Sara Petite - Press

HITMAKER: Hometown singer-songwriter makes good Sara Petite, a singer-songwriter featured in Street back in April, is doing well for herself up north in Portland, Ore. Petite's song "Coming Home" won the grand prize in the Portland Songwriting Contest. "Coming Home" also was voted the winner in the country or Americana category. Petite is set to perform in Portland at the songwriter's showcase on Sept. 12. "Coming Home" was released on Universal Music of France's "Country" compilation CD last month and will be released at the end of summer on Shut Eye Records' "The United States of Americana" CD. Petite, a San Diego Music Awards nominee this year, is planning a three-week tour of Ireland, and maybe the Netherlands, in October. MySpace Petite here. Photo: K.C. Alfred / Union-Tribune Posted by Don Chareunsy on August 27, 2007 01:16 PM \| Permalink September 2007 - San Diego Troubadour Sara Petite: Her Heart Is Where Her Home Is by Mike Alvarez Story by Michael Alvarez Photos by Dennis Andersen Breezing into Rebeccas's Coffeehouse for a late morning interview, Sara Petite displays the same vivacious energy that she brings to the stages upon which she performs. She is bright, attractive, and brimming with stories about life, family, and music. Often described as an Americana artist, her sound is an earthy fusion of folk, bluegrass, country, and mountain music with surprising flashes of pop and rock. She steadfastly affirms that "it's all Americana." Her singing voice, which has been likened to that of June Carter and Dolly Parton, is the tie that binds the varied styles she blends. While she has a healthy respect for the classic genres in their purest forms, she confidently asserts that she does what she wants when it comes to making music. Such an approach can be a risky proposition for some, but her CD Tiger Mountain shows that it is the right one for her. "It's been a real learning experience," says Sara about the process of recording Tiger Mountain. As the sole writer of all 11 tracks, she had the artistic vision firmly in place, but the technical side of getting her songs tracked in the studio was an education in itself. Sara and her co-producers opted for a very direct approach to recording. The arrangements are very clean, allowing every vocal and instrumental track a chance to shine. The resulting album is stylistically varied, at times introspective and at others just plain fun. The songs range from the rough-hewn bluegrass of "Huckleberries" and "Standing on the Corner" to the modern alternative pop of "I'm Leaving" and "Old Friend." There are forays into the spaces between genres as well, making for a very satisfying collection of tastefully written and heartfelt songs. Originally from Sumner, Washington, Sara comes from a large family whose members and history inform her lyrical imagery through and through. She speaks with obvious relish when relating stories of such colorful characters as her grandfather, who as a pioneering representative of the aviation industry, sold a plane to Elvis. In this capacity he also spent a good deal of time in the Middle East and once dined with King Fahd of Saudi Arabia. She wrote a song called "I Hope You Still Fly in Your Dreams" after watching his battle with Alzheimer's Disease. The CD's title track, "Tiger Mountain," was written about her beloved grandmother who recently passed away. At first blush it might sound like a short little country/bluegrass ditty, but it's really a mini-epic, condensing years of Petite family history into its short running time. With some wistfulness, Sara expressed a wish that her grandmother could have heard it. When speaking of these two songs, she visibly tried to keep her emotions in check, and it was very touching to witness. That she could readily show such vulnerability to a person whom she had met mere minutes before is a testament to her openness as an artist. Then there is her Uncle Irving, the namesake of a song that will be included in a future release. It was he who purchased the Tiger Mountain property in Washington, which became the family's emotional home base. A lifelong animal lover, Uncle Irving has cared for numerous pets throughout his life, including chickens, a dog, a goat, and even an abandoned bear cub. Sara very proudly points out his authorship of several nature books that have appeared on the New York Times bestseller lists. She happily reports that the song "Uncle Irving" is a consistent favorite with audiences when she and her band play it live. Among her earliest musical experiences were piano lessons. Like most kids, she dutifully took them without truly appreciating their full value until much later. Nowadays she concentrates on singing and playing the guitar, but is well aware that learning the piano was key in giving her a solid foundation upon which to build her own music. Growing up, she was exposed to classical, bluegrass, country, R&B, and rock ‘n' roll. A cross section of her favorite artists includes the likes of Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, June Carter, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, the Who, the Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, John Mellencamp, and Hank Williams. The diversity of her listening habits is what fuels the wide range of genres she works in to this day. It wasn't until her early 20s that she wrote her first song. As the story goes, she picked up her brother's guitar after a hard day at work and improvised some lyrics about her boss. When I reminded her of this, she flashed