Check out the exclusive video by Kari Lynch and her band below this story, recorded especially for NOISE! readers. Because, well, she loves you guys.
The question was as simple as it was imaginative — Who would win in a steel cage match between West Michigan’s country starlights Kari Lynch and Shelagh Brown.
“I can’t answer that,” said Lynch laughing.
We’ll call it a draw.
But after all, these two booming-voiced country crooners wouldn’t dream of even exchanging a negative word between each other, let alone lock up in the confines of a steel cage. That is a perfect picture of the unity and solidarity between local country artists. And it’s one that Lynch and her band are at the forefront of.
“It’s nice to be in a community like that,” said Lynch. “It’s different from the rock community or pop community — an no offense to either of those genres — but it’s always been about the music. …When we see another country artist or band having some success, that’s a good thing. All that’s going to do is turn attention to West Michigan country music and maybe people will check out what we have to offer.”
Lynch is doing plenty to shine that light on this region’s country music, taking stage at a boatload of high-profile shows while spreading the word on her latest self-titled EP, her first studio recording that features the rest of the band. Lynch has two previous recordings.
More of an old school country artist drawing influences from Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, her sounds has subtly bled into a number of additional genres fused in by her all-male back-up band that play a spectrum of styles from John Denver to classic rock.
The end result is what some might refer to as country pop, however, it’s that hugging to the old style sounds of the genre that sets Lynch and Co. apart from her cohorts, like a Shelagh Brown or Small Town Son that tote a little bit of a more modern sound.
“We definitely have a sound that falls somewhere in the middle of traditional country and contemporary,” Lynch said. “It just happens naturally.”
The latest EP, released in May, comes on the heels of her previous work “Don’t Talk Out Loud”. Lynch said the current EP is the clearest representation on her and her band’s live sound, therefore the summer’s agenda is dedicated to spreading the word on the album and getting it in the hands of people.
Lynch and her band will do this with a steady slate of shows, which include an Aug. 2 gig with The Band Perry at the Clare County Fair in Harrison, Mich.
“We really want to be playing shows every week,” said Lynch, who just recently shared the stage with Mat Kearney at The Intersection in Grand Rapids. “It’s nice every month to have a really big show that we’re stoked about but we’re still playing a lot of the smaller shows on the weekend, too.”
Lynch’s big-country voice and band might prove to be too big for Grand Rapids to contain. While building a strong fan base here on the home front, Lynch admits that the end game will likely entail a move to Nashville — for obvious reasons — while making frequent trips back to the Mitten.
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO
“Fly Fly Fly”
Music and lyrics written by Kari Lynch
Video by Dave Van Keulen
Featuring: Kari Lynch (lead vocals); Matthew Kok (acoustic guitar/back-up vocals); Sam Briggs (cajon); Ryder Jones (resonator guitar/back-up vocals)
