Alexa Woodward

European label partnership

2011-12-28T10:24:00.001-05:00

I'm happy to announce that my latest release, "It's a Good Life Honey If You Don't Grow Weary" will be released in Europe through Continental Records Services, formerly Rounder Europe. CRS will be working with me to print and promote the record through European radio, press, and tour dates. I'm proud of this album, and so thankful to have the opportunity to share it with many more ears than I can reach on my own. Thanks to CRS for seeing potential in "Weary". And thanks to all of you supporters who have come out to live shows and shared this music word of mouth. It brings me great joy to know that these musical creations connect with you and enrich your life as they do mine. Here's to a great year!

Winter fun

2011-12-19T16:12:00.000-05:00

Now on Spotify

2011-12-19T16:06:00.000-05:00

As of this month, all of my albums are now available on Spotify! Or, if you are a Pandora lover, you can find them there, too. Thanks for supporting my music, and enjoy!

"Secrets" on Griff The Invisible

2011-06-26T10:22:00.000-04:00

My song Secrets is in the trailer for the new film "Griff The Invisible":

Bootlegs now available on bandcamp!

2011-05-26T13:38:00.001-04:00

My live album, Bootlegs, is finally available online!
For really cheap!
$5, that is.

Just click on the album to visit the bandcamp page:

Lyrics to "Secrets"

2011-05-16T12:15:00.000-04:00

Today we walked
in melting snow
hid inside,
making fire and tea
I met you when I was wandering
it's been many worlds since then
though my secrets are wild and deep
and my mind races while I sleep
I will plant my hunger here
in you

Artwork from Teresa Downer

2011-04-22T14:23:00.001-04:00

Teresa Downer, talented LA based collage artist, has created this lovely piece based on my song "Elephant." I will be making this into prints for sale, but the ORIGINAL is available for purchase. Check out Teresa's amazing art and contact her if you are an art enthusiast to find out how much she's asking for it! You can see her lovely artwork here: http://www.teresadowner.com/

PS 22 Chorus sings Mary (plus bonus footage)

2011-04-18T19:04:00.000-04:00

In addition to their beautiful version of "Down", the kids at the PS 22 Chorus came up with impromptu harmonies for "Mary"... this video shows the song and some fun bonus footage. If you don't know about the chorus, they are an international sensation whose youtube videos have won acclaim from folks all over the world. Last year they won the Webby award, and this year they performed at the Oscars. If you are inspired by them, you can donate to their future projects here.

PS 22 Chorus!

2011-04-17T14:57:00.000-04:00

I had the privilege of hanging out with the PS22 Chorus on Friday in Staten Island, New York. These young people and their director have, through their love of music, become an international sensation, inspiring people around the world through music. They just performed on the Oscars and are headed to the Tribeca Film Festival next week... very sweet of them to make time to hang out with me. Here is a collaboration of us singing down "Down", and be sure to look at their other videos on youtube- they are truly inspiring! And please consider donating to the chorus here: https://www.nycgrads.org/ps22

Brussels

2011-04-11T13:23:00.002-04:00

Belgian beer and chocolate are everything they're made out to be, and we had an amazing time in the beautiful city of Brussels. Here is a video of my live performance in Brussels, singing to my love at Live Music Cafe:

Europe: Switzerland

2011-04-06T15:53:00.001-04:00

We started the tour in Switzerland, at Powerplay Studios for a live performance just outside of Zurich. We found out Lady Gaga recorded there for a week, and that wasn't surprising, since the studio looks out at snow capped mountains in one of the most beautiful parts of Switzerland.

Taking the train from Paris to Zurich, we traveled through majestic Swiss mountains and wild scenes... I love the way water floats in the mountains in Switzerland.

We hung out with our new friend Yves, who generously hosted us for a few nights, and we played a great show in Zurich at Cafe Henrici (very cool family owned place... if you're in Zurich, pay them a visit and tell Tito I sent you). Here are some pictures from that show:

European Tour: March 2011

2011-02-25T15:29:00.000-05:00

Annie and I are headed back to Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, and France,
and we're coming to Belgium for the first time! Here are the dates:

March 19: Bern, Switzerland (Mugisbistrot)
March 20: Maur, Switzerland (Powerplay Studios)
March 22: Zurich, Switzerland (Cafe Henrici)
March 23: Dresden, Germany (house concert)
March 24: Berlin, Germany (house concert)
March 25: Berlin, Germany (Art Gerecht)
March 26: Copenhagen, Denmark (Christianshavns Beoberhus)
March 27: Copenhagen, Denmark (Mojo Blues)
March 29: Kiel, Germany (house concert)
March 30: Hamburg, Germany (Hasenschaukel)
March 31: Brussels, Belgium (house concert)
April 1: Bruseels, Belgium (Live Music Cafe)
April 2: Paris, France

Living Room CD release show February 12th!

2011-02-12T02:24:00.000-05:00

I'm excited to be returning to the Living Room for the New York CD release on Saturday, February 12th! The show starts eight at 7:00, so come on time and bring friends! There's no cover, but there is a suggested donation of $10. Thanks to Beacon Press for choosing this concert as the featured event in New york City for this Saturday!

Austin CD Release Show

2011-02-12T02:18:00.001-05:00

Two lovely videos from Clarksville Studios from the Austin CD release show. What a special night with special musicians, and a very sweet audience.

