520 Etc.: Rising Stars of Sundown: Jennifer Nicely
Strawberry Plains girl, Jennifer Nicely, has been knocking 'em dead all over the country and tonight she plays for a hometown crowd at Sundown in the City on Market Square.
The intricate imagery she uses in her songs has earned her comparisons to such legendary songwriters as Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell. Nicely is deeply connected to her East Tennessee roots. Much of her writing is flavored with nostalgic feelings for this area, especially in the song "More Than You":
Oh you know
When she goes she won’t return
It’s back to the wild land
She was born in--
She needs the sky
She craves the wind
More than you
Although she has been compared to many different notable musicians in her still-budding career, Jennifer Nicely maintains a unique musical style. She swirls together cool jazz, rolling blues and adds a touch of her Appalachain heritage. The resulting music is as expressive as it is sentimental. Her haunting and lyrical vocals are the perfect accompaniment to the ethereal wail of the Hammond B-3 organ and upright bass that make up the foundation of her band. Add to that a little slide guitar and you've got yourself a lush and steamy sound - nearly custom made for a hot night under the stars.
Get down to Market Square at 6:30pm to show Jennifer Nicely just how proud we are of her!
(Jennifer Nicely's tour schedule is presently under construction, but here's the link to her website if you want a bit more info.)