a knowing smile then related an early experience of singing in front of others. Because she was so heavily influenced by her favorites, her singing voice was thick with a country inflection even though her speaking voice is entirely bereft of it. When performing during her school years, her audience of classmates found this to be extremely funny. That she was completely unaware of this disparity made them laugh even harder. Despite such a humble beginning, she had already caught the performing bug and started down that path, which led her to pursue her musical dreams. Yet in her words, "Even I'm surprised that I ended up doing this!" Sara earned a degree in political science and international relations and held down a "real job" for some time. Through it all, she wrote songs and performed at local open mics. Good fortune led her to the Ould Sod, a local Irish pub where she got involved in a benefit concert for Amnesty International. Finding herself on the bill as a performer, she got a band together and has been playing shows ever since. Her early stage persona was described as rather shy, but experience soon taught her to be comfortable as the focus of an audience's attention. Such is her confidence now that she can handle the occasional drunks, hecklers, and generally unruly patrons with a firm but tactful hand. A favored technique is to make a game of it by throwing it back at them, but with a twinkle in her eye. Locally she has played such popular San Diego venues as Lestat's, Tio Leo's, the Belly Up Tavern, the Whistle Stop, and the Ould Sod. Her travels throughout the country have included appearances in Mississippi, Tennessee, and of course the state of Washington, where she enjoys a hometown following. Most impressively, she has experienced some success abroad, having completed two tours of Ireland and the Netherlands. After selling CDs at one Irish gig, she fondly recollects how she returned some three weeks later to find the audience singing her own lyrics back to her. Sara's positive press comes from places as far as Belgium, yet one doesn't have to go so far afield to find her accolades. Two of her songs, "Coming Home" and "Shine Some Heaven" made it to the semi-finals of the 2005 International Songwriting Competition in Nashville, a feat that is made considerably more impressive when one considers the 15,000 other entries she was up against. Other songwriting competitions where she made a strong showing were the Great American Songwriting Competition, the Great Waters Folk Festival, and the 2006 Portland Songwriting Contest. Currently she is a nominee for Best Americana Artist in this year's San Diego Music Awards. Her frequent companions onstage are not just one, but actually two different bands: The Tiger Mountain Boys and The Sugar Daddies. Which band she chooses depends on the kind of show she wants to stage. The Tiger Mountain Boys are a rustic bluegrass ensemble, and when Sara plays with them, they put on a variety show, complete with appropriate attire. Quite obviously, they take their name from the Petite family's Washington state homestead, and their stage personae are inspired by the residents of Tiger Mountain. Dave ‘Banjoski' Bandrowski hails from New Orleans and is also a member of the Monroe Avenue String Band. Johnny Kuhlken plays a variety of instruments including the washboard, jugs, spoons, and snare. He is a member of the Nards, the Macanany's, and the Slidewinders. Upright bassist Wade Maurer is a full time Tiger Mountain Boy and was also a member of the Macanany's. Maurer and Kuhlken are also members of the Sugar Daddies, a band whose name is a send up of their average ages (they're reportedly 40-somethings). Joining them in this lineup is lead guitarist Rick Wilkins who also contributes mandolin, banjo, harmonica, and backing vocals. According to Sara, the Sugar Daddies' sound is like "a twisted road where Dolly Parton meets Tom Petty, and Loretta Lynn meets Dylan and Springsteen. Honky tonk Americana". Whether performing with one of these bands or accompanying herself on guitar, Sara creates an instant rapport with her audience. At a recent appearance at Solana Beach's Belly Up Tavern she immediately charmed the crowd with her friendly, affable manner and humorous anecdotes. Though originally booked as a band, she unexpectedly found herself taking the stage alone. As the opener for Lance Miller, she had less than an hour onstage so she made every minute count, treating the audience to choice cuts from Tiger Mountain as well as a healthy dose of new material. Saving most of her stage time for the songs, she gave just enough background for each to make them meaningful. Wisely, she avoided the pitfall of becoming overly chatty. I noted with some amusement that her banter took on more of a Southern drawl as her show progressed. A high point of the performance was her acoustic arrangement of "Coming Home," which displayed a gentler and lonelier tone than the recorded version. She interrupted herself during the upbeat "Uncle Irving" to ask the crowd to punctuate the next few verses with animal sounds, which they did to great effect. "Little House" is a another fun, uptempo tune that was inspired by her stay in a cramped Paris apartment. She ended the set with her poignant ode to her grandfather. After a brief introduction, she launched into a very emotional rendition of "I Hope You Fly in Your Dreams," which clearly affected many listeners. A true artist, Sara skillfully orchestrated the mood of her performance, punctuating it with humor, energy, and genuine