Passim CD release Tuesday, February 8th

2011-02-07T12:32:00.001-05:00

The Boston Globe featured the CD release show in the top ten things to do in Boston this week, and the sleepover show posted our recent live filming on their site just in time for the show! You can still get your tickets on Passim's website. We're expecting a great turn out and I hope to see you there! If you can't make it out to the show, you can watch it stream live on UStream, starting at 8:00 EST with Jenee Halstead and 9:00 for my set.

Here's a song from the sleepover show:

CD Release Tours!

2011-01-21T11:28:00.007-05:00

1/26 San Marcos Texas CD release (Tantra Coffee w/ the Blue Hit)
1/27 AUSTIN Texas CD release (Central Presbyterian Church w/ Some Say Leland)
1/28 Nacogdoches Texas CD release (Pineknot Music Coop)
1/29 Huntsville Texas CD release (Magical Forest House Concert)
2/8 BOSTON CD release (Club Passim w/ Jenee Halstead $12)
2/12 NYC CD release (The Living Room, $10 suggested, free with purchase of Weary)
2/13 Richmond CD release (House Concert w/ Annie Crane)
2/14 Knoxville CD release (House Concert w/ Annie Crane)
Folk Alliance in Memphis, Tennessee February 16-20 in the Constant Clip Records Room:
2/16 12:00-1:30 showcase w/ Hunter Paye, Raina Rose
2/17 11:00pm showcase w/ Elam Blackman, Annie Crane
2/18 2:00pm-4:00pm Burning Heart: Songs for the Gulf w/ Hunter Paye, Annie Crane, Elam Blackman
2/18 12:30 showcase w/ AJ Roach
2/19 1:30 showcase w/ Annie Crane, Gabrielle Papillon

"Secrets" on New Adult Swim show Mongo Wrestling Alliance

2011-01-11T13:09:00.000-05:00

If you're into adult swim or find yourself watching Cartoon Network at night, you might hear my song Secrets on the trailer for Mongo Wrestling Alliance. It's also on the National Geographic show "Departures" (if you have footage from that show, send it to me, I'd love to see it). Here's the trailer from Mongo Wrestling Alliance:

You can get this song for free on this website by signing my mailing list.

It's a Good Life Honey If You Don't Grow Weary!

2011-01-03T14:04:00.003-05:00

My new record, "It's a Good Life Honey If You Don't Grow Weary," is coming out next month!

This album is the product of doing music full time for almost two years, a journey that has brought me across the US, Europe, and Canada, singing over deserts and mountains and in the pulpy hearts of wild cities, in sewers and churches and living rooms. This record is made possible by friends and fans who generously donated to my kickstarter campaign, and by those of you who come out to shows and tell your friends about this music. Thank you!

With the help of a grant from the Metropolitan Arts Council of Greenville, SC, the packaging will be a letter pressed coloring book with lyrical drawings of nine of the twelve songs on the album, each drawing done by yours truly, with a CD cover and layout designed by Dan Grissom of Some Say Leland.

We are celebrating with CD release parties in Texas, New York, and Boston! Please stay tuned for early reviews, music videos, and details about when it will be available online. In the mean time, check out these CD release tour dates and if you are nearby, make it a point to come out to these very special shows.

January 15th- Greenville, SC: Coffee Underground Theater with Jonathan Byrd
January 26 - San Marcos, TX: Tantra Coffee House with The Blue Hit
January 27- Austin, TX: First Presbyterian church with Some Say Leland
January 28- Nacogdoches, TX: Pineknot Music Coop.
January 29- Huntsville, TX: Magical Forest House Concert
February 8- Boston, MA at club Passim
February 12- New York, NY at the Living Room

Stay tuned for information about itunes availability! It should be available online sometime in late February.

California Tour Dates Announced!

2010-12-05T15:43:00.007-05:00

I'll be playing a few shows in southern California this December and would love to see you Cali folks there! All of these shows will be great, so come out for any or all of them, but the one I'm most excited about is a limited seating concert with Murry Hammond from the Old 97s. Not only is Murry Hammond in a great band that you might have heard of (the Old 97s!), but Murry is an incredible songwriter in his own right. I had the privilege of hearing him my last time in LA, and his songs were moving and beautifully performed. See below for the California dates!

for more details about each of these shows, check out the facebook event page

12/15 8:00 Villains Tavern (1356 Palmetto Street, Los Angeles, CA)
12/16 7:00- 9:00 The Porch (22322 El Camino Real Santa Margarita, CA)
12/17 8:00 Let's Get Festive Y'all Holiday Hootenany in the Hollywood Hills! (email booking.alexa@gmail.com for directions, this is an open house concert)
12/19 7:00, Coffee Gallery Backstage with Murry Hammond $15 (2010 Lake Ave, Altadena, CA)

Winter Print Sale!

2010-11-29T16:04:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone! I'm selling prints from the lyrical coloring book to pay for the fine letter press artwork Dan Grissom is doing for the album. If you want to give meaningful homemade gifts for the holidays, take a look at my art and share this page with friends! Thanks again to all of the sweet folks who came out for the Northeast/Canadian tour! And thanks to Jenna, who taught me how to do rubber block printing while I was stranded in Portland Maine.

To see more prints and browse the print shop, click HERE!

Canada!

2010-11-22T18:41:00.004-05:00

We've had a great time in Canada!

