The Key- You Are Not Alone
Song of the Month- April 2023 Leeann Atherton, “You Are Not Alone.” Right on time Austin-based singer Leeann Atherton shows up with a song that offers such overwhelming hope and understanding that it should be required listening in churches, schools and, hell, at sporting events. That’s because Atherton has survived in the musical saving game for decades, been through more than a few ringers, and come out the other side proving she knows of what she speaks and has the inner guts to share it with anyone who might just need a helping hand and has the spirit to listen. There are moments in life when a song seems to descend from another level, one that can’t really be explained, but offers moments of salvation just the same. This is that moment, and it is one that should not be missed. What a world. Bentley’s Bandstand: April 2023 Bill Bentley, Americana Highways - Once every few years a song appears that sounds like it’s always been here, something that has to be heard immediately. That’s Leeann Atherton’s “Smack Dab in a Miracle.” It rises and falls and fills in all the missing pieces like an answer to life. Atherton’s mighty voice is powered by that secret source of emotion, the one which cannot be questioned. And that’s just the first track on Atherton’s new album. Followed by a whole other side of the singer, “Joy” is a soaring ode to everything that turns up the fire and keeps things burning. It feels like it comes from several different styles, which are melted down into one. In fact, all twelve songs paint a portrait of someone who’s been chasing the sound long enough to know it’s the journey and not the destination that supplies the kicks, and eternity can often be found in the questions that never really need to be answered. For now, grace and giving is where this music lives, from top to bottom. And with producer-guitarist Mac McNabb so steadily guiding the players, these are songs that feel like they’re built out of stone, ones that were always hiding here until Leeann Atherton came along to free them with her strong voice and sure heart. Collections like this have a way of finding their way out of a dark corner and walking right onto the stage to grab the spotlight and demand to be heard. As a special sign-off, Atherton’s a capella “Motherless Children’s Club,” sung spontaneously at her mother’s memorial, reminds us all where we came from, and where we’re going. Right on time. Link for complete lists of Leeann Atherton music https://open.spotify.com/artist/4RHxs2rK2iKABmhgqHH2Fb
Listen & BuySunday, October 6, 2024 at 2:00 pm
Happy Church
American Legion Encinitas
Saturday, October 19, 2024 at 6:00 pm
Skylark Lounge- Austin
Skylark Lounge
| with the Reverent Few