Fringe is a submission-based zine. Fringe Zine would like to thank all contributors and sponsors of the first issue. If interested in submitting content for future issues email us at fringethezine@gmail.com. Creators and Editors of Fringe: Annie Chimera [Art] email: achimera91@gmail.com Casey Downey [Features] email: casey.downey1@gmail.com Sam Osborne [Music] email: ozzierents@gmail.com Julie Washer [Design] email: juliewasher@gmail.com
ISSUE 1
color me
Julie Washer Chantilly Lace felt tip pen on paper Julie Washer is a graduate of Western Kentucky University. Washer hopes to accomplish a subtle juxtaposition of geometry and organic lines. Her art aims to delight and entertain the viewer with intricate details that combine to form an overall light and cheerful work. instagram: @juliewasher
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Julie Washer Giggle Box felt tip pen on paper We would like give a special thank you to Julie Washer, who unleashed her design magic on the creation of this publication. Washer worked in 2013 as the Graphic Design Editor of WKU’s award-winning yearbook, The Talisman. She has also worked as a graphic artist at Lam-Andrews and as an art director for the WKU Alumni Association. This zine would not have been possible without Washer’s creative spirit and expertise. She submitted this coloring page for you to express your own creativity and be a part of the collaboration.
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F
ringe Zine started as a daydream between three friends to unite the local arts community through a publication that celebrates the diverse variety of skillful creatives. We want to be a platform for artists of all creative realms while producing writing which calls attention to to social, political and community issues, in addition to covering the vibrant local arts and music scene. Through submissions from artists, writers, poets and photographers, Fringe gives a glimpse into the menagerie of perspectives and voices of those with ties to southcentral Kentucky. If you are interested in submitting to Fringe Zine contact us at fringethezine@gmail.com. Connect with us on Instagram @fringezine. Poetry Cole Dunn . . . . . Mackenzie Pirtle . . Natalie Rickman . . Ben Arnold . . . .
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Art Annie Chimera . . . . . . . . . . . 1, 3, 8, 17 Julie Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 21, 35 Sarah Gust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Sara Volpi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7 Marlee Jones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Robert Gregory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Josh London . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Cody Lee Hardin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Jordan Speer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Chasen Igleheart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-25 Cam del Rosario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Zain Curtis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Shayna Strode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Shayna Strode Just Merle charcoal, micro pen & graphite
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Stories Bars Unknown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Poetic Tendencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-16 Blue Ky Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-20 Ky Keepsake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-23 Permaculture Pioneer . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-28 Horoscopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30-31
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Sarah Gust David Bowie gouache & watercolor Sarah Gust daily practices her flair for creating whimsical drawings and paintings full of soft shades, florals, familiar faces, and imaginative shapes, whether on canvas, paper, or, more recently, on walls. She will gladly paint your face or henna your hands if you’ve got 20 minutes to spare (and can sit still). Contact Sarah for commissions and works for sale. email: gust.sarah@gmail.com instagram: gustovwinds etsy: Folksense Arts
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Zain Curtis 33
Jordan Speer Psycho Suit Eggwater/Digital Comix Jordan Speer created Eggwater one morning in 2013 before going to deliver pizzas. He was on edge because The CD player & AC in his car was broken and he needed something to occupy his brain while bringing people their hot garbage. The idea is a character that can’t die and can assume any form. Eggwater was hatched out of an egg and everybody hates him. He probably smells bad too. website: jordanspeerart.tumblr.com
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HOROSCOPES LIBRA (SEPT. 23 - OCT. 23)
The next few months are about expansion in the spiritual world as well as compassion for yourself. The planets are asking you to face your past. It may not always feel good, but you have to confront things to let them go. Become involved in some sort of recreational sport or activity, while working through matters of the past. The exercise and competition will keep your spirits lifted throughout each process.
SCORPIO
(OCT. 24 - NOV. 21) The next few months are about planting seeds for a long-term project. It is important to develop a non-judgmental support group of those who want you to succeed. Mars in your sign through July gives you the extra motivation to follow through. A regimen of acupuncture therapy will help clear energy blockages.
