"When I look at the new artists on the Top 20 List, Adrienne Frailey stands out..." —Kelley Martin, Host, Acoustic Pie, #1 Singer-Songwriter Station on Live365.com
"...Like Kate Wolf, Adrienne Frailey has the heart of a poet, and a voice you never get tired of hearing. She approaches her own songs, and covers, with great sensitivity and always with such warm and soulful feeling. Her new EP is a treat to hear."—Al Kniola, co-host, The Back Porch, WVPE-FM (NPR)
"...She is just plain tapped-in." —Andrew Calhoun, performer and founder, Waterbug Records
"...Everything singer-songwriters should strive for."
— Album of the Year/Hoosier Edition, The Papers (Koskciusko Co. IN)
NETWORKS
I Would Be the Sky - EP Listen
New EP "I Would Be the Sky" has received airplay and unforeseen recognition in the last twelve weeks since its release....Thanks, everyone!
Album of the Year/Hoosier Edition (12/20/2013)
WOW! The Papers (Koskiusko County's everything-news site Stacey Page Online), ranked Indiana-based artists’ CDs of all genres for 2013. In the top five were rock/punk/acoustic bands from Fort Wayne, Lafayette, Bloomington...and my Sky. Five, four, three, two...ONE: "An intimate, minimal, powerful Americana record from a very talented Milford gal. Frailey opted for a more stripped-down approach for her latest release, and, wow, did it pay off. The re-imagined standards are a treat, but Frailey’s originals, especially 'Hole In The River,' are everything singer-songwriters should strive for.”
http://www.staceypageonline.com/2013/12/20/albums-of-the-year-indiana-edition/
Homegrown Albums Top Ten (01/09/2014)
Sky is the pick of Fort Wayne’s “Folkbabe,” aka Julia Meek, host of Meet the Music, (WBOI 89.1FM Northeast Indiana Public Radio):
Sky is her No 9 homegrown album pick for 2013, and a "clever EP." This is amid
genres like R&B, blues, jazz and punk, with some of the same winners mentioned above. In Fort Wayne's whatzup magazine the "spins" column has year-end picks by local music personalities. DJs and promoters have nicknames like Music Maven and Helium Sucker. Thanks, Julia!
EP made the Back Porch CD cut? Whoa—it made the cut!
The Back Porch announced its "30 Best Albums of 2013" —acoustic/folk/Americana/bluegrass—out of all they receive. Hosts Norm Mast and Al Kniola decide. This is one show they are both on at the same time besides the station’s fund-raising pledge shows. Tracks from all thirty CDs are played; two tracks where time permits. This is profound appreciation and recognition. Here’s how it went:
"What a great performer she is!" said Norm.
Al replied, "Isn’t this her third album in our Top Thirty? Everything she puts out we fall in love with. What a gifted songwriter."
Thanks, guys, for your amazing support—since the very beginning of my career.
(The Back Porch, WVPE 88.1FM, NPR, Elkhart/South Bend IN)
http://www.wvpe.org/backporch.php
Triple Honor in Chicagoland
Sky made the list not once—but has a triple honor on WDCB's Folk Festival's "Faves of 2013" list! This list is partially influenced by listener feedback, comments and requests. DJ Lilli Kuzma ranked Sky in her Fave Albums (along with the awesome company of Mark Knopfler, Talitha MacKenzie and the Steep Canyon Rangers).
Additionally, the title track "I Would Be the Sky" was the No. 10 Top Fave Song of 2013. "Oh Mary Don't You Weep" was the No. 4 Top Fave Traditional Song. Thanks, Lilli! WDCB 90.9FM (College of DuPage, Glyn Ellyn, IL, NPR) broadcasts 24/7 jazz, blues, acoustic/Americana music and news to Chicago, Northeastern Illinois and the world via their iTunes and Windows Media Player-compatible audio stream.
http://wdcb.org/programming/program.php?id=17
Tracks/Credits
With the addition of two traditionals and one song collaboration with my uncle, I Would Be the Sky broke my CD habit of all-originals.
Track 3 may be the first commercial recording of this rare, pre-Civil-War tune. The tune was sent to my attention by my friend Andrew Calhoun in Chicago. It was published in 1899 in a group of Plantation Tunes. He had me present it at FARM (Folk Alliance Regional Midwest) in October.
Track 6 is a delicate mix of melody (mine) and a 1930's-inspired story by my uncle Don.
Track 7 "Oh Mary Don't You Weep" contains an exclusive verse my Mom added about St. Peter walking on the "H2O."
Sky was recorded by Riely O'Connor in South Bend.
Mathew Thornton mixed it at Trackattack in Buchanan, Michigan.
My friend Al Fitch (Mendota, Illinois) added percussion on "Hole in the River."
My Dad and Mom gave me their all-round help wherever it was needed.
Thanks, everyone!
"Hole in the River" featured on WNIT Experience Michiana with Gordy Young
A big thank you to Gordy Young and all involved for featuring me a second time on WNIT "Experience Michiana". It was a treat to sing for you again.
"Hole In the River" begins 10 minutes and 20 seconds into the episode.