emotion. Having once said that music is "the hardest job I've ever had," Sara has very definite ideas about what she hopes to accomplish. Like her idols Lucinda Williams and Patty Griffin, she aspires to build a devoted following on the strength of her artistry. To her, being able to make a living from music with the freedom to write and record songs her way is infinitely more desirable than the kind of world-dominating superstardom enjoyed by the slickly packaged acts that are currently burning up the charts. While she derives much inspiration from personal experience and family, she is not averse to lending her voice to causes she believes in. Her recent involvement in a benefit concert came about after the tragic loss of a friend to domestic violence. She was instrumental in organizing the show in support of Becky's House, a YWCA-run safe haven for victims. By all accounts it was a resounding success, garnering support from the Ould Sod management, her fellow artists and the community at large. She invited a veritable Who's Who of local talent to perform. In addition to Sara and the Sugar Daddies, such local luminaries as Cindy Lee Berryhill, Annie Dru, Evan Bethany, Molly Jensen, Joanie Mendenhall, and Regina Dawn stepped up to do their part for the cause. More global issues take center stage in a couple of Sara's songs that are yet to be released. "Dead Man Walking" examines the death penalty, and she gives her take on the current political scene in "You Ain't a Thing Like Me." From this it's apparent that her music's subject matter is evolving along with her sound. Like any artist who takes her craft seriously, this is something that is inevitable. Yet it is the more personal songs that seem to resonate the most with listeners, lending weight to the impression that home and family are the things closest to her heart As extensively as her travels have been, Sara Petite can make a home and surround herself with family wherever she finds herself. See Sara Petite at the Adams Avenue Street Fair on Saturday, September 29 at 5:15pm, DiMille's Stage. More information, photos, and sound samples can be found at www.sarapetite.com. Expression comes in threes for Sara Petite By: JIM TRAGESER - Staff Writer While she acknowledges having two sides to her music ---- a rock 'n' roll side that she expresses through her band the Sugar Daddies, and a country side that gets aired in her Tiger Mountain Boys band ---- San Diego's Sara Petite will be showing a third side tonight when she opens for Todd Snider at the Belly Up Tavern: solo singer-songwriter. While she admits to being a bit nervous about appearing without either of her bands, she's much more excited about opening for one of her favorite artists of all time. It is Snider's intelligent lyrics that Petite says she loves so much. "Most country music doesn't make you think," she said during a recent interview in Encinitas. "The average person doesn't want to have to do anything that makes them think." Snider, she says, makes you think. It's an attribute she aims for in her own music. She began writing her own songs while in her early 20s; she came home after a lousy day at work and picked up her brother's guitar and vented her feelings about her supervisor with some lyrics she improvised on the spot. "And then I had my own song." she laughed in reminiscence. Thirteen years of piano lessons starting at age 5, and another 13 years of competitive artistic roller skating had given Petite a pretty broad background in music. "I got a big exposure to classical music through piano, and other stuff through skating," she said of growing up in a small town southeast of Seattle. An older brother who was into classic rock ---- she cites The Who and the Rolling Stones as early influences ---- and a mom who liked R&B and classic country also helped broaden her musical interests. Perhaps it's all these disparate influences that have given her her split musical personality. "I can't just choose one thing," she said. "I've always been divided." But if divided in her musical taste, her focus in building her music career has been laserlike in its singular intensity since forming her first band two years ago. After moving to San Diego, she attended United States International University (now Alliant University), earning a degree in international relations. While there, she continued to write ---- and it wasn't long before she was performing at open mics around town. Then, two years ago, she was asked to help organize a benefit show for Amnesty International at the Ould Sod in San Diego, an Irish pub where she tends bar one night a week. In the midst of preparations, one of the bar's owners made it clear that he expected Petite to be one of the performers. With all the other acts being full bands, Petite said she didn't want to do a solo set ---- and so put together her first band. Since then, she's played dozens of shows, toured Ireland twice, recorded her first CD, and built up a nice following in the area via a regular monthly gig at the Ould Sod. While it's paying dividends in terms of a larger following and greater local awareness of her music, Petite says that she's not making much money with the music to date ---- everything is being built for the future. "It's the hardest job I've ever had." Maverick CD Review - January 2007 It's Ladies Night on The Americana Highway and we'll take our hats off to some of the best female singers and songwriters in Bluegrass, Americana and Country music. . This week we turn our Highway headlamps onto some of your favorite ladies