SAGITTARIUS
(NOV. 22 - DEC. 21) Your work and ideas remain popular thoughout the summer, but do not be afraid to say no to certain projects. You are usually willing to help with anything you support, but you don’t want to over do it. You’re cementing a lot of personal projects, and every moment counts. Step out of the box with your look. You’ve worked hard to redefine yourself over the years, so why not express that through personal style? And maybe people will stop bugging you for help if they don’t recognize you.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 - JAN. 19) This is a potentially great
time for your professional life but it won’t be easy. The alignments are testing your inner strength so you can fully realize what you are capable of. One of your longterm goals might disappear as you realize it isn’t part of your soul mission. Get involved with some sort of outreach group or community project. Altruistic work will help you discover, or reassure you of, your true purpose in life.
AQUARIUS
(JAN. 20 - FEB. 18) This period is good for love something which Aquarians always seem to always struggle with. The key is allowing yourself to be more transparent, instead of the aloof, fun person you feel most comfortable being. Wear or carry rose quartz pieces. This will help keep your heart chakra open so you can freely give and receive love.
PISCES
(FEB. 19 - MARCH 20) You’ve been dealing with some overwhelming matters that began in the first quarter of the year. You wear a shiny coat of rainbow colored scales, but you’re a sensitive creature beneath it all. Be patient, because this fall is when things really move forward. Enjoy your summer knowing that everything will work out! Burn sage throughout your home to rid it of ugly, residual energies. You’ve taken what you can from them, so now it’s time to say goodbye. Written by Casey Downey, Art by Annie Chimera and Julie Washer 6
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HOROSCOPES ARIES (MARCH 21 - APRIL 19) You have the power to change
everything in your work life, and will continue to make big changes throughout the summer. This is while you continue tweaking your personality and image as you have over the years. Be sure to get enough sleep so you can keep up with life mentally, physically and emotionally. Meditate with cape amethyst crystals to calm yourself at bedtime.
TAURUS
(APRIL 20 - MAY 20) You are in a period of fiery motivation through the first part of the summer. Try to harness these energies and fine tune your habits to keep progress. You are worried less about what others think and putting your heart more into projects. Develop an exercise regimen which keeps you energized. Taureans will reap the most benefits from activities in nature, such as hiking.
GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUNE 20) The Twins are used to feeling overwhelmed with thoughts, as their minds are fastpaced and highly adaptive. Geminis channel this through humor (as they are usually very witty) or intense anxiety. Focus on one goal at time, and this will be a period of great progress. Find a good book which you can be absorbed in to calm your mind. A humorous one will suit you best.
CANCER
(JUNE 21 - JULY 22) Crabs are in a period where they are daring and irresistible. These aren’t always common energies, so they should wholly be taken advantage of. You should work to keep this fire lit while advancing in life professionally, socially and romantically. Increase consumption of yellow, unprocessed foods to keep a strong energy flow in your solar plexus chakra. This nourishes your confidence and personal power.
LEO
(JULY 23 - AUG. 22) You will continue to experience setbacks though the first few weeks of summer. Follow your intuition and all will work out. It seems hard for you to show love at certain points, but that’s okay. You are making a lot of adjustments this year. Continue to receive love in the graceful ways which you are known for. Incorporate more shades of gold into your bedroom space. This is a power element for you, and its tones resonate with you to promote calmness in times of uncertainty.
