Cindy Woolf’s voice, once you hear it, is not one you are likely to forget. Do not think for a minute that the rural accent that comes through her high, crystal-clear tone is contrived. Cindy Woolf was born in North Little Rock, but spent most of her formative years in Batesville, Arkansas. She grew up singing with her family in church, learning to sing harmony by ear and absorbing her daddy’s bluegrass records. After moving to Springfield, Missouri, she was noticed by her musical peers, among them producer/guitarist Mark Bilyeu, who encouraged her to record an album of original material. She did just that, resulting in the 10 originals and two covers on her debut CD Simple and Few. Cindy kept the recording sessions sparse and largely acoustic. She ventured beyond the traditional sounds that earned her reputation to put forth her more gentle and atmospheric songs that would sit comfortably next to your Iron and Wine LPs or even your old Sundays CDs. But whether the songs are informed by the traditional, ethereal or surreal makes no difference. A sense of authenticity surrounds this young new artist, and it rings through, clear as a bell, on Simple and Few.
Cindy has been pushing her music in new directions, and released her sophomore album, Before Daylight, in September. Her sweet voice and striking songwriting are still the main attraction, but the instrumentation on Before Daylight has a broader appeal. Cindy often appears with a band that fits right into the folk-rock genre, consisting of Mark Cassidy on banjo and electric guitar, Joe Terry on keys, Matt Netzer on bass, and Phillip Dickey on drums. The recordings stayed true to this new sound, while remaining in touch with the more eclectic sounds from her past. For more intimate venues, she plays as a trio with Cassidy and Mike Williamson on upright bass. Before Daylight is a collection of 10 original songs, and it is the originality of these songs that sets Cindy apart from the rest. Cindy Woolf has developed her own sound, which is unlike anything currently out there.
Read more...