including: Rhonda Vincent, Kasey Chambers, Julie Roberts, Lee Ann Womack, Michelle Nixon, Joan Osbourne, The Wreckers, Tresa Jordan, Amy LaVere, Sunny Sweeney and Mindy Smith. . You'll also hear a song from Amy Speace who you'll have a chance to see live on Saturday, December 9th at Brackin's Blues Club in Maryville, Tennessee at 9pm. If you've not see a live performance from Amy Speace & The Tearjerks...then don't miss this one! She plays all of her great songs, a few clever covers, plus you might even get to "sneak preview" of few of the songs from her new cd which is due out in 2007. For more information go to www.amyspeace.com or for directions to Brackin's go to www.brackinsbar.com. Roses In The Snow by Michelle Nixon Tennessee by The Wreckers Never Gonna Be Your Bride by Carrie Rodriguez You've Still Got It by Alecia Nugent Out Loud by Mindy Smith Finding My Way Back Home by Lee Ann Womack Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends by Joan Osbourne White Lightning by Robinella & The CCStringband Coming Home by Sara Petite Taking Back My Brave by Carolyn Dawn Johnson Doesn't Anybody Love Like That Anymore by Annie Sims Step Out Of The Shade by Amy Speace No Man's Land by Garrison Starr Everybody's Got A Vice by Amy Dalley 'Til They Come Home by Rhonda Vincent Too Damn Young by Julie Roberts Ripple In The Water by Casey Kessel Runaway Train by Darcy Lynne Ward Angels Cry by Tresa Jordan What I Did Last Night by Catherine Britt Nothing At All by Kasey Chambers Nightingale by Amy LaVere I've Forgotten You by Shannon Mock If I Could by Sunny Sweeney Becky's House, Ould Sod and Sara Petite By: Charlotte Tenney The Presidio You may wonder how it is possible that a neighborhood bar in Normal Heights would end up doing a musical review as a fundraiser for a battered women's shelter. But then you don't know Sara Petite. At the Becky's House event at the Ould Sod Irish Pub, on Sunday, October 22nd, her name was on everyone's lips. She was everywhere behind the scenes as well as on stage, making sure that artists got announced, raffle tickets got picked, the schedule respected, CD's sold, not to mention energizing the room with her own strong vocals during the set that she performed that night. She coordinated six hours of music by a dozen singer-songwriters, as well as donations for raffles and a team of volunteers to help. Her passion and compassion shone through in her music and in her dedication to making a difference. But, she'd not want to be the subject of this article, since her intent was to showcase and benefit others. If you are interested in more about her, check out www.sarapetite.com or you can hear her play on the first Friday of the month at the Ould Sod at 3373 Adams Avenue. Petite would rather that the focus be on the work being done by the YWCA to offer safe haven to victims of domestic violence through their shelter Becky's House. The growing need in San Diego has outstripped YWCA's current capacity and a second facility, Becky's House 2, is planned for opening in October of 2007. The new building will provide a thirty-day safe haven for up to fourteen women and their children, offering them legal assistance, job skills training, onsite schooling and counseling. YWCA has raised about 75% of the funds necessary. More information is at www.ywcasandiego.org. Petite's event at the Ould Sod is part of the effort to fill that gap, and was her first experience at organizing a fundraiser. If you ask her about her connection with Becky's House, she will tell you that a losing a close friend, to a domestic violence murder, motivated her to use of her music as a force for positive change. Working at the Ould Sod she was able to take advantage of their policy of lending the venue once a month for community fundraisers. And being a musician, she was able to connect with other powerful women in the local music scene to join her in singing out the message. The musicians, like members of an extended family, rallied around to cheer, tease and encourage each other, staying well beyond the time for their own sets. And it was a veritable gourmet buffet of performers that Petite incited to be there. Any one of them would be worth a special effort to hear; having them all in one place had the impact of an ever-increasing energy and excitement. Annie Dru delivered songs of regret and love gone bad, making use of well placed discord to convey the emotions, along with rock rhythms that brought people to their feet. Regina Dawn, an Amazon in both presence and voice, with an uninhibited style reminisiscent of Janis Joplin, sang songs about poverty and . Evan Bethany and Molly Jensen took turns backing each other on guitar for their vocals, with haunting harmonies in pure folk tradition with strong storylines and then finished up with a sing-a-long " You are my Sunshine" punctuated by comical vocal imitations of back-up instrumentals. Joanie Mendenhall's group was a string section, with fiddle, bass and guitar, that covered a range of ballad, Doo-Wop, and traditional folk. Cindy Lee Berryhill brought in poilitical satire and protest with her "When Did Jesus Become a Republican" that was so well received at the Democracy Fest a few months ago. The mood changed to classic rock with Saba backed by a full band and percussion. That theme was continued by Sara Petite and the Sugar Daddies, with Sara's voice coming strong and clear above the dance rhythms and drums, making it evident that she is the spark plug that ignites action all around her, no matter what she takes on. You can find