Waitsfield, Vermont - May 26, 2009
Sipping a freshly-brewed mint iced tea, Grace Potter beams, "Coming home is like Christmas!"
Getting to hang out by the Mad River in the shadow of the covered bridge she used to swim under is a relaxing break for Waitsfield's Grace Potter, who's had a busy few months that could dramatically propel her music career to the next level.
Her rugged, soulful rock has earned Grace Potter and the Nocturnals a growing fan base, critical acclaim and a major label deal with Hollywood Records. But the band has a new look. For the Nocturnals' summer tour, they've added bassist Catherine Popper, who's backed Willie Nelson and country rocker Ryan Adams. Also on board, rhythm guitarist Bennie Yurco from popular Burlington bands Turkey Bouillion Mafia and Blues and Lasers.
Drummer Matt Burr explains, "Every band experiences new chapters and change should be good."
The group promises they'll still produce music you can fall in love to, or break up over and songs for all the parties in between. And they've gotten a big boost in that from one of the icons of the recording world: T Bone Burnett.
Potter gushes, "I felt I was in a master class!"
Burnett is a songwriter and music producer behind some of the top recordings in the industry from acts including the Counting Crows and Alison Kraus. Collaborators he chooses to work with have said Burnett brings out authentic emotions. Potter says working with him "was lightning in a bottle."
That studio recording is still in production. The group hopes Burnett's work and the new musicians will add more depth and variety to performances, allowing for an even livelier spirit on-stage in hopefully larger venues as headliners. All that time in Hollywood choreographing their next push with their label included bumping into one of the biggest acts of the moment for a tween audience: pop stars The Jonas Brothers.
Burr chuckles, "Grace, I hate to do this to you on camera but I'm going to join the Jonas Brothers." Laughing, Potter moans, "Oh we were getting so tight!"
Jonas jokes aside, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals have their own star spotlight. These moves are steps toward making it even brighter.
Jack Thurston - WCAX News
