Search - Kate Russell :: Powerful Stuff

A native of Australia whose years in the U.S. have not affected her irresistibly charming accent one bit, Russell is eager to clue Stateside country fans in on a little secret: that barbecues and the contemporary kind of country music she makes are just as popular Down Under as they are in the United States. Russell draws upon a unique array of influences in creating her distinctive musical sound. She uses the phrase "Keith Urban meets Bonnie Raitt" to best describe her blend of Aussie style, soulful vocals, insightful and emotional songwriting and accomplished musicianship. Yet her remarkable lower register vocal timbre has the unmistakable stamp of an even earlier inspiration, Karen Carpenter. Powerful Stuff was produced in Los Angeles with Rich Mouser, who has worked with artists like Oleander, Tears For Fears, Dream Theatre, and did tracks for the American Pie 2 soundtrack, with additional production by Clyde Brooks in Nashville. Brooks, who has worked with Curb and Polygram with such artists as Ronna Reeves and Perfect Stranger, is an accomplished Nashville studio drummer with over 6,000 sessions to his credit, including dates with Dolly Parton, Dwight Yoakum, George Jones and Little Richard. "Kate is an artist who brings soul and lyrical imagery to everything that she sings," Brooks says. "She is an eclectic singer/songwriter who approaches her artistry from a standpoint of integrity. It has been a pleasure to work with her both musically and personally." Drawing an analogy between songwriting and another longtime passion of hers, surfing (which she once considered turning into a professional career), Russell says, "Surfing is a composition all on its own. It's about watching a wave and designing how you're going to ride it. There's nothing quite like the freedom of surfing on a day that's clear - the sun, the water. It's a peaceful place to be." Surfing is perhaps an unusual hobby for someone who credits Patsy Cline, Floyd Cramer, Patty Loveless and Slim Dusty --one of Australia's top-selling country artists of all time--as being among her biggest musical influences, but a simple matter of geography didn't prevent Kate Russell from developing a passion for the classics of country music.