When faced with such great talent, you are at first enraptured by the gift and absorbing the opportunity, and then the next moment comes and you think, “Wait, how could they do something like that?'' Have you ever had that moment where you thought, “Am I really that good at something?” When you were young? ”
Anyone who attended the concert at Mary's Place, located inside the destination store Taos Lifestyle, was invited to join award-winning singer, songwriter, and mandolinist AJ Lee and her rising bluegrass band. You will experience a similar moment when listening to . Taos Lifestyle's Mary Domito has already had that moment with AJ Lee and her Blue Summit. “I can tell you I saw them here in Taos,” she said of the band.
In addition to Lee, who has been playing mandolin since the ripe old age of four, the band consists of Scott Gates on guitar, Jean Pratt on fiddle, and Sullivan Tuttle on guitar. This band more or less falls into the bluegrass genre, but does not include a banjo player. Instead, Gates and Tuttle play steel-string acoustic guitars, which, along with Lee's mandolin and Purat's fiddle, have helped the band create its signature sound of bluegrass, country, soul, swing, and rock. Ta.
According to Lee, Blue Summit technically started performing together in 2015, “and then we all kind of stuck together.” While speaking with Lee, who hails from her hometown of California, she said she's from the West Coast. He talked about the bluegrass scene. “A lot of people are surprised that California has a strong bluegrass scene. I grew up seeing it primarily through my mother. program, and the rest is history.'' Being so young and small, the mandolin was a perfect fit for her body, so it made sense for her to start playing the mandolin. “It's strange to start playing music at such a young age, but I've never felt forced to perform, it's just a part of me.” When I was young, I couldn't reach a microphone. , I remember my mother making me stand close to the microphone. ”
Lee now has no trouble reaching the microphone, and her near-clear voice helps the band find a rhythm. “It seems like I'm getting busier every year,” said the singer-songwriter, who is comfortable leading an all-male band. “Taos is a special place to us. When we were preparing our latest album, we held a band retreat in Taos, did workshops, wrote songs, and put the album together. We made some great memories.”
The album, which will be their second, is scheduled for release in July. Lee explained that they will be playing a mix of older songs from their first album and songs that have not yet been released. “I'm excited to be playing at Mary's Place. She's very much an artist herself. She dabbles in all kinds of things,” Lee said, including bringing quality music to Taos. I commented on Domito, a community leader who supports various organizations and initiatives.
“We're excited that they're coming back to Taos for a third time, and we're especially excited that they'll be playing at Mary's Place,” Domit said. “They are world-class musicians, and they have AJ Lee at the front, who is a great songwriter and has a pure, clean voice.”
In a short period of time, AJ Lee & Blue Summit has garnered significant attention and awards. Already on their resumes are Best Female Vocalist (awarded nine times), Best Bluegrass Band, Best Mandolin Player, Best Guitar Player, Freshgrass Band Contest Winner, and IBMA Momentum Vocalist of the Year. , National Flatpicking Award, and other awards are listed.
When asked what the best part of being AJ Lee is, this young woman with an old soul thoughtfully replies, “I love being AJ Lee. “I feel very lucky to be surrounded by amazing people who bring out the best in me.” I am able to connect people who become my best friends. '' Lee spoke about her love of playing music and the band's camaraderie. “We are inspired by each other.”
AJ Lee and Blue Summit are scheduled to perform at Mary's Place inside Taos Lifestyle, 815 Paseo Del Pueblo Sur, on Sunday, February 25th at 6 p.m. The suggested donation for the concert is $20. CDs, records, and other merchandise are also available for purchase. For more information, visit bluesummitmusic.com.