Ruby JamesDesert Rose.... Something earthy and unexpected, that brightens the landscape with its deep tones and originality. Something that surprises and tantalizes you with its beauty and roots firmly planted in a sometimes harsh terrain. Something you happen across by chance and will never forget. Desert Rose... That is artist Ruby James.
From a li'l bit of here and a l'il bit of there, Ruby James follows in her grandfather's footsteps as a nomadic traveler with a passion for music. From her earliest years, Ruby sat with him as he played guitar and sang Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings tunes and told her trying tales of life on the road that took him from living "Grapes of Wrath" style in the back of dusty wagons during the Great Depression, to the dark bunkers of Iwo Jima in WWII. In those quiet special moments, a wanderlust singer-songwriter, inspired and undaunted by the harsh realities and rewards of a life on the road, was born.
Ruby burst onto the music scene as a solo artist in 2006 with the release of her EP Sweet as Sin, immediately captivating critics and crowds, with moxie and sophistication and a kick ass stage show, leaving a swarm of heady fans in her wake. Her sultry yet sweet voice tempted, teased and rocked premiere venues from Central Park in New York City, Hard Rock Live, Austin's Continental to LA's Viper Room. Whether it be on her own or sharing stages with Jackson Browne, Jane Weidlin, Soul Asylum, 7Mary3, War and Fastball, Ruby James is often compared to legendary icons Stevie Nicks, Sheryl Crow and Chrissy Hynde. Humbly aware, she is committed to and succeeding at blazing her own unique trail through modern rock.
Desert Rose, the new album from Ruby James, promises the journey will continue with her gutsy brand of sweet grit and sultry style and a timeless return to the roots of music. For it she unites with producer John Avila (Oingo Boingo, Reel Big Fish) and string virtuoso, Rene Reyes (Act of Faith, Green Car Motel and film and soundtrack producer for Collateral, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Saving Silverman, Man in the Chair), with whom she co-wrote all but two of the tracks. The album also features acclaimed artists Mitch Marine (touring and drumming for Dwight Yokum and Smash Mouth), Billy V. Malpede (music scores for Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Runaway Jury, Entrapment and Urban Legend), and organist Mike Bolger (Beck). As studio and writing partners, Ruby James and Reyes tell stories of life in the real world with relatable lyrics set to resonating and unforgettable melodies and on stage have a palpable chemistry reminiscent of Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham.
Infusing the tracks with her rustic soulful voice, you live every song with her. You are “Passengers†on her journey, as she poignantly reminds you “Everything Good Goes Away,†except real, true, soul defining love, which she explores in an homage to her grandparents in “I Don’t Mind.†She goes to the very core of mother/child relationships in heart-wrenching "Oh, Mama," and shows forgiveness is a breath away in "Strayed." The minx crackles to life in the playful, bluesy "Mistress of the Devil," then just as quickly disappears in the title track, "Desert Rose." The album is a kaleidoscope with a track for every emotion, in the spirit of legendary song writer Emmylou Harris.
Ever the wanderlust, Ruby James has already begun working on a new project, "The Austin Sessions," a collaborative effort with music icons Charlie Sexton (Bob Dylan, The Arc Angels, and The Sextones), and brother Will Sexton (Waylon Jennings, Dave Baerwald and Abra Moore), who bring their legendary classic sound to the innovative talent of Ruby James both as producers and playing on the tracks.
With the desert winds at her back, Ruby James is already gearing up for numerous 2008 tour dates, which will take her from Nashville to Los Angeles and back to wherever a nomad can call home. With a voice that revs you and melts you, all at the same time, Ruby James is quickly blossoming in the musical landscape, one stop at a time, forever imprinting it with her original, colorful, unexpected tones... A true Desert Rose.
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