Dale Ann Bradley

Dale Ann Bradley
Labels Compass Records
Mountain Home Records
Doobie Shea Records[1]
Pinecastle Records
Website www.daleann.com

Dale Ann Bradley is an American Bluegrass musician. She is a five-time (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2012) Female Bluegrass Vocalist of the Year, a distinction given by the International Bluegrass Music Association.[2] She has released music both as a solo artist and as part of the group New Coon Creek Girls.[3]

Early life

Bradley was born in southeastern Kentucky. Her father was a coal-mining Baptist minister.[4] She grew up without running water or electricity until she was a senior in high school.[5] She also lived with heavy religious restrictions with her father being a minister. She received her first guitar at the age of 14, making a guitar pick out of a milk jug to play.[5]

As a junior in high school, Bradley met a childhood friend of her mother who was also her new band director at school.[5] Him and his wife sang at Pine Mountain State Park in the summers and invited Bradley to perform with them. She played with the band (Backporch Grass) and recorded a few singles and had the opportunity to perform in front of live audiences.[5]

Career

Bradley auditioned for the New Coon Creek Girls in 1988 but was unsuccessful.[3] For the next couple of years, she worked as a solo artist before finally joining the group in 1991.[3] She released her first solo album, East Kentucky Morning, in 1997. The album was top ten on both the Bluegrass Unlimited chart and the Gavin Americana chart.[3]

Discography

Title Album details Peak positions
US Bluegrass
Somewhere South of Crazy
Don't Turn Your Back
  • Release date: 2009
  • Label: Compass Records[7]
Catch Tomorrow
  • Release date: 2006
  • Label: Compass Records[4]
Send the Angels
  • Release date: 2004
  • Label: Mountain Home Records[4]
Cumberland River Dreams
  • Release date: 2001
  • Label: Doobie Shea Records[8]
Songs of Praise and Glory
  • Release date: 2001
  • Label: Pinecastle Records

References

  1. "Doobie Shea Records Shutters". Billboard. 6 July 2004. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  2. Halsey, Derek (13 March 2014). "Five-time award-winning vocalist Dale Ann Bradley brings all-star band to the Mountaineer Opry". The Herald Dispatch. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "About Dale Ann Bradley". CMT. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Dale Ann Bradley On Mountain Stage". NPR. 9 June 2009. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "A ‘Women in Bluegrass Spectacular’ will feature Dale Ann Bradley, Most Recent Female Vocalist". Southern Maryland News. 18 February 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  6. Betts, Stephen L. (12 July 2011). "Dale Ann Bradley Heads ‘Somewhere South of Crazy’". The Boot. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  7. Lawless, John (5 June 2009). "Dale Ann Bradley – Don’t Turn Your Back". Bluegrass Today. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  8. Papadatos, Markos (26 July 2012). "Bluegrass sensation Dale Ann Bradley talks about her music and future plans". The Examiner.