Three serenading songstresses of the Texas scene will be joining McGonigel’s Mucky Duck.
ANNA LA MARE “The mission [of songwriting] is to close a gap in the world, an aching hole longing to be by filled with compassion and love…What is the message? The message is this: I am not better than you, and we are all in the same boat. We need each other, so, let me confide in you.” – Mary Gauthier, singer/songwriter Described as ‘emotional honey’, ‘folky Florence and the Machine’, ‘indie Joan Baez’ and ‘a soul driven embodiment of Joni Mitchell’, Anna La Mare (ANuh LaMAHray) and her voice are a dynamic duo that showcase the versatility of Americana music at its core. Her sound is a dynamic blend of roots and Celtic storytelling entwined with the darker essences of the Southern Gothic palate. Nomadic, stormy, soulful, poetic: the well-traveled storyteller has been writing songs since she first creased the pages of her journals as a child. When she wasn’t falling asleep in the back of the jazz clubs her mother sang at, she was learning to sing traditional American and Celtic tunes on many a road trip with her family. While booking bands and surrounding herself with bluegrass and folk in the Piedmont of North Carolina, she fell in love with the storytelling and performance aspects of Americana, and was inspired to perform the music she loved. She has continued to do so ever since. Having spent her formative years in Europe and the UK, and then her stage years in New Orleans and North Carolina, her influences and sound are derived from a rich mix of artists ranging from Leonard Cohen and Sting to Gregory Alan Isakov, Loreena McKennitt, Sigur Ros, Sharon Van Etten and Joni Mitchell – – all artists who’s ability create space beyond the basic elements of their music is a driving force in her songwriting and production. It is the bridge between her jazz and folk roots, and her eclectic cinematic and soundscape driven influences – that set her apart in sound. It is her ability to turn a phrase and weave a mystical story – that sets her apart in form. Anna always has something to say, and she tackles a range of forms in order to deliver her stories in a meaningful and enchanting way. She isn’t afraid to restyle a cover, and her writing is just as versatile as her background. Her captivating vibrato-driven voice has the ability to sing a tender soprano ballad as easily as a rich soulful anthem or a quirky waltz. Anna recently decided to pack up her things and go on the road full time. In December, she put everything she owned in storage and made a 3,000 mile journey to begin her music career in the mountains and oceans of British Columbia. She toured all over BC in the first couple of months, as well as spending a solitary two weeks in a cabin on a five mile island off the Sunshine Coast, writing 8 songs and reconnecting with herself as a songwriter. She now returns to the United States and will be on the road through the winter, stopping in venues up and down the West Coast, Colorado, New Orleans, Texas, Arizona, North Carolina, the UK and Australia. A woman borne from many cultures, this singer/songwriter is always on the move, picking up narratives and musical hearts in her wake. Anna has been internationally performing residencies, solo sets, songwriter showcases and festivals, and will be playing on stages in even more of the world soon. This artist on the rise is currently working on her first EP and is extremely excited to share her songs in the coming months.

KATIE RUSHING: A Singer/Songwriter with her own blend of Americana and Alt Folk, the truth is-whatever the situation- Katie’s in it for any opportunity to harmonize. Known for filling any room with fun and joy, Katie believes: “Music is meant as a means to tell stories and connect people to themselves, to one another, or both, and that’s what I’m out to do.” With a calming and clear voice that nods at her East Texas roots, you might be lulled into a peaceful state or find yourself sitting up a little straighter as she hits the big notes. Having grown up among the mountains in Colorado where she steeped herself in music as a child, elements of nature are frequently woven unsuspectingly into the backdrop of many of her songs. Katie is a member of the all female contemporary folk band, Doves in the Hollow, as well as a vocalist in The Palisades. She is the voice/piano of the YMCA campaign commercial which won Best of Show at the American Advertising Awards ’23. She is a frequent and featured performer at the Continental Club, Cowboy Surfer, Shoeshine Charlie’s Big Top Lounge, and more. She has had the honor of collaborating with bands such as Leon III, The Small Sounds, Holden Rushing + the greater thans, and Allen Hill. When discussing her latest album, Sparrow, Katie offers “The most beautiful thing music does is it takes flight and when it lands in the presence of some else it creates a stir”. Her work is available on all streaming platforms.
href=”https://view.flodesk.com/emails/64c2743c6355ace08c20b5ec”>NATALIE PRICE: “Ameri-kinda.” That’s how Natalie Price describes her music, a combination of catchy melodies and smooth, clear vocals that fit firmly into the Americana genre, with a quirkiness weaved into her lyrics that bends toward indie-folk. On the fittingly self-titled Natalie Price, she explores complex emotions and experiences through relatable, confessional tales in the singularly authentic manner that has garnered her recognition around Austin as one of the city’s most up-and-coming singer-songwriters. “Natalie has the distinct ability to blend lyrics of depth and feeling with absolute ear-worms of melody,” says Ben Jones of Beet Root Revival, one of Price’s many supporters, “There are always little nuggets of wisdom.” Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Price’s early exposure to music was mainly church gospel tunes and contemporary Christian radio. Looking back, she describes her writing as a reaction to the shiny, glossy, Christian culture songs she was surrounded by; “Christian music tends to get tied up with a perfect bow at the end,” she says, “But that’s not how life actually is. Not everything gets resolved.” When Price moved to Austin, she found a community of musicians and songwriters who showed her that playing music could actually be a real profession. “I always had the drive to play music,” says Price, “but my family never really understood what I would do with that. So I initially had a hard time wrapping my head around it too.” Price took a full-time job at a mortgage company to finance her music career, and then two other jobs on top of that to make ends meet. “Whatever it takes,” she thought, “I’m going to make it happen. It was a moment of faith. One year I didn’t make it home for Thanksgiving or Christmas. That was when my family finally realized how important this was to me, and ever since then, they’ve been supportive.” Price names Muse, First Aid Kit, Pedro the Lion and David Ramirez among her influences, which makes sense when you hear her Indie-Americana style – as she playfully calls it, “Ameri-kinda.” She felt lucky to fall into a welcoming community of songwriters and musicians in Austin. Just a few years after moving to the Live Music Capital, Price found herself in a well-respected songwriting group called Soulwriters, run by Ray Prim. It was there that she found her people, and began to find her way as an artist.

WILLY T GOLDEN Accompanying the three songwriters on lap steel is Houston local, Willy T Golden. WTG is a multi instrumentalist, playing lap steel, dobro, pedal steel, guitar and banjo. He has toured extensively with the Louisiana roots band The Bluerunners through out the early 2000s and can now be seen playing with a variety of bands and artists in the Houston Americana scene.