VIRGO
(AUG. 23 - SEPT. 22) Until August, there are strong channels of new ideas and motivation, turning creativity to fruition. You are learning to let go of worries that are usually clung to when making big moves. Trust your intuition in going forward. If it feels right, it is right. Use this period of boosted confidence to retrain your thought patterns, as tendencies to nitpick could return later this year. Practice daily gratitude meditation or prayer. 30
Sara Volpi Prince graphite, pencils, Sharpies & India ink Sara Volpi makes art in a brick-walled building in downtown Bowling Green filled with many, many Sharpies. She migrated the patterns she used to draw on her hands and in the margins of school notebooks onto larger works, coupling them with portraiture and fine lines. Contact her for commissions, prints and other works for sale. email: sara.c.volpi@gmail.com
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the only time I smoke Mackenzie Pirtle when the show is between acts and i don’t know what to do with my hands when I want to hear the old women talk about their husbands on the loading docks at break time when i miss you when the weather is agreeable when i get the sense that my flip-flopped date find its unattractive in women and i think we should even the score when i watch our neighbors mow the lawn when a friend is in town and she brought with her the brand that says “all natural” on the label then, I can have two when i’m out of everything else when i’m trying to write a story and the images aren’t forming when there are people at the table whose names I don’t know and the window for asking has passed when i’m channeling louise sawyer or my favorite folk singer or all those relatives at our reunion in ‘98 when i need to warm up or cool down when i’ve been too busy or too bored when someone offers and i get the chance to tell them “i never do this, but i mean why not”
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Cam del Rosario The Beekeeper ink, bristol board, colored pencils, markers Rosario is a Louisville, Ky. based comic writer and artist. He has put out a handful of comics in the past year including: Seabolts, Iris & the Magical Jewelry, Kanye Stops Kanye From Interrupting Taylor Swift, and Empty Nesters. He tries to put out comics on a regular basis. instagram: @camdelrosario website: manuelcomics.bigcartel.com
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th e h ear t beat o f spr ing Doing the Work
Natalie Rickman, Art by Marlee Jones
On this day he worked on Violet Spectrum Farm in Scottsville, owned by Britni Coffey of bohemian folk band, The Mother Folkers. He consults numerous farmers in the region like Leigh, as well as many urban crop growers. The day prior, which was Earth Day, he worked at the 64 acre St. Francis School campus in Louisville, mulching the ground and planting perennials with students. He said it is community work like this which he thrives on.
All was dark in your mother’s house tonight like it always is in spring like it is tonight in that same season.
In March, Kercheville was contacted about a project at the Barren County Detention Center. WKU Assistant Professor of Sociology Nicole Breazeale, Ph.D., entitled the project ‘Breaking Ground: A Jail Garden Project’. Breazeale saw what Kercheville was doing through social media and contacted him for help with the project. Through the efforts of five inmates, 17 students and Barren County Jailer Matt Mutter, the garden has produced native wildflowers, blackberries, blueberries and many types of annual herbs and vegetables within the first month. By late May, they were able to harvest several types of greens. Kercheville helped design the garden plan for project Breaking Ground and has provided support and education. “Tim is a tremendous asset to this region,” Breazeale said. “His knowledge of sustainable agriculture techniques and ability to articulate why these methods are so critical to the future of our planet and our communities is truly remarkable.” One Barren County inmate has been so affected by the project, she approached Kercheville to thank him for his involvement. She now has hopes that when she leaves jail she will become the community organizer for garden projects at halfway houses in Bowling Green.
My body small and blooming like a ruby in a lightbulb and yours, my crimson shadow. Damp sheets from a misty window and love noises from an attic bedroom. We were the heartbeat of spring and every bit of warmth. Many springs have passed since then.
for when i am through Ben Arnold
Timothy Kercheville poses with Elderberry trees before he plants them, soaking the roots in endomycorrhizal fungi to aid their growth.
“That’s how transformative this has been to some of them,” Kercheville said. “All of this on what was three-quarter acres driven over by lawnmowers and weed wackers, with no community element and a bunch of people locked up inside.” Kercheville is energized by his work, and is creating momentum for a permaculture movement in Kentucky, something made evident through his numerous project updates shared via social media. But he says that corporate control over Kentucky’s agriculture programs is stifling progress in major ways. “The problem is that it’s not just a matter of changing minds and hearts; it’s also a matter of changing the way the funding flows,” he said. “Right now, how are we going to change the fact that biochemical corporations producing patented seed are providing the research for the Department of Agriculture? How are we going to answer that? I don’t know, but it needs to be changed.” 28
Creaky floorboards a reminder I’d emerged from winter alive, my breath a cold air that lay heavy and out of place around the tall walls.