New York:

Laundromatinee! and some free mp3s for you!

2010-11-18T01:01:00.002-05:00

I've been waiting for this video session to come our for over a year! So excited to share these videos with you...
Here's what they have to say over at My Old Kentucky Blog's video series (where you can download free mp3s of each of these songs):

Alexa Woodward creates stirring Americana music by combining lyrical breadth with a gentle banjo style that begs to be heard again and again. On her 2009 release, Speck, the Appalachian songstress crafts deceptively simple tales that draw in the listener with her lilting tones, but reveal much more upon repeated listen; references to Tolstoy, Salanger, and ever Harper Lee appear throughout her writing, providing a sense of literary grandeur to familiar themes of love and loss, heartache and joy.

Currently on a tour that will take her through the US and Canada, and eventually Europe, Alexa continues to share her gorgeous music with those lucky enough to be in attendance. With a new album due out in early 2011, there are high hopes in anticipation of what she'll share with us next.

Alexa Woodward - Mary from LaundroMatinee on Vimeo.

Alexa Woodward - Speck from LaundroMatinee on Vimeo.

Alexa Woodward - Darkest Days from LaundroMatinee on Vimeo.

Alexa Woodward - O Tornado from LaundroMatinee on Vimeo.

Northeast US and Canadian Tour with Annie Crane!

2010-10-28T16:08:00.001-04:00

I'm excited to announce that I'm headed up to the north country with one of my favorite partners in crime, the talented Annie Crane. Annie and I are both on Constant Clip records and toured Europe together earlier this year, and she has some beautiful songs you are sure to enjoy. I will be in Maryland and New York City solo, and will meet her in Boston to launch the tour. Spread the word if we're passing through your town, and stop by! These should be really wonderful shows.

Nashville

2010-09-30T15:24:00.000-04:00

Well, we had fun in Nashville even though our Chattanooga shows got canceled. The Basement is a pretty fun spot, and we met some nice people, so thanks Nashvegas! Special thanks to Amy Speace for being lovely and kind, and to Grace Adele and Keenan Wade for their hospitality... and to Emma the half-tailed cat, who was also charming. I'm back in South Carolina and will be doing shows in SC and NC for the month of October before taking off for Canada in November!

Johnson City, Jonesborough

2010-09-27T11:15:00.003-04:00

Had a great weekend of shows in Tennessee in Johnson City and Jonesborough! I was joined by SC duo O Mello Cello Tree and Tennessee's own Stephanie Jeter, and together we were a monster girl band with some serious kick. It was very fun. Headed to Nashville tomorrow!

Tennesse, Part II

2010-09-13T12:01:00.001-04:00

pictures from the Preservation pub and the Speakeasy/Hootenany/Soda party in Knoxville:

Tennessee, part I

2010-09-08T15:18:00.000-04:00

Had a lovely night in Elizabethon, Tennessee, and such a fun morning on Knoxville ivi performing on Eleven O'clock Rock! Check out their website to see the full show... it's a web tv program and they stream live, but you can see my appearance in their archive here: http://www.knoxivi.com/eleven/

playing at the Preservation Pub in Knoxville tonight with Elam Blackman, opening for The Bearded, and happy to be kicking off this tour with such delightful people!

from Elizabethton:

Live on KOOP in Austin

2010-09-03T15:32:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm gearing up for a tour with Elam Blackman, which starts in Elizabethton Tennessee on Tuesday, heading up to Carbondale, Illinois. However, I'm still basking in the warm fuzzies of Austin and Robert Steel kindly recorded our session on KOOP radio... so here's a sneak preview of one of the tracks that is going onto the new record, live with Linky Dickson and Andrew Pressman in the studio! The new song is called "Down":

Down - Live on KOOP in Austin by Alexa Woodward

on tour with Elam Blackman

2010-08-30T13:42:00.000-04:00

I'm happy to announce that I'll be doing a number of shows with Elam Blackman in September. A poet and a friend, Elam is the founder of Constant Clip Records in Knoxville, and I'm very excited to get back on the road with him! Don't miss these shows if you're in Knoxville, Lousiville, Carbondale, Johnson City/Elizabethton, or Nashville.

Upcoming Shows

( view all )

Aug 30 2010

7:30P

house concert

Chattanooga, TN

Sep 7 2010

6:30P

Quail hollow club house

Elizabethton, TN

Sep 8 2010

8:00P

Preservation Pub

Knoxville, TN

Sep 9 2010

8:00P

Derby City Espresso

Louisville, Ky

Sep 10 2010

7:30P

Cousin Andy's Coffeehouse

Carbondale, IL

Sep 12 2010

9:00P

speakeasy house concert

Knoxville, TN

Sep 28 2010

7:00P

The Basement

Nashville, Tennessee

Austin! Recording!

2010-08-24T00:38:00.001-04:00

Hey folks... just checking in from recording adventures here in Austin. It's been a very full week in the Wee Pink Sound studio, and the record is sounding great! Tomorrow night (August 24th) is the secret show... the only show I'm doing here in Austin (find more details HERE!)

Here are the pictures from this morning at Austin's KOOP radio (91.7) on "What's a Girl to Do":

Pictures from the bowels of some beast (aka our hot recording studio)...

the production genius, Stephen Orsak:

Northeast Tour!

