Over the last few years Call Me Spinster has emerged as one of Chattanooga’s most popular bands.
Built around the vocal harmonies of sisters Rachel, Rosie, and Amelia, they’ve cultivated a passionate following, signed with a record label, and continued to flex their creative muscle with a band that’s constantly evolving. That wave of hard work was expected to crest last October with the release of their first full length album, ‘Potholes.’ But then the plans changed.
Thankfully there was no global pandemic to blame for this particular album’s delay. No, the reason was far more joyous: bassist and vocalist Rosie Graber was pregnant. But unfortunately the baby’s release date now coincided with the record’s release date, and only one of those dates was negotiable.
For Call Me Spinster, music and motherhood have always harmonized. The band was formed six years ago during Amelia’s first maternity leave when her sisters moved down from Minnesota to join her. They began to collaborate on songs using whatever instruments they could find in the family: mandolin, washboard, and even their grandfather’s old accordion.
The band found unexpected success right out of the gate when a performance at Lula Lake caught the attention of a New West Records executive. He offered them a deal with his new off-shoot label, Strolling Bones, and has helped to promote their music to a much wider audience.
All the while the sisters have managed to balance the needs of their family with the expectations of a rising band. Rosie’s three-month-old joined them on a trip to the South By Southwest music festival in Austin. “It wasn’t the most baby-friendly experience,” Amelia said as she recalled breastfeeding sessions in the greenroom.
And while that might sound like a daunting challenge for even the most experienced parents, the band pulled it off. And it went well enough that they plan to bring Rachel’s new baby along for their return South-by-Southwest. That’s when they’ll finally get to promote their new album, a sonically ambitious project that includes instruments like pedal steel, a horn section, programmed electronic drums, and (as Amelia promises) “tons” of synth.
That may seem like a surprise to fans who remember their origin as a traditional acoustic trio, but they insist they’ve always had much broader influences and creative ambitions. “We played that kind of music because those were the only instruments we had at the time,” Amelia laughed, “but we’ve always loved dancy upbeat music too, and now we can afford more instruments.”
New singles will start releasing in January with the full album following in April. The band will unveil new music for audiences at Americana Fest when they take the stage at the Five-Spot in East Nashville.
But audiences in Chattanooga can get a sneak-peek at the new songs on Friday September 8th when the band performs at Redbud, a relatively new venue at a renovated old church in Ridgedale. In addition to some old favorites and unreleased new songs, Call Me Spinster also has a list of fun covers they’ll play including the Go-Go’s, A-Ha and a phone-themed mashup of Carly Rae Jepson’s ‘Call Me Maybe,’ Blondie’s ‘Call Me,’ and ‘Hotline Bling’ by Drake.”
The concert is an all-ages event, and Redbud’s huge backyard offers plenty of confined space for kids to safely run wild while their parents enjoy the music. America Runs on Pizza will have lots of delicious choices available from their food truck, and Redbud’s bar now has 15 different beers including a new Oktoberfest from Good People. Tickets are $10 through online presale and $12 at the door. Kids under 12 are free.
Get tickets here: redbudvenue.ticketspice.com/amelia-white-call-me-spinster-the-hawtthornes
Photo courtesy: Our Ampersand Photography