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download :. word doc
Growing up in the small mill town of South Berwick, Maine, Picott was
exposed to a surprising mix of musical influences. His father, a
former marine owned a record collection that spanned from the marches
of John Philip Sousa to Ray Charles. His older brother, an avid record
collector, introduced Rod to the punk poetry of Patti Smith and The
Clash, finishing the groundwork of influences that Rod would draw from
later in his own music. The seacoast area of southern Maine had an
unlikely but thriving local music scene in the late 80's and and
Picott spent his late teens and early twenties in bands playing the
clubs from Boston MA. to Portland ME.
After a few years in Boulder, Colorado busking the streets and
studying song craft 1994 saw a move to Nashville TN. Picott
established himself as one of the better new writers in town and
hosted a weekly showcase called Rod Picott's Fireside Whiskey Hour as
well as opening shows for Alison Krauss and Union Station and Gillian
Welch. His co-write Broke Down with Slaid Cleaves was the most played
song on Americana radio in 2001.
Picott's debut release, Tiger Tom Dixon's Blues, announced his
arrival as an artist of note. The album received airplay from Bob
Harris on the BBC, and Music Row magazine's Robert Oermann called the
debut, "the birth of a major, major artist".
2002's Stray Dogs displayed even finer skills as a writer and
vocalist and featured guest appearances from Alison Krauss and
frequent co-writer Slaid Cleaves. The album was embraced by Americana
radio and found it's way onto the chart for 5 weeks. It also found
it's way onto many year's-best lists in both the States and Europe.
Released in November 2004 on his own Welding Rod Records label, girl
from arkansas brought Picott's eye for lyric detail and whiskey-voiced
delivery together with a newfound intimacy.With girl from arkansas,
Rod Picott continued to thrive and expand as a storyteller and singer.
In 2005 a collection of live performances titled Travel Log was
released. Recorded in front of a small crowd in Charlotte N.C. the cd
documents a soulful performance with accompaniment from Dobro and
lapsteel player Matt Mauch.
In 2006 Picott co-produced, [with David Henry] Slaid Cleaves' Rounder
Records release Unsung to great reviews.
In the summer of 2007 Rod assembled some of his favorite musicians and
Nashville sidemen and went after his fourth studio album. The
resulting Summerbirds is a beautifully realized collection that
contains both full on rockers and the elegant ballads his audience has
come to know him for. Maverick magazine called Summerbirds "as damn
near perfect as you can get" and gave the album a full five star
review. A full band tour through the UK and Italy followed the
European release of Summerbirds. Rod and the band played live on the
BBC in London and a distribution deal with Proper Distribution was
signed for the album. Picott continues to tour the U.S. in support of
Summerbirds and is currently recording a duo album of songs co-written
with Texas fiddle player and frequent side musician Amanda Shires.
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