2010-07-31T14:49:00.001-04:00

I'm excited to announce that I'll be on tour in the Northeast with Portland-based songwriter Hunter Paye starting this week! We're going to be performing in Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts, and New York! Please share these dates with your friends and make sure to come out!

Check out the facebook event page and share on facebook!

Upcoming Shows:

(

Aug 6 2010

7:00P

Dreaming Mountain (see http://www.dreamingmountainfestival.com/location.html for directions)

Johnson, VT

Aug 7 2010

8:00P

public house show

Burlington, VT

Aug 8 2010

6:30P

The Colatina Exit

Bradford, VT.

Aug 9 2010

7:30P

Newcastle Public House

Newcastle, ME

Aug 10 2010

8:00P

The Burren: special open mic appearance at the venue where I first began playing!

Somerville, MA

Aug 11 2010

7:30P

Cambridge community garden (or house concert in event of rain)

Cambridge, MA

Aug 13 2010

7:00P

The Living Room w/ Hunter Paye

New york, NY

July in the Southeast!

2010-07-26T09:43:00.002-04:00

Press Shout Out: Music in the Woods

2010-07-08T14:56:00.000-04:00

Hollywood Knocks on Greenville Songwriter's Door: Alexa Woodward plays Music in the Woods
Metromix Greenville
by Matt Wake

Auburn-haired folk singer Alexa Woodward isn’t sure why people keep putting her music into films and TV. Her dandelion-delicate songs have appeared in Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance,” an upcoming feature called “The Fatboy Chronicles” and during closing credits for “Twilight in Forks,” a documentary on the “Twilight” movie series.
“I know a lot of people spend a lot of money submitting their music. And I’ve never done that,” says Woodward, 28, calling on an iPhone from the back porch of her Greenville home. Instead, she received e-mail inquiries from licensing companies in Los Angeles and England that had discovered her tunes online. One of the most beautiful songs Woodward has written, “Eleanor,” was inspired by lachrymose circumstances. Five years ago, Woodward was working as a HIV case manager in Boston, and one of her clients became a casualty of self-destruction and domestic abuse. “Sometimes you have pivotal people who come into your life, and they challenge your whole world view,” Woodward says. “I just couldn’t ever figure it out. Why would she have the life she had? I remember playing this song for my co-workers and all of us crying. It was a really intense job, and sometimes I had to write just to keep my head on my shoulders.”

Alexa Woodward plays Music in the Woods at Paris Mountain State Park (with Jeff Prater) at 6 p.m. July 17. The show is free, but it'll cost you $2 per person to get into the park. For more information, visit dryridge.org or www.alexawoodward.com.

Old Songs Festival

2010-07-03T13:12:00.000-04:00

Spent a few days in Altamont New York performing in the Old Songs Festival New Artist Program.

NYC

2010-07-03T13:08:00.000-04:00

Had a lovely night in NYC! Thanks to everyone who came out!
I'll be back on Friday August 13th at the Living Room!

West Coast/ Southwest Tour

2010-06-06T13:27:00.000-04:00

San Luis Obispo/Santa Barbara

2010-05-20T20:07:00.001-04:00

a few pictures from two lovely towns along the tour:

West Coast!

2010-05-19T15:05:00.000-04:00

Started with a sold out show in Portland, and headed south to Redding, San Francisco, and San Luis Obispo. We're moving south to Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and then into the southwest. Thanks to everyone who has come out for the shows so far!

Portland:

Redding:

San Francisco:

May: West Coast/ Southwest Tour

2010-05-10T15:23:00.000-04:00

I'm going to be joining forces with Portland based songwriter Hunter Paye, who has just released his new album, "All the walls are windows" for a West Coast/Southwest tour. See tour dates below, and join us in Oregon, California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas! You can also get my new live album, "Bootlegs" at live shows only.

May 14 2010

8:00P

Tsunami Books w/ Hunter Paye

Eugene, Oregon , US

May 15 2010

1:00P

Eugene Saturday Market w/Hunter Paye

Eugene, Oregon , US

May 15 2010

8:00P

Artichoke Music Backstage w/ Hunter Paye

Portland, Oregon , US

May 16 2010

8:00P

Sue’s Java Cafe w/ Hunter Paye

Redding, California, US

May 17 2010

7:00P

Bollyhood Cafe w/ Hunter Paye

San Francisco, California

May 18 2010

7:00P

Songwriter’s At Play Showcase w/ Hunter Paye

San Luis Obispo, California, US

May 20 2010

8:00P

Love Culture Lounge w/ Hunter Paye

Santa Barbara, US

May 21 2010

8:00P

End times Opry

Los Angeles, California, US

May 24 2010

8:00P

Sedona house concert birthday bash!

Sedona, Arizona , US

May 25 2010

8:00P

Girls House Concert w/Hunter Paye

Albuquerque, NM

May 26 2010

8:00P

Black Box Theatre w/ Hunter Paye

Las Cruces, New Mexico, US

May 27 2010

8:00P

The Taos Inn w/ Hunter Paye

Taos, New Mexico, US

May 28 2010

7:30P

Pecos Winery w/ Hunter Paye

Roswell, New Mexico, US

May 30 2010

8:00P

Hondos w/ Trevor Reichman

Fredericksburg, Texas , US

Paris, France

2010-04-21T13:05:00.001-04:00

Dijon, France

2010-04-21T13:02:00.000-04:00

our show at the tanneries collective in "the dome"

Pictures by Claudia Komminoth

2010-04-21T12:20:00.000-04:00

Pictures taken by Claudia Komminoth before the concert in Bern, Switzerland
(www.ckphoto.ch)

SXSW: vote for "Mary"

2010-04-16T05:47:00.001-04:00

Vote for the secret show recording of Mary from SXSW on "Are You Feeling This" from Milwaukee radio! They did field recordings at SXSW and are seeking votes on listeners favorite songs. This recording has a sea of voices singing along to "Mary" from the concert in the old state school mental hospital. Click below to vote!

hear the field recording and VOTE HERE!