Done broke the barrel, busting out, and spilt some bourbon, scotch, some stout. To think, that’s all I care about: the ruined time I went without. So carry me, someday bury me with bobbles, dirt, some scary things, a half-spent flask of Jerry, please. And above all else put me beneath the shadow of a cherry tree. 9
Bars Unknown by Shayna Strode
The term ‘alcoholic’ is kind of aggressive, and widely considered offensive. So, we’ll go with something a little less harsh. Hello, my name is Shayna and I’m an alcohol enthusiast. I have bourbon in my veins, I sweat craft beer, and when my glass is empty I’m crying barrel-aged tears of wine. I’m starting out at a true dinosaur of cocktail lounges in Bowling Green, Cue Time Cocktail and Billiards. I’m a little partial to this bar before even stepping foot inside because my mother worked there in the ‘80s when they first opened. To authenticate my full boozy experience, I decided to attend the bar solo during the early evening. Once I walked in, I was transported back in time to the local skating rink, as the neon-splattered breezeway shared much of the same décor. In the same fashion as any grand party entrance out of an ‘80s college comedy, I walked in to seemingly hear the scratch of a needle being pulled off of a record player with all eyes glaring in my direction.There were few windows and the only lights were dim fixtures of giant billiard balls. Despite the fact that the sun was bright and shining outside, in here it was suddenly midnight and I was already a little sensory drunk. The gender spread was about 20 to 3, predominantly males between 35 and 70 years old. Anticipating to be greeted with only Bud and Miller Lite as draft options, I was shocked to spy Bowling Green’s own White Squirrel Brewery handle, so I ordered a pint of their Kolsch posthaste. Without questioning my business there, the rough and tumble bartender happily obliged and took my card to start a tab. 10
It’s a pool hall that just happens to serve alcohol—and holy shit, they have food too! Most everything on the menu was $5 or less and even included a cheeseburger. Though based on every other item, I doubt they had much more in their kitchen than an industrial-sized deep fryer. The bartender eventually informed me that there was a pool tournament underway and the majority of the patrons were in attendance for that.
The three principles of permaculture are: care for people, care for the soil and return the surplus to the people and the earth (no waste). In growing, forms of waste range from unused plant matter to animal excrement. In permaculture methods, plants are laid on the ground as decaying soil, or used as compost---which is the ideal fertilization system for small, urban gardens. There can also be terraces designed to capture and utilize animal waste, preventing runoff from inducing toxic nitrate levels in the water supply. “Imagine now, if every farm region were designed like that,” Kercheville said. “Then, if you were looking at the scene from space, instead of seeing all this clear-cut land and trees just bulldozed into piles and burnt into the sky, these big monocultures fed by poisons, you would see contours of terraces over a regional landscape with a tree and grassland wildflower ecosystem; and a robust farming economy that would feed local communities exponentially more than what we’re doing right now,” said Kercheville. “It would absolutely revolutionize the regional food economy.”
“The real drinkers don’t come ‘til a little later,” she explained.
Like Zen to Me
Three pints in and I searched for the restroom. Next to the entryways hung a small sign on the wall that read, ‘Men on the left because women are always right.’ Could this place be more charming? The bathroom contained more brick than a bonus level of Super Mario Brothers and was surprisingly clean-ish.
“That’s kale right there,” he said. “Some really good curly kale. Let’s give it a little more of that…I like that stuff.”
Right before I left, the bartender noticed my facial piercings. “Hey, I know you probably never heard this, but do you have an extra ball?” she asked, in her southern drawl. “I just got my lip pierced last night and my ball just fell out!” “I sure don’t,” I replied. “I’m really sorry. Maybe ask someone else here for a ball. There’s plenty to go around!” Not getting my sloppy joke, she shrugged and told me to have a good night. I was convinced that I couldn’t fabricate a better ending to my trip to Cue Time if I wanted to, and ran out giddy to spread the gospel of this amazing place.
Kercheville crouched beneath an ornamental Cherry Tree, sprinkling and pouring various seeds into a bucket of dirt. “It’s very liberating to pour seeds.”
He reaches for another. “This is some good catnip mint, really good for tea. Might as well include a little bit of that.” And another. “You know sorrel? It tastes like citrus. So mixing it in a salad is absolutely delicious. Speaking of salad…parsley!” Kercheville said. After combining 10 or so types of seeds, he digs elbow-deep into the big white bucket, stirring with his hands. “I feel like a potions wizard.” Easing up from the ground, he grabs the bucket of future crops and heads back down the slope. Kercheville understands his methods go against the grain of traditional crop growing, and that people often need to see the aftermath to believe it actually works. Loosely scooping the dirt from the bucket, and flinging it upon the dirt, it could seem like madness to most farmers. As he sows the seeds, the personal connection Kercheville has with his work shines through him, like rays of sun. “I tell you, this is like zen to me,” he said. He falls quiet for several minutes. All you can hear are the birds and the wood bees, spattered with sounds of seeds hitting the ground.
