Megan McCormick - Honest Words

Growing up in Alaska, surrounded by a family who filled the house with country, rock and jazz, Megan McCormick picked up a guitar and started singing at age nine -- and hasn't looked back since. The 23-year-old Nashville transplant's upcoming August 17 album Honest Words (Rykodisc) wears it's influences proudly -- folk, blues, rock, country -- but her distinctive voice, stinging guitar lines and slew of nicely detailed, genre-blurring songs give the album a uniquely personal and diverse stamp. "It was never about the glamour, but the grits, you know?" says McCormick of her musical path.  "Because I’d be doing this whether people listened or not. It’s how I’ve chosen to live… It’s a necessity, not an option."

McCormick settled into the Nashville alt-music scene easily and quickly established a reputation as an accomplished songwriter, live performer and unshowy but formidable guitarist, punctuating her torch-meets-groove repertoire with and understated display of gritty fretwork. Her new Honest Words, produced by Dave O’Donnell (James Taylor, John Mayer), spans touching acoustic balladry ("Honest Words"), snaky boot-heel-driven roadhouse rhythms ("Shiver") and chunky indie riff rock ("Do Right") with an adept swagger. And at DC we know she's speaking our language when she says, "You know there will always be people who want the more superficial, poppy stuff, but I know there are people out there who want more – and those are the people I’m playing for." Highly recommended.

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Megan McCormick - "Shiver" (from the album Honest Words)

Megan McCormick - "Honest Words" (from the album Honest Words)

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Photo Credit: Angela Kohler