Artist of The Month: Rissi Palmer

rissi_palmer

Since releasing her debut, self-titled CD in October 2007, Artist of the Month Rissi Palmer has received widespread media attention in The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, People Magazine, GIANT, New York Post, VIBE, CBS Saturday Early Show, Huffington Post, Extra, CNN, and many more.

Palmer’s singles “Country Girl,” “Hold On To Me,” and “No Air” all climbed the Billboard Country Charts, making her then the first African-American woman to grace the country charts in 20 years. She recorded an exclusive EP for Starbucks, her videos were fan favorites on CMT and GAC, and she has been an invited performer at the White House and the Grand Ole Opry on numerous occasions. Rissi’s songs have appeared on television shows such as Saving Grace, Army Wives, and Heartland and in the feature film The Woodsman starring Kevin Bacon. 

In 2013, Rissi ventured into children’s music with the release of Best Day Ever, a 12 song collection of songs for kids that adults also would enjoy.  Two songs from the set were featured on the Hallmark CD compilations Heart Beats and Smiles Ahead.

Rissi is now making her return to the spotlight with a brand new 5-song EP, The Back Porch Sessions, which was the subject of  a recent, in-depth article in Rolling Stone magazine. Her new EP features all original songs, which Rissi had a hand in writing and which  was produced by the Grammy winning production/songwriting team of Drew Ramsey (India.Arie, Robert Randolph, Jonny Lang) and Shannon Sanders (Randy Travis, Lyle Lovett, India.Arie).

As a woman who recalls being a young girl performing on her late great-grandmother’s back porch in Summerville, GA, Rissi says her new music is a way of paying homage to her beginnings and some of her fondest memories as a child: “I call it ‘Southern Soul'”, Rissi says with a smile. “This album is a blend of all my musical influences — from Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton, to Aretha Franklin and Al Green — from the music I heard on the radio as a young girl, to the deep, heart-stirring kind of music we sang in the church choir.”

Whether it’s her soulful lead single, “Sweet, Sweet Lovin’” that features three-year-old daughter, Grace, on the intro, or the rootsy, sexy “Well Enough Alone” that includes several of her grandmother’s favorite sayings, or the pensive “Summerville,“ a love song to her mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, and the small town from which they came, Rissi describes the new music as “refreshing, fun and thoughtful.”  We call it honest, engaging soul music that brings further rewards with each listen!

Have a look at Rissi’s visual for “Sweet Sweet Lovin’” here: 

Video

More Info

Read More:

Official Websitewww.rissipalmermusic.com

Interview and live performance on the Tavis Smiley Show

Never miss any important news. Subscribe to our newsletter.

Album of the Month

Various Artists

80s Soul Classics, Vol. 8

Choice Cut

Walter Beasley

"Come Live With Me"

Choice Cut

Paul Anthony

"Ready to Learn Your Love"

See The Finalists

SoulTracks Readers' Choice Awards

Never miss any important news. Subscribe to our newsletter.