Nancy McCallion USA
Songwriter/vocalist vocalist for original Celtic-Norteño-folk-rock cult band The Mollys, now touring as a trio in support of her solo album.
“...one of the finest Americana songwriters of the 90's...” -- Washington Post
Nancy McCallion is best known as the songwriter and vocalist for original Celtic-Norteño-you-name-it folk-rock cult band The Mollys. Now touring as a trio with guitars, slide guitar, bass, pennywhistle and three part harmony vocals in support of a self-titled solo album, Nancy is showcasing the latest stage in her world-class songwriting.
McCallion teamed up with high school music partner Catherine Zavala to form The Mollys in 1989, developing a solid following and racking up seven indie releases and countless rave-reviews (including a listing in the Washington Post's top 10 CDs of 1997) touring the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand before the group disbanded in 2003.
The daughter of an Irish-Scots immigrant and a Texas farm girl, McCallion grew up in Tucson, a cross-cultural border town. She heard, and was obviously influenced by, the Norteño sounds of her Southwest Side neighborhood, her older sister's Beatles records, and 1970s and '80s radio rock, mixed with her dad's Irish trad. and her mother's Texas old-time country. Throw in adolescent Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello and Pogues fixations and you've got the cultural stew that emerged as The Mollys' drop-jaw repertoire.
She never quit writing, and resumed live performance and recording as a solo over the last two years. Her new songs are in a traditional country vein with a little Tex-Mex Irish, reminiscent of The Mollys. Although often compared favorably to Lucinda Williams and other leading female writers, McCallion's sharp takes on life lived small also bring to mind Tom Waits' dark, quirky tales.
“(Nancy McCallion) rivals Lucinda Williams and Iris DeMent as one of the finest Americana songwriters of the 90's and she deserves a comparable reputation.” -- Geoffrey Himes, The Washington Post
print-quality photos
audio
- Reckless Child (listen)
- Money's Movin' Up (listen)
- If It's a Party, I'm Stayin' (listen)
links
- www.nancymccallion.com
- print bio
Acrobat Reader required - electronic press kit at SonicBids
- current tour dates