*No alcohol was spilled in the writing of this article.
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Pe r mac ul ture Pio n e e r By Casey Downey
Timothy Kercheville swings his pickaxe, loosening the ground for seeding on Violet Spectrum Farm.
Timothy Kercheville worked his way slowly down the mound of dirt, slinging his pickaxe in like a coal miner. For now, the hillside canvas doesn’t look like much. He pauses from his work to gaze across the rows of dirt piles. He said to come back in six weeks. “This thing is going to be transformed.” Growing up, the California native grew fond of the Bluegrass state and knew he would live here one day. Much of his family lived in Kentucky, his grandparents working as miners and tobacco farmers. But when the UCLA graduate moved here six years ago, it wasn’t to join a family trade. Initially working as a stonemason, Kercheville eventually molded himself into Kentucky’s pioneer of the permaculture movement. This type of development of agricultural systems is defined by raising crops together in ways which they support each other while enriching the soil. “The reason that (permaculture) arises as a concept is because of the impermanence in culture that agriculture has caused over the millennium,” Kercheville said. “If you can find agriculture methods that increase and build soil, then it’s theorized you can actually increase the chances and likelihood of culture being sustainable and more permanent over time.” He cited places like Greece and North Africa where crops used to grow abundantly, where soil has been depleted through deforestation and repetitive tilling. And like the nutrients of the soil, self-sustained cultures and societies eroded away. Drawing inspiration from Buddhist Japanese farmer and philosopher, Masonobu Fukuoka, Kercheville explained how the answer to soil erosion is perennial polyculture farming. Instead of exhausting the soil for one or two types of crops, there can be a multitude of plants and animals co-existing and nurturing each other to growth while enriching the soil. 26
Robert Gregory 11
Chasen Igleheart Inheritance pencil on paper 8x10
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Josh London Mrs. Tooth pastel on paper
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Chasen Igleheart Sanctuary oil on canvas 36x48 Igleheart currently lives in Nashville and works as an art educator at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts. email: chasenigleheart@gmail.com website: chasenigleheart.com
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Cody Lee Hardin Make America Melt Again instagram @codysucksart
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“Thursday Night Confusion”
Poetic Tendencies Story by Sam Osborne Over the past decade, Bowling Green, KY’s alternative music scene has been thrust into the national eye. Hometown alt rockers Cage The Elephant have become a mainstay on the music festival circuit, largely in part to their high-octane performances, earning a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Music Album in 2015 for their third release “Melophobia”. As far as a Hip-Hop scene? It’s been relatively dormant in terms of creating a buzz on the national scale since Bowling Green hip-hop act Nappy Roots released Grammy-winning “Watermelon, Chicken and Gritz,” in 2002. The record painted vivid vignettes of the struggles and triumphs of growing up poor in the rural south, thick drawls and catchy verses littering the commercial success. Fourteen years later, up-and-coming Bowling Green rap outfit Waco Bell is etching their own path. Through a series of Bandcamp releases Waco
© Andrew Pearson
Bell has crafted a collection of songs rife with dark, poetic verses and catchy, often glitchy beats. The group Waco Bell consists of Bowling Green natives Reuben Bynes and Scott Gardner. Waco Bell is Gardner’s first project since playing keys and synths for Bowling Green alt rock upstart Sleeper Agent. The sextet, who garnered rave reviews from Rolling Stone for 2011’s rousing debut LP Celabrasion, parted ways in September 2015. “It’s been weird,” Gardner said of the transition from being in a band that toured the United States extensively to being a fledgling act trying to generate a fanbase. Sleeper Agent played some of the biggest stages imaginable for an indie rock band, including the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California and national television appearances on The Jimmy Fallon Show and The Late Show With David Letterman.
“Rooftop Adventures”
“Snow Frenzy”
“Late Night Chills”
“The Best Babes”
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KENTUCKY KEEPSAKE
Experiences that reside, travel and comfort within.
