evolving world of country music. The production is clean and the vocal duets by Stevi and Greg Jackson are sweet, simple, and real. The cd has been compared to the likes of legendary Gram Parsons. Stevi signed with Comstock Records in April 2008 to begin a marketing campaign of the album, "Second Sight", all across Europe. To date, every song on the record has been played and Stevi made Joyce Ramgatie's top 200 international country music artists chart debuting at 113. During the winter of 2006, Stevi and the band competed in Las Vegas, NV at the World Folk Foundation Battle of the Bands and received 3rd place out of 200 bands nation-wide. In 2006 they were also a featured band on the syndicated Radio Program "The Backporch Show", which attracts an average of 10 million listeners every show. Stevi believes that music is made through connections with many spirits. She is very grateful to be working with an amazing group of people, all of which are from Oregon, including Greg Jackson, co-band leader, bass player, vocalist, and co-writer of the group. He has been performing in the Northwest and in Las Vegas over the past 12 years, has taught composition at Portland State University, worked as a Buddy Holly impersonator, and played guitar for the world champion Elvis impersonator (really!). Matt Burnett, pianist for the band, recently arranged piano music for international artist Jim Brickman, with album pre-sales of 500,000+ copies to date. He works regularly with Los Angeles producer Steve Sundholm and in 2005 toured the United States with "Geoff Byrd and the Sentinals". Matt also has three instrumental piano albums that he has released. Matt Kramer, drummer for the band, has toured throughout Europe, and has performed professionally for the past 15 years. Bob Love International, lead guitarist and harmony vocalist for the group, has played for many great musicians over the past 30+ years and added his talents on steel guitar to the group's latest cd. Furthermore, Jeff Woodcock has been incorporating his skills on bass and harmony vocals. He has performed with Bob Love on and off the past 30 years and many other talented folks. Jeff was also one of the original "california raisins" studio vocalists. All in all, Stevi Marie & Jackson Road do their best to elevate the art of live music all while ensuring that a good time will be had by all. The band's youth coupled with the intensity and confidence the group carries when performing, and the maturity of Stevi's self-written material delivers a promising future. In Stevi's Own Words: "I've always loved listening to country singers like Emmylou Harris, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Rosanne Cash. But my Dad raised me on the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin. Along the way, Louis Armstrong caught my attention; somewhere in the middle, I suppose, is what I do."
show more...