Besançon France:

2010-04-14T18:50:00.003-04:00

Another video of the new song, performed in Besançon with Annie Crane:

Switzerland

2010-04-13T10:21:00.002-04:00

Switzerland, you were so good to us. Thanks for your lovely mountains and shepherds and black swans, and bear cubs, and beautiful music. I will be coming back! Many thanks to Chris Trummer for hosting us in Bern (also a very good songwriter), and to Valeska and Sonja from BOY... and to everyone who was so nice in Basel... a great three days!

A new song recorded in Bern:

and a few pictures:

"Darkest Days" in Berlin

2010-04-10T03:56:00.003-04:00

A grainy little video:

Germany

2010-04-09T13:34:00.000-04:00

A few pictures of me and Annie from Kiel, Cologne, and Berlin:

street pictures from Cologne and Berlin:

European Tour: Copenhagen

2010-04-09T11:54:00.000-04:00

Annie Crane and I started our European tour in Copenhagen. A couple of pictures...

SXSW recaps

2010-03-22T15:36:00.000-04:00

Thanks to everyone who came out for the SXSW shows! The Cactus was great, and Robert Steel captured the show on video (check them out below). A huge thanks to the Annie Street Arts Collective for sharing the SXSW secret show with me. We filled an abandoned mental institution with a couple hundred people and had a great night. Here are some SXSW pictures and video:

Bootlegs release at the Cactus Cafe:

the magical forest house concert:

the secret show:

O Tornado at the Cactus Cafe, Austin

2010-03-11T17:03:00.003-05:00

thanks to Robert Steel for his videography. Check out www.savethecactuscafe.org

Southwest Tour, Europe, New Album!

2010-03-01T14:48:00.002-05:00

SXSW, Southwest tour with J Wagner, and European tour with Annie Crane commence in March and April! A new release, "Bootlegs" is a compilation of songs recorded live at concerts, on radio shows, and video sessions with My Old Kentucky blog's Laundromatinee.com. And one song was recorded inside a pumpkin, in pumpkintown, SC.

Mar 10 2010

8:00P

The Cactus Cafe w/ Some Say Leland

Austin, Texas

Mar 16 2010

8:00P

SXSW Austin Secret Show w/ Some Say Leland and Someday Parish

Austin, Texas

Mar 18 2010

6:00P

Trevor and Dru’s Strange Brew SXSW Showcase

Austin, Texas

Mar 19 2010

4:00P

Dana Falconberry unofficial SXSW showcase

Austin

Mar 20 2010

8:00P

Chisos Mountain Lodge w/ Trevor Reichman and Johann Wagner

Big Bend area, Texas

Mar 21 2010

8:00P

Starlight Theater w/ Johann Wagner and Trevor Reichman

Terlingua, Texas

Mar 22 2010

8:00P

Padre’s w/ Trevor Reichman and Johann Wagner

Marfa, Texas

Mar 23 2010

8:00P

Black Box Theater w/ Johann Wagner

Las Cruces, New Mexico

Mar 25 2010

8:00P

Taos Inn w/ J Wagner

Taos, New Mexico

Mar 26 2010

8:00P

Stage Door Grill w/ J Wagner

Socorro, New Mexico

Mar 27 2010

7:30P

Pecos Winery w/ Johann Wagner

Roswell, New Mexico

Mar 28 2010

8:00P

18 Oh Three House Concert w/ Johan Wagner

Austin, Texas

Apr 2 2010

8:00P

Huset ved Kongens Have w/ Annie Crane, Benjamin Aggerbaek, A Key is a Key

Copenhagen

Apr 3 2010

8:00P

tba w/ Annie Crane

Copenhagen

Apr 4 2010

8:00P

Prinz Willy w/Annie Crane

Kiel

Apr 7 2010

8:00P

Sofa Sessions w/ Annie Crane and Erik Penny

Berlin

Apr 8 2010

8:00P

Art Gerecht w/ Annie Crane

Berlin

Apr 10 2010

8:00P

Mugibistrot w/ Annie Crane and BOY

Bern

Apr 11 2010

9:00P

Grenzwert Bar w/ Annie Crane

Basel

Apr 12 2010

8:00P

Cafe Kairo w/ Annie Crane

Bern

Apr 12 2010

8:00P

The Bridge Open Mic Featured performers w/ Anie Crane

Bern

Apr 14 2010

8:00P

tba w/ Annie Crane

Dijon

Apr 14 2010

8:30P

Tanneriesw/ Annie Crane

Dijon

Apr 15 2010

8:00P

Le Pop w/ Annie Crane, Pollyanna, and Garciaphone

Paris

Apr 17 2010

8:00P

House concert w/ Annie Crane

Paris

Linda Langhorst's Painting

2009-12-27T18:37:00.001-05:00

Here is a beautiful painting by Linda Langhorst, from a show in Columbus at the Guitar House in November... she's quite talented and you should pay her site a visit. Many thanks to Linda and the Guitar House for a lovely evening! Happy almost New Year everyone!