connections to Becky's House to give a donation or to her guest artists on her site. www.sarapetite.com. Women musicians combine forces to benefit domestic violence shelter By: JIM TRAGESER - Staff Writer It promises to be a beautiful day of music: a baker's dozen of the top local female musicians performing during the course of six hours on a Sunday afternoon at a friendly Irish pub. But the cause the show benefits, as well as the motivation for its existence, couldn't be more tragic. "One of my friends died of domestic abuse a couple of years ago," San Diego singer-songwriter Sara Petite said of her motivation in setting up Sunday's benefit for Becky's House at the Ould Sod in San Diego's Normal Heights neighborhood. Petite said her friend was leaving an abusive situation with her children, but came back to her home to pick up a few personal items and was shot to death by her husband, who then turned the gun on himself. A shelter run by the local YWCA, Becky's House provides a safe place for women and children who are in danger from an abusive family member. Due to the number of women seeking shelter, the YWCA is raising money to build a second shelter. Of the 13 musicians and bands donating their talent and time to the cause, there are several from North County: Cindy Lee Berryhill resides in Encinitas, Steph Johnson is from Poway, and Regina Dawn is newly relocated to San Marcos. Also on the bill are Petite, Chelsea Flor, Molly Meekin, Annie Dru, Evan Bethany, Molly Jenson, Joanie Mendenhall, Dee Ray, Saba and Arabella Harrison. The show begins at 3 p.m. and runs until 9; each artist will perform a 30-minute set. The $10 per person cover charge is being donated to Becky's House, and there will also be a raffle and auction to raise money. In addition, Petite and several other performers will donate all proceeds from the sale of their own CDs at the show to Becky's House. Petite said the Ould Sod has a legal capacity of only 99, so she suggested getting there early. The Ould Sod is at 3373 Adams Ave. in San Diego. Visit sarapetite.com. http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/10/19/entertainment/music/14_08_2510_18_06.txt George says: There are few better combinations than good music in support of a good cause. You'll get both Sunday at the Ould Sod in Normal Heights, where at least 12 notable area singer-songwriters and one band will perform a six-hour benefit concert. Proceeds go to the non-profit Becky's House, which provides a wealth of services for San Diego women in need. The lineup for this 3-6 p.m. gig includes Cindy Lee Berryhill, Joannie Mendenhall, Sara Petite, Steph Johnson, Arabella Harrison, the lone-named Saba, Regina Dawn, Evan Nethany, Annie Dru, Dee Ray, Molly Meekin, Chelsea Flor and Molly Jenson. For $10, it's the best deal of the week by far. http://weblog.signonsandiego.com/news/weblogs/music/
SARA PETITE’S TIGER MOUNTAIN CD Review I was born in ‘75 family of six barely getting by we were Momma’s babies and Daddy’s pride a small town, American life… So begins Sara Petite’s debut album on Manatease Records. Her life appears to be chronicled in song from beginning to end on this record titled Tiger Mountain. Sara is a budding San Diego singer/songwriter who has a knack for writing good, honest songs reminiscent of Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton. The music is a mesh of bluegrass, folk and country. Her voice is simple and unassuming. This is Americana. I like this record for a variety of reasons, the strong point being the songwriting. The lyrics are heartfelt and Sara’s not afraid to give everyone a pass into her personal life. The production is bare bones and uncluttered, just as I like it. Sara’s co-producers, John Kuhlken and Jeff Forrest, did a great job to capture her simplistic style. From the onset listeners are transformed to the front porch of a mountain shack in the Appalachian Mountains. Sara’s voice is fragile and unpolished, which I find lends itself to the honesty of the songs. Sara’s songs are being well received in the songwriting world. Out of fifteen thousand song entries, hers made it to the semi-finals in the 2005 International Songwriting Competition in Nashville, Tennessee. Her song, Coming Home, also garnered honorable mention in American Songwriters Magazine. The opening track of Tiger Mountain, the aforementioned Coming Home, is a song about leaving home, finding it’s a tough road to travel and missing home, a staple of story lines. Its rolling, up-tempo beat and tasteful B-string bender guitar work by L.A. guitar slinger, Jesse Harris, make this song a good choice to begin the record with. Sara’s quick to change moods though. The next track, I’m Leaving, is a mournful tune finding her at the end of a relationship and in a darker frame of mind. Where am I going? Anywhere but here gonna wave goodbye in my rear view mirror if I break down I’m gonna take a train hell I’d walk; it’s all the same I’m leaving… My favorite track might be Ruby. I find myself going back to this song more often than the others for some reason. Maybe it’s the haunting melody or the repeated reference to “my home town” that conjures up a certain longing in my mind. Huckleberries, with its visually charged lyrics of mountain life and coming of age, sounds like a Dolly Parton song that found its way on paper through Sara’s pen. Complete with Dolly-esque “dee-da-da-dee-dee’s”, I can hear Parton doing her own interpretation of this one. (Pitch it to her Sara) Other standouts on this record are Old Friend, Look What You’re Doing, and Gypsy