Grace Askew profile picture

Grace Askew

wildflower waiting on the sun...

About Me



Grace is a 21 year old, 6th generation Memphian. After picking up the guitar at age 13, she immediately knew she had found the perfect vent to capture her equally strong passion for writing. Around the age of 17, she began to play publicly in churches, school events, cafes, coffee shops...skating rinks...whatever opportunity she had to share her music. Growing up to the songs of Joni Mitchell, The Allman Brothers Band, Cat Power, and Al Green, Grace's sound has developed into a unique blend of country, urban folk, and Memphis soul. Studying under a jazz/bossa nova guitar teacher throughout high school and living in New Orleans for over a year, jazz came to greatly influence Grace's sound as well. But the music soon called her back to the soulful/country roots of her childhood, and the music of Memphis quickly came into the foreground. With a little country in her pocket, jazz on her fingertips, and the soulful roots of her hometown close to her heart, Grace's sound has evolved into a unique blend of different cultures, eras, and roots....but Memphis will always be her home and her muse.
»-(¯..v..¯)-» Design your MySpace with MyLook «-(¯..v..¯)-«
Michael Donahue's interview "Listen Up: Grace Askew" [Commercial Appeal]
To watch the video footage of Grace's in-studio interview and performance
of "Gotta Get Real", also with Michael Donahue, **CLICK HERE** !!!
To read Grace's EP Release write-up by Mark Jordan
from the Commercial Appeal **CLICK HERE** !!!

"...I was blown away with her husky voice, stage presence, and nice guitar work. She reminded me of a cross between Cat Power, Joni Mitchell, Jeff Buckley, Neko Case, and a lot of soulful Memphis roots thrown in with a little of her own flair as well."

- Ryan Jones, "My Midtown Memphis" To read the full review, check out www.mymidtownmemphis.blogspot.com
"...I found her vocals cover a fairly wide dynamic range and in her crooning there is a soul familiar to women from the south, who can strip a tune bare and pour themselves into and straight through it. The songs follow a cycle of love, beginning with spring romance before advancing to further, darker corners...As with each of her songs, the musical feel complements the lyrics, rising dramatically as her voice exhibits an emboldened spirit eventually realized. Being a sucker for albums dealing with the multiplicitous nature of love, I enjoyed this one as an honest portrait of the ups and downs that are inevitable when you open your heart. And though still just 21, Grace Askew uses Wasted Lipstick to announce her musical arrival and will be one to keep a close eye on."
To read the full EP review by John Miller (Archer Records)
**CLICK HERE** !!!

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My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 12/13/2005
Band Members:
Grace Askew: vocals, rhythm guitar Ryan Peel: Drums
Influences: Cat Power, Joni Mitchell, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Al Green, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Ann Peebles, Jeff Buckley, Ryan Adams, PJ Harvey, Nina Simone, Sam and Dave, Aretha Franklin, The Staple Singers, Ray LaMontagne, Memphis TN
Sounds Like: "A Neo-Soul songstress with her heart tied to her Memphis roots"The crew for "Wasted Lipstick" EP:Grace Askew - vocals, acoustic rhythm guitar, background vocals
Rick Steff - accordian (on "Good As Gold")
Dave Smith - Bass
Steve Potts - Drums
Al Gamble - Hammond
Pete Matthews - acoustic guitar, background vocals
Steve Selvidge - lead guitar ("Wasted Lipstick" and "Ripen")
Van Duren - lead guitar ("In 1,2,3")
Charlie Shaw - lead guitar ("Good As Gold")
Shawn Eckles - lead guitar ("Swoop Down")
Recorded at: Ardent Studios and Leeway Studios
Producer: Pete Matthews
Co-Producer: Grace Askew
Engineer: Pete Matthews
Co-Engineer: Jennifer Lee
Assistant: Nick Redmond (Ardent), Nick Fleming (Leeway)
Mastered by: Brad Blackwood
Album artwork/design: Cody Maple
Record Label: Unsigned
Type of Label: None

My Blog

Wasted Lipstick

Just wanting to update everyone on the status of the EP, entitled "Wasted Lipstick." We have finally completely finished the 5 tracks, they are posted up on my website. As for the "available-for-purch...
Posted by Grace Askew on Wed, 13 Feb 2008 07:26:00 PST