Christian Heaston Photos

2009-12-07T15:15:00.000-05:00

Photographs from Christina Heaston:

Red Barn Radio

2009-12-04T16:56:00.000-05:00

some pictures from our live performance at Red Barn Radio in Lexington, KY:

Columbus

2009-12-04T16:52:00.000-05:00

The Guitar Workshop, a lovely luthier shop in Columbus Ohio, gave us a great audience.

some Chicago in your pocket!

2009-11-30T15:18:00.000-05:00

Here are a few videos from the Chicago show.... culminating with Elam Blackman's grand finale, which we recorded at the very, very end of the night after a communal jug of mescal. Here are "Speck" and "Darkest Days" from me, and "Evershone" from Elam (otherwise known as "I put my butt on you")...

Chicago

2009-11-24T15:18:00.000-05:00

Here's a new song performed in the Sweat Shop in Chicago. More videos from this concert coming soon.

Whitesburg

2009-11-24T15:15:00.000-05:00

photographs by Brian Wagner, www.brianwagnerphotography.com

Press shout outs this week...

2009-11-20T14:57:00.000-05:00

From My old Kentucky Blog:
Many of Alexa Woodward's banjo-driven folk songs slowly slink like fog down from the Appalachian mountains and hills of Virgina and wrap your soul in melancholy. Woodward's 2009 release, Speck, is full of subtle textures and well-matched harmonies that support interesting and well-written narratives.

From Nuvo:
The music of Alexa Woodward, filled with plucky banjos and lamenting, flawless vocal performances, provides the listener with a sound from long ago. Woodward effortlessly sings and plucks her banjo to her backwoods-inspired songs without sounding like someone chasing the textbook example of porch music.

fall tour diary: Lexington, Whitesburg KY

2009-11-20T14:52:00.000-05:00

Elam Blackman and I kicked off the fall tour in Lexingon, Kentucky where we played for a live radio audience at Red Barn Radio (pictures and video coming soon), and then played with the Rain Junkies at Buster's Billiards and Backroom. In the morning, Isaac and Julie introduced us to the hot brown, a Kentucky favorite: a piece of toast, covered in layers of sandwich meat, then smothered in gravy, then smothered in melted cheddar cheese that extends to the edge of the plate and looks like a big orange crispy blob, finally topped in bacon. mmmm. or, ow?

On the way to Whitesburg we stopped at a little flea market in Hazard Kentucky where we stumbled into a back room with used instruments, I discovered and fell in love with a little tenor Ukulele, and bought it. It's name is Hazard Purchase.

Last night we played a benefit show at Summit City Lounge, for Appalshop, one of the coolest non profits in the southeast. they work to preserve mountain culture and the mountains themselves, advocating against mountain top mining. They do community organizing and education for Kentuckians who want an alternative to working in the mines, and they are a force to be reckoned with! Definitely check them out.

So You Think You Can Dance

2009-11-12T17:59:00.000-05:00

Ellenore Scott dances to my song "Eleanor" on season six of Fox's So You Think You Can Dance:

In Knoxville with the Wild Things

2009-11-11T13:23:00.001-05:00

Tennessee

2009-11-11T13:21:00.000-05:00

Knoxville Sentinal

2009-10-23T13:53:00.000-04:00

Alexa Woodward found her muse with a banjo

Wayne Bledsoe

In today's world there's no telling where a song might turn up. Two of singer-songwriter Alexa Woodward's songs are perfect examples.

Fox recently contacted Woodward to tell her that a contestant in the top 20 on "So You Think You Can Dance" had danced to one of Woodward's songs called "Eleanor." Another song showed up in the trailer for the Australian TV show "The Wall."

"It could've been like a Viagra commerical or Wal-Mart. I'm glad it turned out to be used for something nice and artistic," says Woodward in a phone call from her home in Greenville, S.C.
A former law student, Woodward started playing guitar and writing songs while she was attending Gordon College in Wenham, Mass.

"It really wasn't until I found the banjo that I got serious about it," says Woodward. "I was home one Christmas and I found this banjo under the bed. I just started playing it and fell in love with it."
Woodward's father, documentary filmmaker Stan Woodward, bought the instrument on a whim, but never really learned how to play it.

"It's a Gibson from the early '60s, beautiful instrument," says Woodward. "I just started writing almost exclusively on it."

The results can be heard on Woodward's recent album, "Speck." Rather than going for bluegrass banjo rolls, she opted to play pretty melodies or strum simple rhythms.

Woodward says she put a lot of thought into whether her energies would be best used as a lawyer or a musician.

"I have to say that music has connected me to people in a way that very few other things have. Just as a human being I feel very grateful to take part in that. Being out on the road, all the times we broke down, we've had the opportunity to experience so much hospitality and generosity from strangers. It's an encouraging thing."

There have been times, though, that Woodward questioned a future in music, including a tour in which her 1984 VW van "broke down in seven states."