Friend. Every song has meat though, and if you ask ten people what their favorite track is it’s conceivable you’d get ten different answers. I’ve seen Sara perform, albeit briefly, twice this past year. The first time, I seem to recall her having a somewhat shy stage persona. I expected the same when she recently sat in with my band at the desert fortress of Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace near Joshua Tree. Much to my surprise she now possesses a confident swagger about her. What she’ll be like a year from now should be very interesting. You can catch Sara playing around town and hear her perform these songs live. At her recent CD release party at the Ould Sod in Normal Heights, she performed the songs from the album and sold 140 copies of the CD. Quite impressive, you think? Tiger Mountain is a rewarding effort for all involved. Sara wrote all eleven tracks and each one is deserving of a listen many times over. For more info on Sara Petite, visit her website at sarapetite.com. Support this artist as well as every other talented artist this town has spawned. - The Espresso, written by Kenny Newberry ______________________________________________________ There's Nothing Small About Petite's Talent Forrest Gump was right. Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get. CDs can be the same way. That turned out to be especially true of my recent experience with Sara Petite's new album, Tiger Mountain. I had never heard or even heard of Sara Petite prior to accepting this assignment, so it was with great anticipation that I tore into her new CD's plastic wrapping. I was immediately taken by her unique vocal style. Something about it reminded me of Lucinda Williams. Not that Petite necessarily sounds a lot like her, but her vocals have a similar originality. I found it somewhat of an acquired taste. The more I listened, the more I liked it. According to her long-time friend and Tiger Mountain contributor Shawn P Rohlf, Petite has been playing locally over the last several years under the name Honky Tonk Girl. Her new band, the Sugar Daddies, formed about a year ago. Together, they may be going places. In a more literal sense, Petite already is. At this writing she is on a bried tour in Ireland where she will play a half dozen dates in various clubs and pubs across the Emerald Isle. Her life as an artist began avout seven years ago while she was still in college. Trained as a child on a piano, Petite picked up the guitar while in school and soon realized that she had knack for writing songs. She has been honing those skills ever since. Tiger Mountain, which began to take shape last August, is her debut album and one that her grandma, to whom three of the songs are dedicated, would be very proud of. "A few songs are about home and my grandma. Those [bluegrass] songs are the ones that sort of tie it together. I didn't want it to be [entirely] bluegrass, but there are some bluegrass songs on it," Petite explained between sets before a capacity crowd at Adams' Avenue's Ould Sod. Petite received a major boost to her carer a while back when two of her songs were honored at the prestigious Nashville International Songwriting Competition. "Coming Home" and "Shine Some Heaven," both of which are included on Tiger Mountain, went on to the semifinals in Nashville, rising to the top from a sea of 15,000 entries. "Gypsy," another cut from Tiger Mountain, made it to the third round. The three songs for the nucleus of what is a very solid debut album, on which Petite demonstrates her versatility. "Some songs are bluegrassy, others are folky. "Coming Home" is definitely country sounding and some of the others are more like folk-rock. "Old Friend" is rocked-up a bit, so there is a lot of variety. I've received really good feedback on it and different people are picking out different songs that they like." What they all have in common is Petite's considerable gift for songwriting. "Her style of music is very homegrown and organic with honest tunes," Rohlf said. "She has good taste in music and she has her own style. Sara has a really unique voice and she executes her songs very well," he added. Rohlf also talked about Petite's "infectious personality" and her ability to brighten up a room and bring joy to the people around her. Those same characteristics are heard in her music. Petite's primary goal in recording Tiger Mountain was to make an album that she could truly call her own. She therefore rejected the idea of adding a few covers or collaborating with a co-writer or two. All 11 songs on this album are entirely hers. With a monster band of local veterans playing behind her, her sound is distilled and refined like a smooth whiskey. "I'm pretty independent and a bit of a maverick and I also paid for everything, so I got to do everything my way. I'm not trying to be like anybody else; I just wanted everything to be original and me." Find out more about Sara Petite at: www.sarapetite.com. she will perform on June 4 at Acoustic Alliance and later this summer at Lestat's and the Whistle Stop. by John Phillip Wyllie The San Diego Troubadour _____________________________________________________________________ Sara Petite Americana- Sounds like a modern day June Carter, songs about the road, heart break and home. Ranges from mountain bluegrass to roots rock, classic music. Nu iedereen er lovend over doet, mogen wij ons wel even laten gaan. Sara Petite, een knappe jongedame uit Sumner, Washington, verrast ons met het fraaie debuut "Tiger Mountain" waarop we een zangeres horen die op