Liz Durrett (born 1977) is an American singer-songwriter born in

Rome, Georgia Rome is the largest city in and the county seat of Floyd County, Georgia, United States. Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, it is the principal city of the Rome, Georgia, metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all ...

and now based in

Athens, Georgia Athens, officially Athens–Clarke County, is a consolidated city-county and college town in the U.S. state of Georgia. Athens lies about northeast of downtown Atlanta, and is a satellite city of the capital. The University of Georgia, the st ...

Career

Durrett began recording in the mid-1990s while at high school and later at the

University of Georgia , mottoeng = "To teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things.""To serve" was later added to the motto without changing the seal; the Latin motto directly translates as "To teach and to inquire into the nature of things." , establ ...

at Athens, initially with her uncle

Vic Chesnutt James Victor Chesnutt (November 12, 1964 – December 25, 2009) was an American singer-songwriter from Athens, Georgia. His first album, ''Little'', was released in 1990. His commercial breakthrough came in 1996 with the release of '' Sweet ...

producing.Ruhlmann, William
Liz Durrett Biography

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...

. Retrieved October 13, 2018 After relocating to

Oakland, California Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast of the United States, West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third ...

and attending the

San Francisco Art Institute San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) was a private college of contemporary art in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1871, SFAI was one of the oldest art schools in the United States and the oldest west of the Mississippi River. Approximatel ...

, she returned with her then-husband to live in Athens. She released three albums on Athens-based

Warm Records Warm Electronic Recordings (sometimes abbreviated to Warm Records) is an independent record label based in Athens, Georgia run by Brian Causey. Azure Ray, Japancakes, and Crooked Fingers are some of the artists on their roster. Artists * Azure Ra ...

. Her first, ''Husk'', was a collection of recordings from her teenage years recorded with Chesnutt between 1993 and 1996.Liz Durrett – ''Husk''
, '' No Depression'', April 30, 2005. Retrieved October 13, 2018

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...

writer Ryan Dombal described it "Think Partridge Family but uglier, death-obsessed, and with a sunburnt, junkyard car in place of the fruity schoolbus".Dombal, Ryan (2005)
Liz Durrett ''Husk''
,

, March 1, 2005. Retrieved October 13, 2018 ''The Mezzanine'' followed in January 2006, also produced by Chesnutt.Smyers, Darryl (2006)
Liz Durrett
, ''Riverfront Times'', February 15, 2006. Retrieved October 13, 2018Metivier, Michael (2006)

,

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, f ...

, March 28, 2006. Retrieved October 13, 2018 Her third album, ''Outside Our Gates'', was produced by

Eric Bachmann Eric Bachmann is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer. He rose to prominence as the frontman of Archers of Loaf and Crooked Fingers. Originally a saxophone major at Appalachian State University, Bachmann’s music is disti ...

and released in September 2008. The album has received positive reviews, with

awarding it three and a half stars, reviewer Mark Deming describing it as "quite impressive",Deming, Mark
''Outside Our Gates'' Review
,

. Retrieved October 13. 2018 and Pitchfork scoring it at 7.2, with Stephen M. Deusner calling it "Durrett's liveliest and rangiest record to date, as purposeful as her previous efforts but somehow more surefooted and traipsing".Deusner, Stephen M. (2008)
Liz Durrett ''Outside Our Gates''
,

, October 8, 2008. Retrieved October 13, 2018 Durrett has toured throughout the United States and Europe and has made several guest appearances on other artist's records. Throughout the 2010s, she joined

Crooked Fingers Crooked Fingers was an American indie rock band, led by the former Archers of Loaf frontman Eric Bachmann. A vehicle for Bachmann's songwriting, the band's lineup changed between each record. Crooked Fingers released albums on WARM Records and Me ...

, the musical project of

, who would become her second husband. She appeared on Crooked Fingers’ 2012 release “Breaks in the Armor.” Since the disbandment of Crooked Fingers in 2016, she has shifted away from her musical career, but contributed backing vocals to a few tracks on Bachmann’s solo records. Bachmann recorded her song “Carolina” on his 2016 eponymous solo release.

Musical style

NPR National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...

described Durrett's music as "sparse and somber Southern folk music".Vallejos, Tamara (2008)
Liz Durrett: 'You Live Alone'
,

, September 29, 2008. Retrieved October 13, 2018 The ''Riverfront Times'' described her music as "full of emotionally distraught tunes that take full advantage of her aching voice", calling her vocals "like Lucinda Williams on the worst Quaalude bender imaginable". '' No Depression'' described her voice as "willowy". Several comparisons have been made with

Cat Power Charlyn Marie "Chan" Marshall ( ; born January 21, 1972), better known by her stage name Cat Power, is an American singer- songwriter, musician and model. Cat Power was originally the name of her first band, but has become her stage name as ...

Discography

Albums

* ''Husk'' (2005)

Warm Warm, WARM, or Warmth may refer to: * A somewhat high temperature * Kindness Music * ''Warm'' (The Lettermen album), 1967, and the title song * ''Warm'' (Johnny Mathis album), 1958, and the title song * ''Warm'' (Herb Alpert album), 1969 * '' ...

* ''The Mezzanine'' (2006), Warm * ''Outside Our Gates'' (2008), Warm

Singles and EPs

* "Cup On The Counter" (iTunes single) (2005), Warm

Compilation appearances

*''Easy To Be Free: The Songs Of Rick Nelson'' (2006), Planting Seeds *''AthFest 2007'' (2007), Ghostmeat *''Finest Worksongs'' (2007), Iron Horse *''Even Cowgirls Get the Blues'' (2007), Fargo *''Have A Good Night 3'' (2008), blog up musique

Guest appearances

''Ghetto Bells'' – backing vocals on "Virginia", "What Do You Mean?", "Vesuvius", and "Rambunctious Cloud". *

''Is The Actor Happy'' – appears on "Betty Lonely" as the angel chorus. *

''West of Rome'' – played violin wherever Michael Stipe "heard" violin. *

Phosphorescent Phosphorescence is a type of photoluminescence related to fluorescence. When exposed to light (radiation) of a shorter wavelength, a phosphorescent substance will glow, absorbing the light and reemitting it at a longer wavelength. Unlike fluor ...

''Pride'' – backing vocals on "The Waves At Night" *

''Aw Come Aw Wry'' – part of the aw come aw wry choir on "Endless Pt. 2" *Ham1 ''The Captain's Table'' – backing vocals on "White Rat" and "Hubcap Frisbees" * Don Chambers ''Zebulon'' – backing vocals on "Friar's Lantern", "Send Me No Angels", and "Bind My Wounds" *Hope for Agoldensummer ''Ariadne Thread'' – member of the Gutter Angel Soul Choir * Pacific UV ''e.p.'' – backing vocals on "50s"

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Durrett, Liz American women singer-songwriters Living people 1978 births Place of birth missing (living people) Songwriters from Athens, Georgia 21st-century American singer-songwriters 21st-century American women singers Warm Electronic Recordings artists Singer-songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state)