Tag: Marshall

Visible Recognition — Sammie Hershock Honors Diligent Women on “Gold Sticker” Single

Sammie Hershock. Courtesy photo.

Sammie Hershock recognizes diligent women whose valuable contributions often go unnoticed on “Gold Sticker.”

The Marshall, Michigan, singer-songwriter and pianist pays tribute to women who support family, friends, and community behind the scenes on her new indie-folk single.

“That’s really where the song came from, and originally when I wrote it, I was thinking about my mom,” said Hershock, who’s also a mother of three children. “It just put it all in perspective for me, and it came from realizing how much she actually did.”

On “Gold Sticker,” she sings, “But can she get a gold sticker / Can she get a prize / Or maybe a metal around her neck to reflect the light in her eyes / It took me long enough to see / That in the race of humanity / There is no winner / But can we get a gold sticker.”

“When I play this for people, I can’t even tell you how many people come up afterward and say, ‘I needed to hear that,’” Hershock said. “I almost always play that song, and at the end, I have free gold stickers.”

“Gold Sticker” features an A-list roster of musicians, including Dominic Davis on bass, Mike Shimmin on drums, Spencer LaJoye on violin and background vocals, Kyle Joe on background vocals, and producer Chris DuPont on guitar.

“When I started working with Chris DuPont, I already had amazing musicians on it, and the skeleton of the record was perfect,” said Hershock, whose new single will appear on her upcoming album, Wings. “I loved it, but I just knew that I wanted it to be filled out a little bit more.”

Hershock also recently entered “Gold Sticker” in the Grassy Hill New Folk Competition for Emerging Songwriters, which is affiliated with the Kerrville Folk Festival in Kerrville, Texas.

She placed as one of 24 semi-finalists for the competition and is traveling to Kerrville this weekend to perform at the festival on May 24.

I recently spoke with Hershock about her background, new material, and upcoming plans.

Continue reading “Visible Recognition — Sammie Hershock Honors Diligent Women on “Gold Sticker” Single” →

Construction Time Again — Crossword Smiles Build a New Album, “Consequences & Detours,” Out of Grief and Goodbyes

Tom Curless and Chip Saam of Crossword Smiles. Photo by Madeline Curless.

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on the Ann Arbor District Library’s Pulp blog.

Tom Curless and Chip Saam anticipate life’s twists and turns and adjust their plans and perspectives accordingly on Consequences & Detours, the new album by their band, Crossword Smiles.

“At this point in our lives, we start to have a different perspective on life,” said Curless, who lives south of Flint in the town of Grand Blanc.

“You start to see things a little higher at a 30,000-foot view. I’ve lost people, I’ve lost my parents, and all of a sudden, you say, ‘Wow, life seems a little bit different now.’”

That wise perspective permeates Crossword Smiles’ songwriting on its sophomore release, which features 11 tracks about anticipation, disappointment, and discovery.

“I don’t think you can get away from it,” said Saam, who previously lived in Dexter and now resides in the West Michigan town of Dimondale. “If you’re making music and writing songs, some of your life is going to seep into it. There are some specific references to things like in ‘Typical Waving Goodbye.’ I lost a buddy … and I didn’t know when I was saying goodbye to him that I was saying goodbye for good.”

Those relatable experiences on Consequences & Detours quickly connect with listeners, thanks to the duo’s memorable lyrics, infectious harmonies, vivid electric guitars, and melodic instrumentation.

“We really both contributed a lot of things to each song,” said Saam, also a University of Michigan alumnus and host of the internet show Indie Pop Takeout. “It was very fulfilling for me as a musician.”

The musicianship extends to the arrangements, too, which feature violin, mandolin, trumpet, and accordion to augment the core of guitar, bass, and drums.

“We purposely went after different sonic touches on every song if we could,” Curless said.

I recently spoke with Curless and Sam about the album ahead of a May 31 show at Trinity House Theatre in Livonia.

Continue reading “Construction Time Again — Crossword Smiles Build a New Album, “Consequences & Detours,” Out of Grief and Goodbyes” →