The Maybelles -- 'a songwriter's band'

The first incarnation of the group that would become The Maybelles began several years ago right here in Eureka Springs when Melissa Carper and Jan Bell met and started playing music together.

The second incarnation was as a duo in New Orleans where they first appeared as The Maybelles. In its annual music issue, New Orleans City Life magazine ranked them among the Top 10 of the city's music acts.

Then musicians being musicians, they hit the road and wound up in Brooklyn where they added Katy Rose Cox to make them a trio. At that time, Chuck Eddy was Senior Music Editor at the Village Voice and rated the group's debut album White Trash Jenny among his favorite Top Ten Folk Albums. He described them as, "An EXPERT BAND. Celtic tinged, Appalachian influenced." Eddy now writes for Billboard magazine, which is the music industry's most influential publication.

Boffo in Gotham City

Mikael Wood, who also writes for the Village Voice, characterized the band's efforts as, "A triumph for equal opportunity bluegrassers, never once sinks into mere bluegrass reverence." And Time Out NY magazine gave them a coveted Recommended rating with the comment, "Don't Miss The Maybelles."

They didn't miss them in London either. Charlie Gillett of the British Broadcasting Corporation [BBC] said, "Of all the music the 'Be Good Tanya's' gave me, my favorite is The Maybelles. They sound like they might be granddaughters of country greats." Interesting comment in that Jan Bell grew up in Nottinghamshire, England.

Then musicians being musicians, they hit the road back to Eureka to record their second album with David Singleton engineering. Sing Out! magazine says, "Sweet old time harmony vocals and a dynamic string band sound … energetic, hauntingly beautiful, humorous … Leavin' Town is a lovely collection … The Maybelles are a talented trio of young women."

Jerome Clark who frequently writes with actor Robin Williams and Williams' wife, Linda, wrote on Rambles.net, "Freshness bordering on wonder.''

Ozark kudos

Donice Woodside, writing for Nightflying, described them as "Musical geniuses in mutual motion.''

Susan Porter, in the Fayetteville Free Weekly says they're an "Upbeat and charming Americana trio."

According to Mike Shirkey of KUAF Radio, "They've got it all. Good writing. Good voices. Good sound. If you haven't seen The Maybelles in a while, you're in for a surprise."

This is a songwriter's band. Performing Songwriter magazine selected White Trash Jenny for its annual Top 12 DIY picks. They described the album as "chock-full of good old fashioned fun -- groping, incest and stints in jail." The title track tells the story of a free-spirited woman who chose a life of crime and time in jail over life in a trailer park, "having kids and being someone's wife."

The fates of dying mothers and coal mining fathers are revealed in the song "Aunt Molly Jackson" which is wrapped in pretty harmonies and framed with traditional bluegrass instrumentation.

All three of The Maybelles' songwriting skills are showcased on the Leavin' Town album. And they mix in some Bill Monroe, Carter Family and Hank Williams covers which serve to ground them in authenticity. Mikael Wood of the Village Voice really hits the nail on the head when he says, "They give such an unsentimental melancholy to the mostly self-penned material that you remember their art, not their science. Don't expect a video."

Reintarnation

The latest incarnation will take place next week when they play at George's Majestic Lounge on Dickson St. in Fayetteville on Wednesday and at the Gavioli Chapel in Eureka Springs on Thursday as part of the Americana House Concert series. But first, let's rewind this story back to the part about Brooklyn. While playing the New York City scene, they fell in with a banjo player named Hilary Hawke. And that's right, you've already guessed it, the trio ain't no trio, no more. They're a four-piece. This should be more fun than when Granny puked and us kids played in it.

The Maybelles have been invited to perform at the International Bluegrass Music Awards in Nashville this year. And Jan Bell has won the popular vote for Independent Music Awards Alternative Country Album of the Year for her Songs For Love Drunk Sinners as performed by Jan Bell + the Cheap Dates.

Concert Times

* Wednesday, Oct. 15, 10 p.m., George's Majestic Lounge, Dickson St. in Fayetteville. David Singleton and Mike Blackwell will open.

* Thursday, Oct. 16, 7 p.m., The Gavioli Chapel in Eureka Springs. Americana House Concert.