“Local Lives”
“It’s insanity man, just to think for almost 10 years I got together with people and for the most part just made noises to each other in the hopes that somebody’s going to like it,” Gardner said. “The idea of doing that again, trying to find four people that were all gonna be on the same page, it was exhausting to me. I thought I was going to have to do it all myself. Then I met Ruben.” The creative collaboration was forged organically when the pair met at a 2014 Astronomy Club show
includes getting the spectators rowdy and in tune with the set. Bynes’ said its key to generating the high-energy performances the rap group craves. “I’m not really like outwardly emotive, for the most part I’m apathetic in most situations, on stage I have hella anxiety,” Bynes said. For Bynes, a poetic and gripping lyricist, it’s his first official foray into making music. Bynes said much of the lyrics featured on Waco Bell’s debut release M.T. Tendencies
Top: Reuben Bynes sings track “Dragons” during a rehearsal prior to Waco Bell’s first show at Tidball’s April 27.
in Bowling Green through Taylor Lillybridge, a mutual friend.
“Grunge”
“Field of Naps”
- Photo story by Kreable Young 22
“That’s crazy for me to think about, that if Taylor never ever mentioned you to me I would still be just doing recordings on my computer,” Bynes said. “I don’t feel like I would’ve been motivated enough to actually do it on my own.” Lillybridge is now Waco Bell’s hypeman, a crucial supporting role that
were written when we was 15 and 16. Now 20, he has become more prolific with his songwriting. Bynes said he actually detested most Hip-Hop music growing up, instead he said he was drawn to alternative music, the avant garde nature of Bjork, the heaviness of Tool. As he matured, though, his love for the power of the spoken word lured him to Hip-Hop. 15
“I got into writing poetry and then I started smoking weed and I was like ‘yo, hip-hop is just like poetry over a beat,” Bynes said. “I can write whatever I want, i just have to write it and punctuate it in a certain way. That’s what it became for me. I’m going to take this art form and make it what feels cool for me, which is trying to be poetic.” Bynes displays a dexterity for painting evocative emotional landscapes throughout the 10 Waco Bell songs that have been officially released. On “Dragons,” he fends off personal demons and the toll his depression takes on his psyche. “Living life with the dragons, my pattern is spastic when I feel hella tragic/Laying in bed feeling bat shit erratic, when I fall asleep I hope it fucking end up my casket,” Bynes confesses. “This is cathartic for me, I’m just trying to write what I’m going through.” The pair both noted the symbiotic creative chemistry and mutual respect the pair share has helped Waco Bell’s productivity.
“Now it’s like I can do most of the music myself and use Ruben’s ears and his hands sometimes too,” Gardner said. “It’s tough for egos to get in the way when there’s just two of us.” Bynes’ face immediately lights up in agreement. “It’s the perfect checks and balances,” Bynes said. “I’m not going to fight him super hard on anything because I’m not going to compose what he’s going to compose.” Waco Bell hopes to release a new batch of proper full length by September 2016. In the interim, they plan on honing in on their life experiences living in Kentucky’s third-largest city, a distinction that doesn’t mean much, into song. “My romantic idea is that the message is this is what hip-hop looks like in Bowling Green, Kentucky,” Gardner said. “Just because we’re both not your idea of where you would typically find in hiphop. I think that’s also the idea, that you can find it anywhere.”
Julie Washer Jane Doe II felt tip pen on paper 16
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Waldon releases her sophomore album “I’ve Got A Way,” Aug. 12.
it’s taken 15 years. You must work hard, never give up, hope for the best, expect the worse. In the end, the strong survive. I definitely hope this one can take me farther. We’ll see. FRINGE: What advice do you have for musicians who are trying to make a name for themselves in Nashville? WALDON: If you want it bad enough, I think you’ll do it. Sometimes it’s even hard work over talent that got someone there. It’s not going to be easy, but you have to make your mind up. I think if you focus more on making real, sincere relationships happen over the idea of “networking,” that is always more beneficial in the long run. Always be yourself. It’s really NOT for everyone. You’ve got to really love it to do it. Sometimes the right people find each other, and finding someone you can trust is rare. Be smart. FRINGE: I found your debut so poignant and relatable because of the gritty, unflinchingly real portraits of small town life you presented. Can we expect that same honesty/spotlight on rural America on this record? WALDON: I really appreciate that, and I definitely think you can expect that. The grit didn’t go anywhere. FRINGE: Do you draw inspiration from artists outside the country/roots/ bluegrass genres? WALDON: I definitely do. I am also a huge soul and funk music fan. I love artists like Bill Withers, The Staple Singers and Issac Hayes. I consider Bill to be very much rural soul to me...West Virginia soul. Pops Staples is the Ralph Stanley of southern gospel. Also, lately I have really been inspired by Kendrick Lamar. 20
Anne Chimera Girl, quit ink on paper email: achimera91@gmail.com instagram: @chimeramera
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Nashville Sessions, which was released June 6. “All by Myself,” the record’s lead single, is currently available on iTunes and Spotify. On slow-burning album closer “The Heartbreak,” Waldon swallows the bitter pill of lost love with the wisdom of an old soul. “So I just wanted to thank you for the heartbreak and for the good times I know that were there / And everything I gave remains one and the same, one day we’ll all meet in the middle somewhere,” Waldon sings wistfully on the track.
