First-ever Patsy Cline jazz tribute album out now

Debut album My Patsy Cline Songbook from vocalist Staci Griesbach

Patsy Cline’s trailblazing spirit is remembered in My Patsy Cline Songbook, the first-ever, full-length jazz tribute album, out now. Drawing on her country roots, vocalist Staci Griesbach’s debut album explores looking at the Nashville Songbook as another treasure trove for jazz musicians to consider reinterpreting, much like the traditional Great American Songbook.

“These songs are timeless and prove that a good melody and a good lyric can cross genres, generations, and connect no matter the style of interpretation,” said Griesbach. “For my debut album, I wanted to find “standards” that were already in my bones, where I could interpret them authentically, and for that, I turned to the music I had been listening to throughout my childhood.”

Griesbach’s My Patsy Cline Songbook features an all-star line up of musicians on 15 tracks including classics “Crazy,” “I Fall To Pieces,” “She’s Got You,” “Walkin’ After Midnight,” and “Sweet Dreams.” From jazz heavyweights Tamir Hendelman, Bob Sheppard and Bruce Forman to Nashville’s own Stuart Duncan, the album features a mix of country and jazz instrumentation designed to stay true to the original intent with Cline’s recordings, while exploring jazz styling, bringing her music to a new audience.

“It is amazing to hear Staci interpreting Mom’s music for the jazz fan, as well as the traditional Patsy fan,” said Julie Fudge, Patsy Cline’s daughter. “These arrangements are new and fresh and so engaging. Even those that wouldn’t consider themselves a jazz fan will reconsider after hearing Staci sing these songs. I truly think Mom would have listened to this collection.”

Produced by Griesbach, the My Patsy Cline Songbook is designed to take fans on a journey through her catalog, written by some of Nashville’s most renowned songwriters including Hank Cochran, Harlan Howard, Bob Wills, and Willie Nelson. These prolific American songwriters contributed greatly to the Nashville Sound, arguably in the same way Irving Berlin and Cole Porter contributed to the foundation of jazz standards that exist today. Similarly, Patsy Cline has shaped and influenced nearly every female country singer today, much as Ella Fitzgerald or Billie Holiday had in the jazz landscape.

Tierney Sutton, eight-time GRAMMY-nominated vocalist, coached and produced Staci’s vocals during the recording process. Says Sutton, “Staci pays homage to the Patsy Cline songbook by reminding us of Cline’s incredible catalog while at the same time making each song sound entirely new.”

Griesbach added, “My hope with this debut album is to potentially introduce audiences of country music to jazz, and vice versa, showcasing that there is arguably more than one Great American Songbook to explore with a cross-pollination of jazz and country music.”

My Patsy Cline Songbook features collaborations with the following:

-Tamir Hendelman on piano and arranging (Barbra Streisand, Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra alongside Diana Krall, Gladys Knight, and John Pizzarelli)
-Bob Sheppard on woodwinds (Chick Corea, Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Diane Reeves, Kurt Elling)
-Stuart Duncan on fiddle (“The Goat Rodeo Sessions” with Yo Yo Ma, Chris Thile, and Edgar Meyer, as well as Alan Jackson, Barbra Streisand, Diana Krall, Bela Fleck, Robert Plant)
-Bruce Forman on guitar (Ray Brown, Bobby Hutcherson, USC faculty)
-Josh Nelson on piano and arranging (Natalie Cole, Freda Payne, Alicia Olatuja) and Misha Adair (Sophisticated Lady) on piano
-Rich Hinman on pedal steel (Sara Bareilles, Roseanne Cash, K.D. Lang)
-Alex Frank (Jeff Goldblum), Anna Butterss, Nick Ornelas and Gary Wicks (The Manhattan Transfer, Matthew Morrison, The New York Voices) on bass
-Ryan Shaw (Michael Buble), Kevin Kanner (John Pizzarelli) and Andrew Boyle (Sophisticated Lady) on drums
-Aaron Serfaty on percussion (Arturo Sandoval, Sergio Mendes, Dori Caymmi)
-Including arrangements from Brazil’s Celia Vaz as well as Michele Weir (Arrangements for Manhattan Transfer, New York Voices, Swingle Singers)

My Patsy Cline Songbook is produced by Staci Griesbach. Recorded by Talley Sherwood (Tritone Recording), additional engineering Harriet Tam (Tritone Recording), vocals recorded by Harriet Tam. Mixed by Steve Genewick. Mixed at The Stewart House. Mastered by Eric Boulanger at The Bakery – Los Angeles, CA. Vocals produced by eight-time Grammy nominee Tierney Sutton. Featured Brazilian language adaptation from Catina DeLuna, Celia Vaz. Dialect coaching (Portuguese) Catina DeLuna.

My Patsy Cline Songbook Track Listing:
1. Crazy (4:59)
2. Sweet Dreams (3:20)
3. Blue Moon of Kentucky (2:59)
4. Why Can’t He Be You (4:12)
5. So Wrong (3:38)
6. Leavin’ On Your Mind (5:27)
7. Walkin’ After Midnight (4:03)
8. I Fall to Pieces (intro) (1:01)
9. I Fall to Pieces (4:38)
10. Won’t You Come Home Bill Bailey (3:25)
11. She’s Got You (5:33)
12. Strange (2:41)
13. He Called Me Baby (4:31)
14. Always (4:26)
15. You’re Stronger Than Me (4:01)
16. Faded Love (4:15)

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