geheel eigen wijze invloeden uit folk, country en bluegrass vermengt in prachtliedjes. Deze invloeden zijn voornamelijk Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard, Bob Dylan, Hank Williams, John Mellencamp, Shelby Lynne, Lucinda Williams, Tom Petty, Lyle Lovett, Gillian Welch, Matraca Berg, Patti Griffin en John Prine. Van dat soort muziek kunnen we niet genoeg krijgen, dit debuut wordt daarom ook door ons met open armen ontvangen. Sara Petite doet meer met country. In wezen beproeft ze tamelijk traditioneel het singer-songwritergenre, maar daar voegt ze allerlei elementen aan toe waardoor haar elf zelfgepende liedjes iets eigens meekrijgen. En wat een begeleiding! Met o.a. Co-Producers John Kuhlken (drums,percussie) en Jeff Forrest (accordeon), maar ook horen we special gast Jesse Harris (gitaren). Een debuut met ijzersterke liedjes laat vooral een traditioneel country-bluegrassgeluid horen, en hier en daar komt wat folk om de hoek piepen. "Tiger Mountain" bestaat uit geweldige singer-songwriter liedjes zoals de opener "Coming Home", "Look What You’re Doing" en Gypsy Friend", juist drie tracks waar Jesse Harris het gitaarwerk voor zijn rekening neemt. Alle songs gaan over het verleden, de liefde en haar reizen die ze maakte doorheen de States, Canada, Mexico en Europa. Allemaal liedjes die haar afkomst verraden, maar die tegelijkertijd opvallen door eigenzinnigheid. Wat nog het meest opvalt aan de muziek van Sara Petite is de intensiteit er van. Petite doordrenkt haar muziek met passie en emotie en weet ons in ieder geval zeer te raken met dit geweldige debuut. Grote kans dat deze cd ook jou niet onberoerd laat. Vergelijken met anderen is zinloos want Sara Petite heeft een opvallend eigen geluid. Een geluid dat wat ons betreft heel veel toekomst heeft. Wat er ook gaat gebeuren, dit prachtdebuut "Tiger Mountain" neemt niemand ons meer. Sara Petite Americana- Sounds like a modern day June Carter, songs about the road, heart break and home. Ranges from mountain bluegrass to roots rock, classic music. Now that everybody is praising her, we can allow ourselves to aswell. Sara Petite, a beautiful young lady from Sumner WA, surprises us with a fine début called "Tiger Mountain" where she mixes folk, country and bluegrass in her own special way into magnificent songs. Her influences are mainly Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard, Bob Dylan, Hank Williams, John Mellencamp, Shelby Lynne, Lucinda Williams, Tom Petty, Lyle Lovett, Gillian Welch, Matraca Berg, Patti Griffin and John Prine. We can't get enough of this kind of music, that's why we too are welcoming this début with open arms. Sara Petite does so much for country music. Actually she's playing the singer-song writer style rather traditionally, but then adding several ingredients that give her self-written songs their own identity. And on top of it all she has great accompianment! With, among others, co-producers John Kuhlken (drums, percussion) and Jeff Forrest (accordion), we also hear special guest Jesse Harris (guitars). A début with excellent songs lets us hear a mainly traditional country-bluegrass sound and sometimes folk. "Tiger Mountain" has marvellous singer-song writer songs like the first track "Coming Home", "Look What You're Doing" and "Gypsy Friend", exactly the three tracks where Jesse Harris is playing the guitar. All the songs are about the past, about love and about her travels through the States, Canada, Mexico and Europe. All these songs explain her roots but also attract the attention because of obstinacy. What attracts us the most about Sara Petite's music is the intensity. Petite soaks her music with passion and emotion and is able to touch us with this wonderful début. Big chances that this cd will stay with you as well. Starting to compare with others is useless because Sara has her own distinct sound. A sound with a bright future if you ask us. But whatever happens, nobody is going to take away this awesome début called "Tiger Mountain". (translation by Bart Lauthouers) Freddy Celis Roots time - Belgium http://www.rootstime.be/ _______________________________________________________________________ B+ "Tiger Mountain" Sara Petite Manatease Records With a voice nearly as nasal as that of cult country fave Iris DeMent, the singing of San Diego's Sara Petite can take a bit of getting used to. Give it a chance, though, and you run serious risk of getting hooked. On her new CD, Petite displays a confident delivery and down-to-earth charm that, coupled to 11 nicely crafted tunes, create as original a brand of country-friendly folk rock as this county has heard since Eve Selis first arrived on the scene. The arrangements incorporate banjo and fiddle as well as guitar ---- and on some cuts, the result is deep country ("Coming Home," "Tiger Mountain"). But elsewhere, she drifts more into a rock format. And "Ruby" is folk. And yet, despite this stylistic range, "Tiger Mountain" is a cohesive album ---- due to the fact that every song is clearly, purely Sara Petite. ---- Jim Trageser Staff Writer http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/04/26/entertainment/music/10_03_124_26_06.txt ___________________________________________________________________ SARA PETITE “Tiger Mountain” (In eigen beheer uitgebracht!) (3,5) Als je haar enkel op haar looks zou beoordelen dan zou deze jonge chanteuse uit bloemenstadje Sumner, Washington als snel in de buurt van een maximumscore uitkomen, maar tot nader order draait het ‘m hier natuurlijk nog altijd gewoon louter om de muziek. En die mag