Seven Questions with Country Singer Kelsey Waldon Rising Nashville country singer Kelsey Waldon dishes on her ‘empowering’ forthcoming sophomore album, learning to shoulder through the heartbreak and how she draws from her rural upbringing. FRINGE: Offer up as many details about the new record that you can. Lyrically/ sonically were you trying to mimic or follow along the same footsteps as the honest, old school/old country sound of your debut?
Nashville-based country singer Kelsey Waldon grew up in rural western Kentucky. Photo by Laura E. Partain.
Blue Kentucky Girl: Catching Up With Gritty Country Singer Kelsey Waldon Story & Q&A compiled by Sam Osborne The grit caked beneath an overworked coal miner’s fingernails. The simultaneous sink-ing hurt and rage of seeing a philandering lover with another woman beneath the neon lights on lower Broadway. The allure and escape of smoky honky tonks where wannabe country stars and undiscovered legends sing their souls away over in the corner by the bar. The splitting headache that wakes you the morning after like an old friend. The plight of the impoverished scraping by on menial wages. Flawed, misunderstood folk fighting the urge to forget their troubles momentarily by spending the bills on beer, liquor, pills—anything to get their minds away from where it’s supposed to be. These are just a few of the poignant portraits country singer Kelsey Waldon deftly captured on her stirring 2014 debut full-length record “The Goldmine.” Waldon’s unfeigned southern drawl and razor sharp lyrical style conjures the world-weariness that defined Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette’s most iconic recordings.
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WALDON: I wouldn’t say that this new record is completely different than “The Goldmine,” but I will say that I believe it is a strong progression from that album. It’s a much more uplifting record. I am always pushing myself lyrically and sonically, and this album happens to be where I am at this moment. It’s still songs about my life, where I am right now, and it’s country at it’s core of course...perhaps with an open mind. FRINGE: There’s an extremely talented crop of female songwriters based in Nashville. Artists whose musicianship seems to pride itself on being rooted in old country sounds and honest songwriting. It’s quite a stark contrast with the music that dominates country radio (artists like Margo Price and Caitlin Rose, just to skim the surface.) Do you feel camaraderie with fellow female country songwriters? How frustrating is it to see country radio airwaves dominated by music that strays so far from country music’s origins? WALDON: There is a very strong community of musicians here in Nashville, both male and female. Of course I am proud of all the ladies, but I’m proud for the men too. I feel like it is a really good time in music right now for people making sincere music, and that there is a place for everyone. I am happy to see what’s happening right now. As far as country radio goes, I actually have no idea. I don’t listen to it. FRINGE: Are there major themes to this record? Were you “writing for characters” for this record or would you say it’s autobiographical? Mixture of both? WALDON: It’s definitely personal, all the songs were inspired from real things. I think a major theme would definitely be empowerment and enlightenment. “Owning it”. That’s a good phrase. Finding that peace in your life and learning how to keep going. Of course, there’s still some heartbreak and what not.
Kelsey Waldon calls Nashville home, but the Monkey’s Eyebrow, Ky. native draws from a well of inspiration that came the result of growing up in western Kentucky life.
FRINGE: I’ve heard that Nashville is a “5 year town”. You’ve certainly already accomplished a lot and generated a fan base with your debut/previous record ings. What are your hoping to accomplish with your next record? What is an accurate barometer for success for you?
The Kentuckian will release her sophomore album “I’ve Got A Way,” on Aug. 12. Waldon performed a batch of new songs that will appear on the record for NPR’s
That’s hard to say. It has definitely been a 5 (and then some) year town for me. I don’t think it is the same for everyone, everyone’s journey is different. I know some that 19