"There was a night in Colorado," says Woodward. "We had just been stranded in New Mexico for four days. We'd broken down in the desert. The ignition had caught on fire. That had all been fixed and was very expensive. And the day we left and got to Mesa Verde National Park where were going to camp for the night and just before we got to the top of the mountain the van died again. We're in a 'Danger! Falling Rock' zone and we're looking down into this vast horizon. There's no guardrail and the van's emergency brake didn't work so someone had to sit with their foot on the brake so it wouldn't roll away while we were working on it. Eventually, we're paying to have it towed from the side of this mountain in the middle of the night. I just felt kind of hopeless. And we'd just played a series of shows that hadn't paid that well ... that was, like, the worst."

But then there are good surprises.
"I've (performed) in random towns on the West Coast and had people come up and tell me they've listened to my songs for the last three or four years and they're glad I came out. It's very surreal. You never know how it works."

Fall Tour!

2009-10-23T13:31:00.000-04:00

For more details on any of these shows, click HERE

Tue 10/27/09 Knoxville, TN Preservation Pub

Wed 10/28/09 Johnson City, TN Acoustic Coffeehouse

Thu 10/29/09 Chattanooga, TN Lindsay Street Hall

Fri 10/30/09 Bluff City, TN Stickley Farm

Sat 10/31/09 Johnson City, TN Milligan College

Sat 10/31/09 Jonesborough, TN Jonesborough Farmers Market

Sat 11/14/09 Pumpkintown, SC Pumpkintown Opry

Wed 11/18/09 Lexington, KY CD Central

Thu 11/19/09 Whitesburg, KY The Summit City

Sat 11/21/09 Chicago, IL The Sweatshop

Sun 11/22/09 Indianapolis, IN Earth House Collective

Sun 11/22/09 Indianapolis, IN Indy CD & Vinyl

Mon 11/23/09 Louisville, KY Skull Alley

Mon 11/23/09 Louisville, KY Ear X-Tacy Records

Pumpkintown Opry

2009-10-12T13:29:00.000-04:00

This fall I'll be performing a few times at the Pumpkintown Opry, the only old-time Opry in South Carolina (the two remaining dates are October 24th and November 14th). Here's a recording of "Mary" from my last appearance there.

WDVX Blue Plate Special

2009-10-12T13:26:00.000-04:00

a song is born!

2009-10-05T15:43:00.001-04:00

Greenville, SC

2009-09-20T21:37:00.000-04:00

Played a great show with Aaron Berg and Robert Gowan at coffee underground in Greenville, SC. I'll be focusing on shows in the southeast/midwest this fall, so check the myspace page for updates, especially if you're in SC, TN, KY, OH, or IL

"Secrets" featured on "The Wall" trailer

2009-09-18T16:38:00.000-04:00

The trailer for a new Australian drama series about life in East Germany before the fall of the Berlin wall features my song, "Secrets":

found a lamb

2009-08-27T15:09:00.001-04:00

No Telling in Copenhagen

2009-08-22T06:44:00.000-04:00

Alexa Woodward from Mathias Laurvig on Vimeo.

Review from Pajiba

2009-08-07T13:23:00.000-04:00

Alexa Woodward: Speck
[Constant Clip records]

I might be the least qualified among us to review this album, for no reason other than folk music is a genre that has, for the most part, completely escaped me. And at it’s heart, that’s what Alexa Woodward’s first album, Speck, is. But at the same time, it’s a bit more than that. It’s a quiet, contemplative record full of lovely harmonies, soothing melodies and some really killer banjo work. And as a hardcore bluegrass fan, I loves me some banjo.

The New York City-based Woodward’s voice, a dulcet, versatile tool, is almost hypnotic. Her notes carry a beautiful timbre throughout the album, and while the album’s overall sound isn’t always terribly varied, her voice is really what you come for. Backed by numerous Austin musicians on some tracks, the combination of banjo, guitars, and singing saw (played by Guy Forsyth), the instrumentation is a gentle accompaniment to Woodward’s voice. They provide a sense of subtle, delicate atmosphere that serves as a perfect backdrop.

The album is an odd duck — it’s got some themes that should resonate with urban dwellers, but with country/folk music roots and influence. Thematically, it has moments of surprising grittiness, which serves as an unusual (in a good way) contrast for her lullaby-like sound. Lyrics like

As for the songs themselves, they’re startlingly sharp given the sweet-sounding voice. “Jimmy” is nothing short of a tale of urban woe. With an opening salvo of lyrics like “Jimmy was a wayward man / Laying in a white linen bed / Broke his back in a rooftop fall / Doing so much blow / He couldn’t see at all,” it quickly establishes itself as a genuine heartbreaker of a song. Her sumptuous voice continues to twist through incongruous themes, as it continues with “I wish I had known him when / He was still too young for sin / I’d have taken all his kindling / Kept it dry for burning.”

My personal favorite is, unsurprisingly, “Boston” (Woodward’s a fan of one-word titles, which I have a strange respect for). Lyrically, it’s a beautiful, cryptic piece of poetry, but I mainly love it for the second iteration of the chorus, when her voice really has a chance to soar (“On the bus to Boston / with the scarlet turning leaves / I resolved to make my bed / with my better history”).

The only catch with Woodward’s album is that despite her excellent songwriting and captivating voice, her songs are all similar in style and sound. But then again, folk singers don’t kill you with their variety. They kill you with their lyrics, and their heart and soul. Woodward’s got that in spades.

http://www.pajiba.com/music/alexa-woodward-speck-review.php

Bootleg

2009-07-29T16:00:00.000-04:00

Here's a live recording of a new, unreleased song from a concert at the Cabin in Portland, Oregon...the song is called Bowl of Morning

Seattle Secret Show

2009-07-25T11:56:00.001-04:00

Portland House Concert

2009-07-25T11:26:00.000-04:00

house show with Hunter Paye, Trevor Reichman, Linky Dickson, and Jonathan Brinkley

NPR!

