Ever since I first met Cheley Tackett I have been captivated by her warm spirit, heated intelligence and burning talent. It was several years ago that I first attended a Girls With Guitars show at Douglas Corner. She is a regular member of GwG. I was skeptical because I am not generally a country music fan. At first glance, in her black western shirt, denim jeans and cowboy boots, I definitely had her pegged as yet another Nashville Country-ite not for me. I was wrong. Her voice powered through the room as a noisy, well on their way to drunk, crowd couldnt help but quiet themselves.
It didnt take long to figure out that Tackett couldn't be boxed in to any one genre, ranging from rock, folk,Americana and yes, Country. You would never guess that she is from South Vienna, Ohio as she sings songs that any self-respecting Southerner (or Southern transplants like myself ) can relate to on a very real and personal level. Apparently, those who know more about music than me agree since Tackett has won awards in virtually every musical category out there, including winning Merlefests Chris Austin Songwriting Contest in the Country category (past winners have included Gillian Welch and Tift Merritt). Shortly thereafter, at the Kerrville Folk Festival, Tackett won as a New Folk Winner, following in the footsteps of Nancy Griffith, John Gorka and Lucinda Williams, to name a few. Just last year, she was a semifinalist in the Rock category of the International Songwriting Competition.
Tackett can be found playing around town any given week on her own or with various combinations of a shady group of sultry musical vixens including Lisa Carver, Annie Mosher, Tammy Fowler and Cathey Stamps. Set to release November 12, Tacketts latest CD, titled "Here," is a beautiful follow-up to her first, leaving a lasting impression of seasoned songwriting and storytelling with a vocal talent that is so affecting and effusive, you'll find yourself humming the tunes after a single listen. When she nails her introspective material as she does on "Play the One I Like" and "Where Is There," she conjures up images of Johnny Cash and Mary Chapin-Carpenter with her deceptively simple but instantly engaging style of lyricism. Elsewhere, she tries her hand at tongue-and-cheek behind the music writing with "Homegrown" and "Fried Chicken," nicely kicking introspection in the ass with a heartfelt upbeat passion for her home and family that most songwriters fail at getting across without cheesing it up.
It is a mark of artistic virtuosity and range when a singer-songwriter can make you dance in your car one minute and then have you purposely miss your exit, so you can compose yourself, after hearing one of her many deeply moving songs that touch on regret, loss or hopes and dreams. Cheley Tackett is a touchstone of authenticity in an image driven, media-defined musical world. She is a beautiful singer and songwriter, deeply refreshing.
--Sunny Eaton, "Church Street Freedom Press"
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