dan al behoorlijk goed zijn, zo’n topscore zit er op dit vlak vooralsnog zeker niet in. Sara Petite vindt voor haar liedjes inspiratie in herinneringen aan haar thuishaven en in de vele reizen die ze maakte doorheen de States, Canada, Mexico en zowat heel Europa. Als een soort van jongere uitvoering van Dolly Parton verpakt ze die in songs waarin het gebruik van elementen uit traditionele country, bluegrass en rock uitmondt in aanstekelijke Americana. Als haar voornaamste troeven gelden daarbij haar enigszins aparte, op jeugdig élan drijvende stem en haar vermogen om een meteen goed in het gehoor liggende song te schrijven. Wij durven dan ook zonder schroom te stellen, dat deze werkelijk oogstrelende beauty mits een wat ruimer opnamebudget en een aan haar talenten beantwoordende productie bij een volgende gelegenheid nog een mooie toekomst wacht. http://www.ctrlaltcountry.be/ Translation by Bart Lathouwers "Tiger Mountain" (own production!) If you would judge her only by her looks, then this young singer from flowervillage Summer, Washington, would end up fast with a maximum score, but of course we are only here to talk about the music. And although it is good, we can't give it a top score yet. Sara Petite finds inspiration for her songs out of memories of her hometown and of the many travels she did through the States, Canada, Mexico and most of Europe. Like some sort of a younger version of Dolly Parton she puts them (the memories) in songs in which the use of elements from traditional country, bluegrass and rock find its way in a contagious (or catching?) Americana. Her most important trumps are her somehow distinct, young sounding voice and her ability to immeadiately write a song that is nice to listen to. Without hesitation we dare to say that this really eyecatching beauty, in case she gets a better budget to record and a producer matching her talents, is facing a bright future at the next occasion. __________________________________________________________ American Songwriter Magazine March/April Issue The Voice of the Songwriting Community Sara Petite receives an honorable mention award for her song Coming Home in the March/April American Songwriters Magazine Lyric contest. http://www.americansongwriter.com/?em1249=0_-1__1_~0~2248_-1_03_2006_0_0&content=pastwinners 2005 Great American Songwriting Contest Sara Petite is an Honor Award Winner with her song Shine Some Heaven in the 2005 Great American Song Contest. http://www.greatamericansong.com/honorary.html LOCALS ONLY Gossip from the local music scene by Scoop Stevens Ye Ould Amnesty “Human rights have been put on the back burner worldwide, and we need to help shine a light on this,” said Ould Sod bartender Martin Brennan. The Sod is a Normal Heights Irish pub that’s long been home to community affairs that go beyond “one more Guinness, please.” And though Ireland may not be No. 1 on the list to receive international relief funds, the bar holds its 9th annual Amnesty International benefit this week. “A lot of our customers [are] also supporters of Amnesty International,” Brennan explained. “And when someone commented that money was needed to help fund the organization, I offered the venue.” This year boasts a pretty impressive list of local talent, including Greg Laswell, Sara Petite, Gregory Page, Berkley Hart and Saba. Music starts at a time that’s appropriate for first-round in some countries—3 p.m. The early start is a response to the event’s growing crowd; last year, patrons had to be turned away. “This is just one event, but there are so many things that need to have more attention directed at them,” Brennan said. “Not just political things, but also education, women’s rights and so many other things. It’s a start.” www.theould sod.com http://www.sdcitybeat.com/article.php?id=4068 ___________________________________________________________ Seth Libbey & Eric Carlton at Two Sticks Thursday The Oxford Eagle, December 8, 2005 Oxford, Mississipppi Vicksburg native Seth Libbey and his band will return to Oxford this Thursday for the first time since last spring. Last time through The Liberals enlisted former Kudzu Kings and Cross-Eyed Cat guitarist Daniel Karlish. This time around Libbey has recruited Eric Carlton to sit in on organ and keys. “I’ve been spending most of my time working for FEMA since September, so the band hasn’t been able to get together much over the past few months.” Libbey said. I did some acoustic shows with Adam Hood back in October down in Auburn and Tuscaloosa. I’m excited about getting to play with Eric Carlton, because with him, we can do some songs that the band wouldn’t normally get to play and some new stuff that I’ve played at the solo gigs, but we haven’t played together yet. The Liberals lineup this Thursday will feature another special guest – Sara Petite from San Diego on guitar and vocals, along with guitarist Stan Black, bassist Nathan Robbins (Rocket 88), drummer Bradley Gordon (Rocket 88, Pithecanfunkus Erectus, new Madrid Click, Jeff Johnson Band, etc.), Libbey and Carlton. Libbey, who also works as a land surveyor and handles the booking for The Loft in Vicksburg, plays mostly in and around Mississippi in towns such as Vicksburg, Starkville, Meridian, Natchez and throughout the Delta. He will go back out on the road with Adam Hood sometime this spring to play some more shows in Alabama and some in Georgia. Catch Seth Libbey& The Liberals with special guest Eric Carlton Thursday night at Two Sticks. Show starts at 10 p.m. and cover is $5. Seth Libbey & Eric Carlton at Two Sticks Thursday