2009-07-25T00:45:00.000-04:00

Here's a link to our NPR studio performance in Oregon ... pictures to be posted soon:

Speck in CMJ's top 200!

2009-07-23T02:46:00.000-04:00

In the two months since its formal release, Speck is currently playing on over 85 college and AAA radio stations, and debuted at #186 in CMJ's top 200 charts.
Below are a few reviews of the album!

"Woodward’s songs are like mountain music with an MFA. References to Tolstoy and Harper Lee slip into her dark-hued, old-timey tunes; however, she’s doesn’t sound liked an affected musical anthropologist appropriating native backwoods sounds. Although based out of New York City, Woodward grew up in Virginia and South Carolina so there is an easy naturalness to her rural porch music... Alexa Woodward impresses both in concert and on disc, making her someone for Americana connoisseurs to keep an eye on." -- Michael Berick, NO DEPRESSION

"There’s something totally disarming about the way Woodward sings, with a roundness to her voice that plainly bears the mark of a Southern upbringing. But unlike delicate chanteuse Gillian Welch’s sepia-toned obsession with a bygone era, you don’t get the sense that Woodward needs a vintage dress to create authenticity. She surrounds her voice with plucky banjo, singing saw and wistful mandolin, which give her songs a gothic quality, as on “Spoon,” a song with lyrics as cryptic as those of Joanna Newsom. But to Woodward’s credit, her music is nowhere near as indulgent. For all the spare arrangements and spacious melodies, it’s her voice that takes the stage." --EUGENE WEEKLY

"Comparisons abound. She’s been likened to singers such as Neko Case, Joanna Newsom, and Gillian Welch, placing Alexa Woodward in very good company. However, despite the temptation to draft countless other musical similes to describe Alexa Woodward’s playing, suffice it to say this one time lawyer is penning beautiful songs sublimely set to comfortable banjo playing and graceful vocals." --STEREO SUBVERSION

"With banjo in hand and melodious pipes, Alexa transcends the framework of her songs and takes the listener into a world where only an experience storyteller can travel... a sophisticated songwriter who doesn’t sell her audience short. She gives listeners the opportunity to think while listening; to identify with her pain, loss, joy, suffering, and strength. You feel intimately aware of Alexa when the album is complete. A folk singer cannot ask for any more – an audience that is now one kindred spirit with the artist." --CHICKS WITH GUNS

"Each of Alexa’s songs is structured and unfolds as if spirited by an old soul... Hers are the kind of cliché-less, sensible and immediately relatable words that sound as good advice or a great story spoken by a friend." -Dan D'Ippolito, JEZEBEL MUSIC

"Woodward is a banjo-playing folk maven!" - RYAN'S SMASHING LIFE

"While some may compare Alexa’s vocals to the likes of Neko Case, Joanna Newsom, and Gillian Welch, upon my first listen I heard something more like Judy Garland; that is if Judy sang while playing the banjo. I’ll admit there is something about the banjo; I’m a sucker for it. Pair a great vocalist with it and I’m enraptured. Capturing another time and place, Alexa creates an almost haunting environment. Beautifully well-written, Alexa’s new album, Speck, is well worth the attention it has been receiving." --SEATTLE SHOW GAL

"Alexa Woodward is becoming more of a common name on the folk scene with the release of her sophomore record Speck. She sings flawlessly, as she strums her banjo to songs about loss and hope." --THE FIRE NOTE

"Speck... conjures images of rural families crowding round a crackly old radio to tap their feet and hum along." --MAD MACKEREL

Eugene Weekly Review

2009-07-23T02:43:00.001-04:00

I have a new theory: All you really need in life is a beautiful voice and a banjo. Alexa Woodward has both, and as she’s leaving behind her law career for music, her rise to fame should be as meteoric as that of Vienna Teng — who gave up her software engineering career for piano pop — if the universe has any sense of justice.

Woodward is touring the country in a 1984 Westfalia to support her new, sophomore CD, Speck. There’s something totally disarming about the way Woodward sings, with a roundness to her voice that plainly bears the mark of a Southern upbringing. But unlike delicate chanteuse Gillian Welch’s sepia-toned obsession with a bygone era, you don’t get the sense that Woodward needs a vintage dress to create authenticity.

She surrounds her voice with plucky banjo, singing saw and wistful mandolin, which give her songs a gothic quality, as on “Spoon,” a song with lyrics as cryptic as those of Joanna Newsom. But to Woodward’s credit, her music is nowhere near as indulgent. For all the spare arrangements and spacious melodies, it’s her voice that takes the stage.

Woodward played at this year’s Country Fair, and if you happened to catch her enchanting voice and want more — or missed out — you’ve got a couple more chances to see her in person. She is also making an appearance this weekend at the Saturday Market. Brian Cutean and Alexa Woodward play at 8:30 pm Sunday, July 19, at Sam Bond’s. 21+. $5. — Vanessa Salvia

http://eugeneweekly.com/2009/07/16/music1.html

Laurelthirst, Portland

2009-07-23T01:23:00.000-04:00